My Garden Haven...A Fine Romance

Friday, October 14, 2011

Paradise for Orchid Lovers

The Orchid Garden in Kuching, Sarawak in East Malaysia is well maintained, and a stroll in this garden is delightful. The varieties they have here are mind boggling, so I'm not even attempting to ID all the orchids. Some of the orchid beds have tags, but most are deemed identifiable, I guess, but not to a novice like me. If you happen to see any that you are familiar with, do share your knowledge in the comment box, won't you?

I can't possibly put all my photographs in one post, as there are too many, so for today's post, I shall....well, I shall just give you an overview of the garden and present some close-ups.

This public garden is located right in the city of Kuching, just adjacent to the Astana (Palace).From the city centre, we can see the Palace across the Sarawak River and what is quite unusual for me but which is common to those who live in this land of many rivers, is that we have to catch a boat to ferry us across that river. The price of the ride? A mere fifty cents! Here's our boatman!

There's the Palace.

We have to walk past the Palace gates to get to the Orchid Garden.

Here it is, The Orchid Garden!

From inside the garden, we can see another landmark of Kuching, the State Legislative building.

vigour resonates

vibrant and strong in your youth

song of orchids trill

(Haiku Heights - prompt : vibrant)

the perfume of you

drifts in my sublimal dreams

rare, mystic orchid

(For Sensational Haiku Wednesday - prompt: rare)

For Tootsie

rain falls

on tired orchids

petals curl up in storm

unbeaten they unfold again

sun shines

Cinquain for Poery Picnic

and

Thursday Poets Rally

Linking to:

Haiku Heights

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

Thursday Poets' Rally(Week 54)

Haiku My Heart

Poetry Picnic

Share The Joy Thursday

Fertilizer Friday
Weekend Flowers
Macro Friday
Today's Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday
Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

Friday, October 7, 2011

Bringing you Bromeliads from Borneo

Hi, I'm back from my short break. I was in Sarawak on the island of Borneo, and did I have a break! In the span of one week, I had enough excitement and unforgettable encounters with the flora and fauna of Sarawak to fill many, many posts in my garden blog as well as my travel blog.

I shall begin with the domestic flora encounters in the safe environment of the Orchid Garden of Kuching City first of all, and then proceed to the more exciting varieties of the flora of the mangrove swamps in my later posts.

The Orchid Garden in Kuching had displays of fabulous orchids, of course, but there were unexpected surprises in store too. The bromeliads which were part of the side attraction were wonderfully breath-taking too. I am not familiar with the varieties there, so this post is not one with plant profiles, but I'm relying on the showy flowers to speak for themselves.

striking, love her flair

spectacular, but beware

her prickly thorns stab

(for Sensational Haiku Wednesday)

how impossible

to fathom capricious fate

meandering leaf

(Haiku Heights: prompt - Impossible)

Linking to:

Haiku Heights

Sensational Haiku Wednesday

Thursday Poets' Rally

Haiku My Heart

Share The Joy Thursday

Fertilizer Friday
Weekend Flowers
Macro Friday
Today's Flowers
Macro Flowers Saturday

Thursday, September 29, 2011

I'm taking a break... a coffee break!

Coffee Camaraderie

Sitting alone at the patio table

sipping peace to the trill of birdsong

nothing beats that cup of fresh brewed coffee

steaming hot in the chilly morning air

Having coffee for one might be fun, but

sharing a pot for two is a joyful conspiracy

exchanging stories between sips of friendship

breaking biscuits and news to be shared by two

So here's to coffee camaraderie

to bonding and conviviality

come take a coffee break with me!

I shall be away, taking a break in Kuching, Sarawak for a week, so I shall not be participating in my favourite memes for a while. In the meantime, for those who drop in, help yourselves to some tea or coffee in these rose-patterned cups, and have a haiku to go with your cuppa:

change the rhythm

dare to reinvent yourself

emerge from cocoon

Linking to:
Sensational Haiku Wednesday
Share the Joy Thursday
Thursday Poets Rally
Haiku Heights

Monday, September 26, 2011

Illumination

Illumination

from within and from without

zen enlightenment

(For Haiku Heights)

From without:

sometimes the light from the setting sun

blazes strong and adamant

reluctant to leave centre-stage

and sometimes, the tired sun

casts a gentler light as it sets

seemingly glad to go to bed and have a goodnight's sleep

and the moon takes over

bathing the darkness

with its soft silvery light

Still illuminating from without:

the evening sun still bright

beams its golden light on the waves

signalling to the seagulls that day's toil is almost done

the revealing light of truth

baring for all to discover

dark secrets and crimes of passion

the noon light

benevolent, casting a vertical shadow

forming an umbrella of love

highlighting the many facets

of singular blooms

the sun empowers and beautifies

From within:

and magically

there's light illuminating from within

the burning embers of the heart

From within yet without:

illuminating the bleak interior of caverns

and underground rivers

neon lights reveal a wonderland

dispersing all fears of the dark and unknown

that caves are wont to transmit

if there were no illuminating light within

without the light

will there be shadows

without shadows

won't everything be just plain bright?

Linking to:

Saturday, September 24, 2011

The Christchurch Botanic Gardens

With most of you anticipating autumn, and some eagerly awaiting spring, while the rest of us in eternal summer, let's all go for a garden walk where we get to see the best of springtime pleasures. Let me take you to the Garden City's most established Botanic Garden, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. You'll love it there.

There'll be less talk and more walk. Are you prepared for this? Bet these three ladies are looking forward to their garden walk...it is spring, the air is crisp and they are all...oops, I did say less talk. Okay. Let's go.

Anticipation

Light of heart we start

sweet anticipation meets

gratification

(For Sensational Haiku Wednesday)

The sign post points to Annual Bedding and Plant Displays. Sounds good. The anticipation is building up...what do they have in store for us?

Annual beddings...carpets upon carpets of spring blooms...heavenly!

LOST

among these carpets

part the blooms and help me search

I've lost my heart here

(For Haiku Heights)

Wow, this flower bed is bright and cheery!

And this is so very sweet and demure.

Want to get a closer look?

Shall we stop by for some refreshments? My treat. We could just sit outside and enjoy the view as we sip our coffee and have some pie.

Let's make for the Conservatory...what kind of plants are they err, conserving?

Ooh, my favourite kind! These hydrangeas are insanely lovely.

These cherubs would look nice in my garden.

We have to leave the conservatory, ladies. There's more to see outside. I know, I know. It is hard to tear ourselves away from these luxuriant blooms.

Aha! I spot a tree-hugger!