Thinning out the side garden

Side garden, next to car porch.

Blood Banana - against the sun

 The side garden next to the car porch needs thinning out.  This morning after the drizzle fizzles out I started to remove some plants that have overgrown unruly by the side garden.  Some of the plants have been hidden in plain sight are in  need to be exposed of their characteristics to be enjoyed.  The Blood Banana (Musa sumatrana) came out in dark red spots. Two varieties of the cordyline (Ti tree) showed how attractive leaves can be to enlighten the green wash.  The variegated leaves come in red, cream and bronze colours.

Variegated leaves of the Cordyline fruiticosa (Ti tree)
Synonymn : Cordyline terminalis
family : Agavaceae - Agave family

Red Ti or sometimes called Cordyline 'Fire Brand'

Blood Banana - Musa sumatrana
Family : Musaceae - Banana family

Birdwatching at the side garden

A small flock of Asian Glossy Starling perching on the Poui tree.

 Just this morning  I realise how many birds one can shoot just a step out into the garden.  Here is the list of common garden birds I saw this morning, two of which were seen busy building their nests, viz the Pipit ( Chestnut Munia) and the Tekukur (Spotted- necked Dove).  Both of them had their nest built in the bamboo thicket.  Then there was a small flock of Asian Glossy Starling seen roosting on the branches of the Poui tree (Tabebuia rosea).  Of exceptional beauty in contrast was the Orange-bellied Flowerpecker.  Its brilliant orange breast appears  striking against the green leaves.  In the line-up was the Pipit or Chestnut Munia, confidently building its nest by flying in and out of the bamboo thicket carrying dried specimens of leaves and grasses in its beak.  All in all, it was a fulfilling moment of birdwatching in the garden.

Tekukur - Spotted-necked Dove

Pipit (Chestnut Munia) bringing material for its nest

Orange-bellied Flowerpecker

Side garden showing the coconut leaves (bottom right), purple flowers of the woody vine Congea velutina (center) scrambling over the broad leaves of the Lumok tree ( Artocarpus odoratissimus)and bamboo clump (top left ) .

Side garden showing at the center , the tall branching  Poui tree (Tabebuia rosea)

The Malaysian garden defined

View of Kuching Kambatik garden looking north-east
25 March'15

Long purple
sprays of
Congea velutina

 The side garden is attaining the image of the Kambatik garden now.  The cascading network of long violet or purple sprays of the Congea velutina is a crowning glory to the Malaysian garden.  This plant has been trained to climb the tall 'Lumok' tree with its leaves providing broad shapes in the garden landscape canvas.  The flowers are actually small but it is the four petal-like bracts of the Congea velutina that provides the colour.  The garden too is a grove of various palms and columns of trees with attractive colours when in flower.  Striking foliage colours provide permanent colours to the garden in many hues from  pale yellow  to red .  The thick greenery around the house is home to a growing list of many nesting birds and fruiting trees.  It provides an inviting passageway to visiting birds, butterflies and many other representatives of the insect world by day.  This is the garden character that is definitive of the Malaysian garden which I have researched over a decade and defined as the Kambatik garden.  It is a garden sanctuary of wildlife, a micro world of the original forest once gone, a place in the sun where shade creates a micro-climate conducive to many passive and active recreation under the tropical sun and a source of edible fruits and medicinal herbs within an arm's length.  What more could Malaysians ask?
For those interested to know the full list of plants suitable for the Kambatik garden can check the plants lists which I have shared online in the following blogs shown below:-
( Note: The page views indicated below are as at 26 March'15.)
All the plants (4th Ed.)  -  10,608 page views
All the Plants (3rd Ed.)  -  203,442 page views
All the Plants (2nd Ed.) -   30,913 page views
All the plants (1st Ed.)   -  54,258 page views

Groove of palm trees makes the garden tropical and exotic.
View of side garden, looking north.

Of foliage plants in the garden

Red Ti plants provide lively red tonal effects to overall green column of shrubbery and trees
Often times the Red Ti plant refers to the Cordyline terminalis 'Firebrand' . But this species Cordyline fruticosa have foliages in a variety of colour combinations
Location : Side Garden

Blood Banana and Golden Scindapsus

 Looking at the garden this morning I'm excited to see the role of foliage plants.  They add much needed colour to the greenery of the Kambatik garden, besides bio-diversity.  The garden architecture from ground  floor to top storey or canopy can be imaginatively layered or planted with foliage plants.  These plants whether trees, shrubbery, climbers or  herbaceous covers are attractive for their colourful foliages in full tonal or mixed coloration.  Some require shade to do well  while others may not object to semi-shade or full sun conditions.  In today's list I am able to capture the following plants as they exhibit their full potential in the garden this morning.  The plant list are as follows:-
Trees - Blood Banana -  (Musa acuminata spp. zebrina); Sea Cycas - Cycas rumphiiShrubs - Red Ti  - Cordyline fruticosa or Cordyline terminalis (Syn.) ; Croton - Codiaeum variegatumCovers - Golden Scindapsus - Epipremnum aureum or Scindapsus aureus (Syn.); Golden Pandan - Pandanus pygmaeus
           

Variegated Croton - Codiaeum variegatum

Variegated Croton - Codiaeum variegatum

Variegated Croton - Codiaeum variegatum

Sea Cycas - Cycas rumphii with Red Ti in the background

The Sea Cycas can be grown is semi-shade or full sun

Herbaceous cover- not identified yet

Golden Pandan - Pandanus pygmaeus

Note the Variegated Ti plant at forefround (in this case it's variegated green, red and cream combined) with Blood Banana tree at the back

Outside looking in

Poui tree starting to flower - view towards house, looking north
Kambatik garden, Kuching.

Pink to light mauve flowers
Poui - Tabebuia rosea

 It was magic when I stepped into the garden this morning.  Looking south from the car porch I saw columns of light mauve and pink washes.  The Poui tree (Tabebuia rosea or previously known as Tecoma pentaphylla ) has began to flower.  I am always excited to see this tree everywhere I travel around Sarawak.  This is because of an envelope I received from Singapore that contained the seeds of this tree and from which thousands more trees originated in Sarawak.  The link to the story is here   .  At this stage the tree is not yet in full flowering, probably in a day or so it will.  The large bell-shaped flowers may be white or pink  depending on the form.  'Tabebuaia rosea' when it is pink and 'Tabebuia alba' when white.  In any form the colours are pastel and impressionistic and touching to the soul because underneath the tree you can have party (picnic) and consume the beauty of nature and its enriching qualities. Try.

Looking east

View looking west

Inside, looking out

How the years have gone by...

Front garden - 2009

Front garden - 2014, 16th August.

Front porch garden - 2009

Front porch garden - 2014, 16th August

Front side garden - 2008

Front side garden - 2014, 16th August

The Mango tree is fully harvested

 At the side garden, the mango tree that bears hundreds of fruits are ready to be harvested.  I stripped the whole tree of fruits using a pole and a ladder.  I would bring most of them to Bintulu to be shared with family members and friends there.  Friends and relatives in Kuching have been given the fruits today.   It is the joy of sharing the mangoes that makes today meaningful and gratifying.  It is one of those moments in life when giving is done freely and heartily.

A delicious looking tree

View of side garden, looking south west
The Mango tree bearing lots of ripening fruits

Fruits is the main topic on this 48th trip to Kuching.  The Mango tree is full of ripening fruits, bringing much joy and hearty conversation.  It's a gardeners's well-paid labour in kind.  In the Kambatik garden fruit trees are an integral part of the edible landscaping or 'Sara lanskap' in Malay.  There are more fruits to be harvested and they will appear in the next few posts.

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...

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.