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Friday, July 31, 2015

Colour the garden

Ixora 'Pink Deluxe'

Red Ixora
 Choose a most colourful palette for your garden.  From white, cream to yellow, orange, red, pink to purple or their many tones and variations, just colour your garden.  Colours wake up your senses, are attractive to birds and tell us of the varying seasons or cycles in nature ecology.  Colour is a celebration of nature.  Colour speaks to us of undying love, gentleness of character, goodness of life and a kind soul, bravery and strong will.  Colour is for everyone to see, love and cherish.  Colour then  the Kambatik garden in nature's glory. Here's a sampling of colour seen today at the Kuching garden.
Orange Ixora

Cream petals of the Canaga odorata

Orange bracts of the Heliconia latispatha
Pink to purple bracts of the Congea velutina

Mixed palette of the Heliconia psittacorum

Purple orchid colour

Yellow leaves of the Eugenia oleina

More birds, more music in the garden.

Yellow-vented Bulbul with a fruit of the Carpentaria palm

Brown-throated Sunbird
 The Yellow-vented Bulbul held in tact the round fruit of the Carpentaria palm in between its beak.  The Brown-throated Sunbird was seen making calls merrily from the Tabebuia rosea tree.  The garden is never quiet.  The birds make the garden a delight to immerse in.  The birds make the loudest natural noise called music in the garden.  It is this aspect of wildlife in the garden that gives the local gardener  a pleasure beyond words.  He has the birds to sing out his grateful soul.   More birds, more music in the garden.
View of tall trees at the back garden with newer fronds of the Foxtail palm in the foreground.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Colourful and fragrant plumerias


 Plumerias have scented or fragrant flowers.  They are among the favourite plants of the Kambatik garden.  Here are some images of a few varieties of plumerias or frangipanis that I have managed to photograph in many garden visits throughout Malaysia.  The varieties are recognised by the shape of the petals, which could be  pointed or rounded.  Here's some pictures that can convey their beauty and appeal.  Follow this link to see one of my postings on the plumerias in the landscape here..>>>




Orchids - Sarawak's gift to the world


 There are many ways in which orchids are displayed in the tropical gardens.  I have written and photographed a fair bit on these splendid gifts of Sarawak to the world.  For a representative list of blog postings done earlier on these magnificent plants for the Kambatik garden please check them out in the following links below:-
a) Sarawak's gift to the world
b) Orchids in the tropical garden
c) Will you love me?



Need to include the Pied Triller in list of common garden bird

 The Pied Triller ( Lalage nigra ) - Sewah Kapas (Malay) hanging on to the Coconut leaves

Pied Triller in CU
 The Pied Triller or in Malay "Sewah Kapas" was seen in the garden today.  It was having fun at the coconut leaves.  Gazing and watching the insects on the ground.  Many times it scooped at the insects on the lawn and then rested on nearby twigs for a little rest before the next sortie.  I am amazed at the relative prevalence of this bird in Kuching.  It therefore must be included in the list of common garden birds of Sarawak.
The back garden where the Pied Triller found game.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Orchids in the back garden


Tie an orchid on the oleina tree.  It grows naturally.  No maintenance.  Let nature takes care of itself.
                                         Location : Back garden, Laman Kambatik, Kuching.

Friday, July 24, 2015

The oleina trees and the flowerpecker

Orange-bellied Flowerpecker at the Eugenia oleina branch
Location : Back garden.

Male, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
 In the garden.  The Orange-bellied Flowerpecker sang melodiously to attract a female bird.  It is encouraging to see it and its female partner moving about the garden in joyous fun.  It is a very attractive bird for is contrasting orange and metallic blue colours and short sharp calls.  The female is however of dull complexion.  On this visit, the garden seemed to growing more dense.  At the back of the garden, facing east,  the few Eugenia oleina trees have become a green screen and its coolness and shade have made the place a favourite spot for the flowerpeckers to rest and preen.  
The green screen at the back garden, provided by the Eugenia oleina trees.
At foreground are the fronds of the Foxtail palm.  The fruits at the background belongs to the Carpentaria palm.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

The Kambatik garden in light purple curtain


 The Kambatik garden in July at Kuching.  Despite the onslaught of the drought season there is strong wind and heavy rain.  Outside in the garden,  the lumok tree is  partly enveloped by the light purple curtain of the Congea velutina. It is a beauty  that remains a permanent feature because of its free flowering habit.  This vine is a good example of a colourful climber that makes good vertical composition to the garden.  Happy to have let it scrambled the lumok tree.
Long sprays of the Congea velutina