Life in the Garden ........!

How does one aptly describe the unseen activities happening in the garden?   For  me,  the garden is a special place where growth takes  place in delightful ways  !  Always these  growth (once observed ) never ceased to surprise and excite me!  I am always reminded  that nature is  unpredictable and in command whenever  I stepped into the mini piece of area  I called my 'garden' (my other half described the place as  'Jungle' but he  mis-pronounced it  as 'Young Girl' , so peace and tranquility prevails ....lolz !)   For the record, my garden is young....it has been 2 years since we moved here.  It was  after June 2009  that I  started  to work on the garden.

Before I get side tracked as I usually do ( a sure sign of getting on...) perhaps  I should focus  on what I wanted to blog on.... :- ) !

1. Two weeks ago or so,  I lamented to my sister that  the hippeastrums  (posted :  29th August 2010) had not bloomed !  I have some bulbs in pots and some planted on the ground. I know she liked them just as much as I do .....and she was the one who helped me plant them.  To  rub salt to the wound, my neighblour's hippeastrum were flowering  so were those that grow by the padang (field) !  My hippeastrum were  healthy,  but all leaves and no flowers....haiz !  The last they bloomed ?  Seems like ages ago.....so what is this that  sprouted up overnight ? A bud  !!


Yeah... does this mean more will be coming my way ?  Hope so.....

2. We all love the bitter gourd .....so  when one  plant sprouted up,  (must be from the compost I collected from veg and fruit cuttings  that I sometimes put  to the  garden),  I did not pull it out.  It grew and I like the smell  of the plant very much, so I just let it be.....Each time I watered my plants, whenever I touch the bitter gourd plant,  it  exudes the fresh pleasant clean smell.....and the plants looks nice with its dainty light green leaves and curly tendrils.  One morning  - to my astonishment  this was spotted !

The plant is so small and fragile.  I did not  expect it to fruit at all !  Is this a hint that I should start on some home grown vegetables?  Perhaps, perhaps.......!  

3.  This plant must be a family member of the Bird Nest Fern (posted  :  8th November 2010 ) plant....! See the unusual shaped leaf ?  The texture of the leaf is the same as the Bird Nest Fern...... The leaves were all lancet shaped .... then this new leaf appeared - in tri-pinnate form .... ! Well, I am observing closely its development - unless someone can enlighten me on the ID of this plant first  !

 
4.  These are the passion fruits, they are almost ready to drop.......what a long wait, almost 3 months ! (See posts 29th Nov and 27th Dec 2010; 9th Jan and 11th Feb 2011) !

5. When my gardenias  and periwinkle came  under  attack,  I immediately  knew who the culprits were ! So a bit of examination  around the plants....and the culprits were captured ! Into the caterpillars sanctuaries they go - the ones that attacked the gardenias  (posted 23rd August 2010) are the Clear Wing Hummingbird Caterpillars (see my post on : 9th November 2010 ) and I do not want to kill them.  The caterpillars that attacked the Periwinkle is a big brown month  - ID unknown as yet.  Now I am  switched on to  "Caterpillar Alert" ..... these beautiful caterpillars  are such veracious eaters .....overnight they  practically chomp the whole plant down, flower buds and  leaves ...leaving the bare stalks !

Captured in Santuary... Clearwing Hummingbird

ID unknown...note the lovely 'eyes' and waggy 'tail' !

Both captured safely in Santuary !