Lady in Red

"Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana"

or simply called Kalanchoe

in 3 irresistible shades of red..

Multiple petaled in mauve red

Single-petaled in chilly red

Doubled-petaled in pinkish red

Never knew kalanchoes come in such irresistible colors.

And never knew kalanchoes belong to the succulents family.

Which is good news for me as there is less watering to do.

And more time to feast in its beauty.

Love these tiny rosettes. 

A good replacement for the roses that failed to make it in my garden..lol!

  

The buds are simply gorgeous too.

This one is shaped like tiny buttercups

And here is a double-petaled of the above tiny buttercups in pinkish red.

Not sure how long I can have these beauties in my garden..

I was never good in handling succulents before.

Over-watering...., what else.

Need all the luck I can get :) 

'Tis the Season!

Christmas is in the air!!

Tra-la-la-la  la-la-la-la...

For those celebrating Christmas,

Still busy with last minute shopping,

For gifts and food, I suppose.

Well, don't forget the flowers!!

I saw Poinsettia the other day at the nursery.

It was truly bright red and beautiful.

I almost picked it up when I thought,

Poinsettia doesn't do well with tropical weather.

Those red leaves will turn green in no time.

But guess what I saw next to it?

It has the colors of Christmas too!!

Red and green..

It is Azaleas!!

Simply outstanding.

And this is the first time I am seeing Azaleas.

Barbara Cartland was the one who introduced me to this beauty.

Through her romantic novels, I mean.

Azaleas were mentioned in most of her garden and courtyard settings.

She must have loved this flower so much! 

After witnessing this beauty, I'd say why not.

I thought it looks great in a galvanized pot :)

And it makes a perfect setting on any table top for this special occasion.

Get those with plenty of buds,

So you will get full bloom on Christmas morning!

Azaleas are so easy to maintain.

No need to water everyday.

Only as and when the pot feels light.

And no direct sun either.

So what say you?

Wouldn't Azaleas make a good alternative for Poinsettia?

Of course, there's no replacement for Poinsettia.

But, it is a beautiful choice :)

Here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas

And a Happy Holiday!!  

Pentas or Egyptian Star Cluster

It was love at first sight when I first laid eyes on this beauty. I know right away that I gotta have it.

"Pentas lanceolata"  is my all time favorite flower, tiny yet captivating with heart melting pastel colors. These red ones, which is the boldest among its colors, with a touch of violet in the middle is really stunning.

On close-up, you can see that the leaves are furry yet harmless...and deeply veined.

When I brought it home from the nursery 5 months ago, it was just a tiny plant. I let it grow and get accustomed to my garden for a few months before re-potting it into a regular ceramic pot.
Just look at it now...

I must say, this is one of the easiest plant to grow. Doesn't need much attention at all yet the reward is spectacular. Regular watering and little fertilising is sufficient. No pests problem whatsoever.

Pentas, in my local language means "stage". When mass planting, this plant would truly make a fantastic "stage" in any garden. Great for container gardens too if you mix and match with the other colors. I'm on the lookout for the pink or lilac color to complement this red one. Most probably mix of pink and lilac in a white container :)

Regular pruning of its wilted and spent flowers would produce bushier plant and much more blooms!

I have always wondered why the name "egyptian star". Were they referring to the twinkle star above the Egyptian deserts or their 'curvy' belly dancer..LOL
No offence my fellow Egyptians, just a wild thought ... nothing more.

Have a great day !!