Sky

When the evening is still, or when the morning is merely showing...
Take a good look at a tree... you can listen to it growing...

Jatropha integerrima - Shanghai Beauty

The plant & photos
The Jatropha seems to be better known as the Spicy Jatropha but I prefer the name "Shanghai Beauty" because the flowers give me an "oriental feel", in that they look very chinese and won't be out of place in a Chinese painting. I was happy to find the reference as I thought it was pretty apt, even though the plant originated from the West Indies.

From my observation, it's pretty fast growing and does well in full sun - which also brings out the vivid colour of the red flowers, which is great as it's pretty free-flowering. The photo on the left was taken on a sunny day, and shows how lively the blooms can be. The buds remind me of holly berries.

As a shrub, I suppose it should be pruned regularly to keep it growing densely.

The Personal-take
As mentioned, I think the flowers give off a very oriental vibe. They are very attractive and I like the way they grows in bunches. Although I like how it's very generous in its flowering... that it doesn't play hard to get... it might be more exquisite if it were less free flowering, and if its leaves were smaller, and if it grew a little slower.

How contradicting! Everything has its personality and it's almost as if, I am wishing for it to be something else. I must apologize~ and correct my attitude to appreciate it for what it is.

Sky

Archontophoenix alexandra - Alexander Palm

The Plant
The Archontophoenix alexandra or Alexander Palm is quite common in landscapes. It used to be one of plants featured in "primary school textbook" - I feel it's like the yellow flame tree of palms because it's just as common. I think its popularity is perhaps partially due to how they are easy to maintain. It seems that landscapers like this palm so much that they even introduced similar ones - the Betel nut palm, the fox tail palm, and especially the carpentaria palm, from which it is difficult to distinguish the Alexander palm from. After comparing the photos, I think the one-distinguishing feature is the string-like flowers/inflorescence and vivid red fruits. The leaves are pinnate, arranged in a v-shaped formation.

The Pictures
I found it challenging to capturing the images of the tall palm trees - it was difficult to get the distinguishing features, and yet balance the composition of the frame - so that it was neither too sparse nor contained other clutter.

For the first time, I edited the pictures a bit (i'm usually too lazy) to adjust the colour, as it was taken with a strange white balance, thus the 2 pictures (taken at the same occasion) have different-coloured-sky. I hope my efforts helped to bring out the vivid red of the berries.

The Personal-take
Along the way from my home to the nearest bus-stop, I would have to walk pass a row of Alexander palm - the strings of jewel-like red beads of fruits are really cheerful.

I like the name, 'Alexander palm', after Princess Alexandra of Denmark. It reminds me, however, of the people named 'Alex' that I used to hang out, but have since drifted apart from then... A tinge of nostalgia, perhaps.

Phoenix roebelenii - Miniature date palm

The Plant & The Pictures
The Phoenix roebelenii seems to be enjoying some popularity recently, being featured in quite many new landscapes.

With a simple shape - a slender trunk and attractive bushy leaves - they should be quite easy to use in an arrangement.

I wonder though, if the feature on the left is an effective landscaping design. As the date plants grow higher, the height of the plants are bound vary, and the proportion of crown (the upper part of the tree, i.e. the part above the trunk) to the trunk and the proportion of the arrangement would be, well, out of proportion. Although I know that, by that time, the plants would most probaby be replaced (it's probably cheaper to replace than properly maintain), I wonder if it's being fair to the plants themselves, for not being...able to live out their full potential/ lifespan.

The Personal-take
I didn't think much of the plant when I took the pictures, but after researching on them and staring at them for sometime. I feel that they have a very classic outline and elegant form. It must be difficult to shape the trunk though.

Plumeria Rubra - The frangipani or chempaka or egg flower

The plant
Some time ago, the Plumeria Rubra was probably better known as the Frangipani. However, since the frangipani has quite bad press (for being associated with death, being usually planted at graveyards), I suspect, the local landscapers began to promulgate the name "plumeria". My mother calls it the egg flower, which I suspect is another name for the frangipani.

Very popular for its variety of colourful flowers, and its low maintenance need, the plumeria seems ideal for planting at the traffic islands at cross road junction, which are landscapes understandably difficult to maintain. Perhaps, it is ideal for planting at traffic islands also because it is not bushy (I suspect, when it is exposed to the sun, as seen from the bare tree on the left), thus, it doesn't obscure road signs.

The picture
The picture above was taken at Ang Moh Kio park from an overhead bridge. The silver skeleton of the plumeria gives off a cool feeling to the hot afternoon from after.

The picture (right) featuring a more typical popular plumeria plant, was taken along the road, somewhere in Eastern Singapore, if I remember correctly. The showy flowers were really very attractive and beckoning, especially how they were hanging down from above.

The personal-take
Personally, I have mixed feelings about the plumeria. Although I concede that it is very attractive and functional (with the low maintenance required), I can't help but feel that they're rather superficial. Perhaps, it's gotta do with how they have brittle branches which cannot withstand strong wind, and I like wind.

Maybe they don't mind getting their branches a little chipped, and the wind don't mind breaking it a little, and nobody minds anything, and I'm should just mind my own business and let everybody be happy.

Calathea Veitchiana

The plant
Calathea Veitchiana (growing behind the granite rock) is a species of plant in the Marantaceae family.

The picture was again taken at the national library. I think the granite rock feature intended to break up the monotony of the arrangement. Although it was more effective than it looks in the picture, perhaps a sculpture would have made it look more visually interesting.

After all, the planter was filled with so much short foliages, that even the dull brownish-purple patterns of the calathea is a welcomed treat for the eyes.

The personal take
I think the calatheas are a plant that requires... acquired taste. If it had a taste, i think it'd taste like brinjal or yam. It has a peculiar look that makes the plant look exotic and difficult to place but is rather pleasing after some observation.

Sky

A certain recluse, I know not who, once said that no bonds attached him to this life, and the only thing he would regret leaving was the sky. - Kenko Yoshida (Japanese Buddhist Monk)

Philodendron bipinnatifidum - Giant tree lover

The plant
I shall henceforth refer to this as the giant philodendron. I think that's how common plant names come about. Random arbitrary easier to remember names that catches on. In greek, "philo" refers to love, and dendron refers to tree. Featured here is the big Philodendron bipinnatifidum. Try saying it three times over. This philodendron plant is big, grows up to above an above average human height.

The picture was also taken at the national library at Bugis. It was interesting to find it in the same landscape, being contrasted with the petite philodendron xanadu. It was a windy day, and I like how the leaves in the picture are a bit blur from the swaying.

The personal-take
I thought i was lucky to also find a philodendron leaf unfurling for the 2nd time on the same day at the same place (see picture on right). It reminds me of a lettuce. It gives me a strange feeling to compare the giant unfurling leaf with the xanadu's unfurling leaf. I suppose everything grows at its own pace, though some are just destined to become a lot bigger than others.

Araucaria heterophylla - Norfolk pine

The Plant
The Norfolk pine, or Araucaria heterophylla, came from Norfolk island, a small island in the Pacific ocean. It has a distinctive shape and makes a great silhouette.

The picture and personal take

I'm not sure if I'm featuring the Norfolk pine here, or Cook's pine (Araucaria Columnaris or New Caledonian Pine), but after comparing the silhouette/ description, i think i'm closer to Norfolk pine.

The pictures were taken somewhere near city hall. I like how the colour of the tree contrasts with the church.