SA Garden Catalogue: Portulaca Oleracea

Scientific name: Portulaca oleracea
Common name: Purslane, Moss rose
Malay name: Ros Jepun
Family: Portulacaceae
Origin: South America (?)

The Purslane in my little urban garden is of the Portulaca oleraceae, a small semi-perennial fleshy herb bearing showy flowers in many colour variants, ranging from yellow to orange to pinks and reds. The two containers I have bear yellow flowers only.

The plants are free-flowering throughout the year, but get moribund (near dying!) rather quickly and need to be renewed by cuttings. I have done this and so multiplied the single container of these plants my good neighbour gave me to two.

The bright pretty flowers are radially symmetrical with four to six petals. They open in the morning (at about 9 o'clock) and close in the afternoon (at about 5 o'clock from my observation). Flowers that go to work 9 to 5! They grow well in full sun on well-drained soil, and are easy to propagate by cuttings.

Note: The Portulaca oleracea differs from the other common Purslane Portulaca grandiflora in having broad instead of narrow leaves and the flowers are multi-layered. Once upon a time in Pulau Pinang we grew P. grandiflora in many colours on our lawn. Maybe I should try growing it again. Anyone with cuttings for me?

The weather in September saw some rains but the air pollution index in Shah Alam was sometimes above 200.
5 Dec 2015

SA Garden Catalogue: Tabebuia rosea

Scientific name: Tabebuia rosea  Syn: Tabebuia pentaphylla
Common name: Trumpet tree
Malay name:
Family:
Origin: Mexico to Venezuela

The Tabebuia rosea tree bears fairly big bell-shaped flowers, white to purple in colour. The flowers are produced intermittently sometimes coinciding with the shedding of leaves. The tree grows well in full sun, preferably in parks or the roadside. Propagation is by seeds.

I did not grow this tree in my little urban garden knowing that it is a fast-growing potentially large tree, up to 30 m tall. But a seed must somehow have taken growth, so I had a tall tree on my tiny piece of front yard. I let it and it grew very fast but when it started scraping against the gutter during windy days, I had to do something drastic. I pruned it down to only my waist height (on July 9). Now there are a lot of branches sprouting up and I will monitor the growth so it does not overwhelm the garden.

SA Garden Catalogue: Caladium Humboldtii

Scientific name: Caladium humboldtii
Common name: Angel wings, Elephant ear
Malay name: Keladi ?
Family: Araceae (Genus: Caladium Species: Humoldtii)
Origin: Brazil

The Caladium humboldtii is one of the smallest Caladium species, a small rosette herb 2 to 5 inches tall with delicately patterned foliage that are white with green veins. Usually there are no flowers. Grow in partial or full shade or even indoors because they make pretty ornamental plants. Propagation is by division of the tubers.

The plant tends to die down and rest periodically. When the leaves die down, I always think the plant is gone. But then the tubers sprout leaves again, and the plant thrives well another time.

Note: Caladiums may not be ingested as all parts of the plant are poisonous. So it is not a good idea to have them around if there are children involved.

Floria Putrajaya

It was my first Floria Putrajaya and one important thing I will remember from this experience is that I should not really leave visiting a flower show to the very last day (7 June 2015) to make it there. Because flowers and plants will not be at their best after a week. Of course the cut flower exhibits were the most 'disastrous' but the garden landscape competition were still good to look at. Overall I would say that this is an event beautiful enough that I hope to put on my calendar annually. Please enjoy just a small fraction of the Floria Putrajaya 2015.

4 Dec 2015

My Taste of Trengganu

Food tastes best when savoured at the place of origin, no doubt about it. During our four-day stay in Trengganu we had the best, whether cooked by our gracious hosts, bought, or eaten out.

Our hosts, Datuk Nazli and Datin Badariah, spoilt us no end while we were staying at their Villa Casuarina in Paka, Trengganu. The lunch that greeted us when we arrived was a sumptuous spread of Nasi beriani Arab with chicken, and accompaniments of dalca, kerabu, sambal, etc. All cooked with the Trengganu touch. Really delicious! I even tried eating watermelon 'Geganu style with the rice, not as the usual dessert. For dessert, it was the man of the house's specialty - tapai with ice-cream. Truly, really delish!

                                                                     Our first sumptuous lunch spread

                                                        This tapai with ice cream was just divine!

                                         My lunch plateful of nasi campur on our second day

If our lunches were sumptuous spreads, our late afternoon teas and dinners were served alfresco. With the soft sea breeze around us and later at night, under the moon and stars, food and friends were a heady mix. Euphoric, even.

There was keropok lekor (the best I have tasted), cucur udang (also the best), ketupat sotong* (my first time trying this and I like it). Then there was a night barbecue of the freshest meat, especially seafood (including the sotong of course).

One teatime we had the pleasure of being guests of DB's mother in Kuala Trengganu. Our very elegant host prepared a whole table-full of goodies including a very delectable creme brulee. Another good friend in KT added laksang to completely satiate us.

*Ketupat sotong is the highlight of our visit here because it is squid season and the time for the International Squid Jigging Festival in Kuala Trengganu. At least three of us have expressed an interest to go squid jigging next year. We were not prepared (or scared?) for this year.

                                          The best cucur udang and keropok lekor for tea

                                          My plateful of ketupat sotong

                                         Dinner of mee goreng +, under the moon and stars

Our last dinner was even more special, because not only were we joined by our friend DR and husband, but the chicken chop was specially prepared by our host DN and served with a secret sauce. It was indeed very, very good. (So DN, when do we get the secret recipe? Just kidding!)

                                                       DN's specially prepared chicken chop with secret sauce. Yummy!

And what is a Trengganu visit without a breakfast of the ubiquitous Nasi dagang? Of course our hosts ensured we had the best in Paka during our first breakfast at their Villa Casuarina. Other breakfasts included pulut with kelapa, nasi lemak, nasi goreng, etc.

                                          The best Nasi dagang in Paka 

                                        Breakfast pulut + kelapa to eat with ikan masin or serunding

Then there was the pre-lunch snack of more sotong during our day trip to Kuala Trengganu. This time sotong bakar at the Pantai Batu Burok. Although this is not my snack of choice, some of my friends really love this.

                                                       Julia is ever smiling and ever ready to serve you from her truck

Are you drooling already? Then get up and go holiday makan-makan in Trengganu!

29 May - 1 June 2015

Charmed by the people of Kuala Trengganu

Kuala Trengganu was a day trip for us from Paka. We did the very necessary - visiting Pasar Payang (officially Pasar Besar Kedai Payang) to buy 'made in Trengganu'. The market was busy as ever, and with the start of the school holidays, even more so. I love markets, and the more chaotic the better!

Pantai Batu Burok, sotong bakar, nasi ayam lunch

An elegant host to a sumptuous tea

Again, very much in progress, what can I say?

The Pasar Besar and a Sweet Surprise in Dungun

Dungun

Pasar Besar

The sweet surprise

Very much in progress, ces't la vie!