Side and back garden

Back garden - showing the Cassia alata leaves at left and red flowers of the Ixora coccinea at right

 The Laman Kambatik (Malay) or Kambatik garden is providing much shade, greenery and colours now.  It has developed a micro-climate attracting many birds, butterflies, bees and various insects.  Its bio-diversity network is broadened.  Indeed on this trip I was especially pleased with the behaviours of a nesting couple of the Olive-backed sunbird of which I have blogged in previous postings.  Below are some pictures of the back and side garden.  I have included the Perling bird which I saw this afternoon having a rest on the Tabebeuia rosea branch.

Coconut trees at left and in background is the Mango tree
At center is the Starfruit tree and at right is the White chempaka (Michelia alba)

Side garden - looking south
At left is durian tree and right is the Kedondong tree, with lots of fruits

A Perling bird resting on the branch of the Tabebuia rosea tree...

The male Olive-backed Sunbird

Male Olive-backed Sunbird

Female Olive-backed Sunbird

 The male sunbird had a watching brief over the nest area.  It gave out repeated calls to the female and soon after the female bird appeared with a mouthful of feathers to the nest.  It rested on a branch close by before attempting to make a direct approach to the nest.  She carefully placed the feathers in the nest.  It seemed to me that the feathers would made good bedding material.  After she placed the feathers she rested on a branch outside the nest to swipe her beak on the twig and then had a little rest from a busy afternoon schedule (see picture at the inset left).

Approaching the nest with a mouthful of feather...

At the nest entrance ready to place the feather inside...

Placing the feather....

View of front garden...from outside the fence, looking north.
3 Nov'13

Planting of tall palms and Eugenia oleina trees at back garden..looking south

Planting of Eugenia oleina trees and yellow bamboo at back garden, corner side..looking south.

The Kambatik garden

View of front garden

Holskioldia sanguinea
Chinese hat plant

 The Kambatik garden is shaping up.  The garden's emphasis on a perpetual summer and autumn is felt in the garden colours from fruits, flowers, leaves and stem or tree trunks.  Living in a hot and humid tropics like Kuching one just need to be a bit more imaginative to provide the intermittent flushing of leaves, the permanent variegation of leaves and bracts to make the garden a riot of colours.  The Chinese hat plant can be trained as a climber to give the everyday presence of orange to red colours in the enlarged calyx of its inflorescence. The garden remains cool in the afternoon because of shade provided by the trees. Many tall shrubs like the mussaendas and hibiscus have variegated leaves just like many perennial herb species of the croton, cordyline and gingers.  Thus the choice of spring to summer to autumn colours are a plenty and can range the full colours of the spectrum.  Besides tress providing shade a reasonable sized lawn is important to throw down the shade on the garden floor, providing recreational space,scale, and access to the garden borders, corners and  also as a flight corridor for butterflies.

Frontal view of garden, seen from the road.
Note the red fruits of the Carpentaria palm and the orange to red flushes of the Eugenia oleina in the background.

 I have not seen the Mango tree flowering very heavily like this time around.  It is my fervent hope that the tree will bear as many fruits as possible in the weeks ahead.  Part of the concept of the Kambatik garden is edible landscaping or in Malay is referred to as 'sara landskap'.  In the traditional Malay homes, the back garden is mainly planted with edible fruits, vegetables, herbs with medicinal value and a host of smaller trees,shrubs or covers for its salad value as well.

Pagoda flower (Clerodendrum paniculatum)

Cassia alata

Senduduk (Malay) - Melastoma malabathricum

White costus (Costus speciosus)

Coconut leaves

I am glad that the Kuching garden is giving us much pleasure as well as responsibility in the advancement of ecological diversity, wildlife and more clean oxygen to the living space around us.  Life seems justified in leaving behind a greener planet and more prosperity for wildlife alongside the human species.

The garden plants grows and birds sing..

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 Back in Kuchng on this 45th trip, we found the garden plants growing well and here's some early morning takes, the morning after we arrived Kuching from Bintulu last night.  Three birds have made their early morning calls.  The garden have produced a few fruits that can be consumed immediately.  More views of the garden and close-ups below.....

Fruits of the 'Kedondong' - Malay (Spondias dulcis) ..these can be juiced

Blood banana...

Fruits of the Carpentaria palm ....mainly for the birds

Star fruits - nice to eat raw or juiced

Bignonia magnifica

Orange flowers of the Chinese hat plant (Holmskioldia sanguinea)

Parrot flower or Heliconia psittacorum

Hibiscus

Mussaenda hybrid

Scented flowers of the 'Sui Mui' (Chinese) - Wrightia religiosa

Variegated leaves of the Cordyline fruticosa species

 There will be more birds pictures that can be added here.  But suffice to catch a glimpse of these three early birds at the garden.  They add music to the place with their persistant calls throughout the day.  We will continue to watch them as the day progresses.....

Two yellows and a Penda

View of side and front garden - looking south west

Garden view looking east
with Golden Penda seen  tree at centre

 What's interesting on this trip (44th trip to Kuching) is to see the garden gradually maturing.  For one thing the trees are getting taller and giving out much shade and shelter to the birds. The lawn is steadily thickening and spreading out to areas that were lately developed.  Three yellow flowers caught my eyes today.  They are the flowers of the Yellow Bells ( Tecoma stans), Cassia biflora and the Golden Penda (Xanthostemon chrysanthus).

Front garden showing the yellow flowers of the Cassia biflora

Cassia biflora - once the rage of urban street planting but now few home gardens plant...

Yellow Bells - Tecoma stans
Syn : Stenolobium stans
Family : Bignoniaceae - Bignonia family

Xanthostemon chrysanthus or Golden Penda
Family : Myrtaceae - Myrtle family

 The sights and sounds of a maturing garden are evidenced by the presence of 3 B's - birds, butterflies and bees, not forgetting other insects that would like to join in the list like the grasshoppers and  beetles.
The flowers that bloom for the first time are Golden Penda ( Xanthostemon chrysanthus) and we felt rewarded now by our effort to introduce this plant in the garden nearly two years ago.

A maturing garden - attracting attracting the 3 B's ( birds, butterflies and bees)
Note the Golden Penda yellow flowers at the top centre of the picture.

Kuching garden progress

 The trees and palms are getting bigger and taller.   The flowering shrubs are exhibiting their true colours. The Kedondong tree is producing fruits.  The Bamboo clump is providing shelter to a pair of Spotted Doves, many kinds of butterflies and bees are flying around the garden.  There are many interesting corners providing cool shade and side appeal.  Overall the garden is gradually maturing and is giving much delight to the senses with its fragrance, colour, fruits, herbs and shade.