Garden surprises

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One of the things I enjoy about gardening is being connected to nature it its many forms.

Like with plants:

Remember how I said I was sowing more seeds? Well, I was puzzled when I saw these pale blue egg-like things in one of our flower pots...

Remember how I said I was sowing more seeds? Well, I was puzzled when I saw these pale blue egg-like things in one of our flower pots…

...until I remembered how basil seeds develop a jelly-like exterior when they get wet! Here they are after germinating.

…until I remembered how basil seeds develop a jelly-like exterior when they get wet! Here they are after germinating.

Or with what you don’t initially see:

I was taking a photo record of how the bittergourd plants are doing...

I was taking a photo record of how the bittergourd plants are doing…

...when I suddenly realized that half a foot away was a sunbathing Oriental garden lizard! If you look in the previous picture, you'll see its tail coming in from the right side of the picture. It didn't run even after I took its picture, so I apologised for disturbing it and went away.

…when I suddenly realized that half a foot away was a sunbathing Oriental garden lizard! If you look in the previous picture, you’ll see its tail coming in from the right side of the picture. It didn’t run even after I took its picture, so I apologised for disturbing it and went away.

Or what has been there for a while, hiding just under your radar of notice:

If you look within the mass of leaves, you should be able to make out the bird nest and the rear end of a speckled dove poking out over the edge of it. My mum noticed it earlier this week in the mango tree.

If you look within the mass of leaves, you should be able to make out the bird nest and the rear end of a speckled dove poking out over the edge of it. My mum noticed it earlier this week in the mango tree.

The parent bird looked alarmed that we had spotted the nest, but we have no intention of doing anything apart from peeking out and taking photos!

The parent bird looked alarmed that we had spotted the nest, but we have no intention of doing anything apart from peeking out and taking photos!

So take some time to look around your garden when you can. You never know what surprises may await!

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And we have veggies growing again!

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The fantastic thing about plants is that they grow, whether or not you watch over them (not good in the case of weeds, but I’m not talking about weeds this time). Thanks to the efforts our friend from Thailand, there are several types of edible plants now growing here again:

I call this the angled loofah jungle. There are several plants in this pot, and they're at the rapid growth stage...

I call this the angled loofah jungle. There are several plants in this pot, and they’re at the rapid growth stage…

Here's the glutinous white corn. Our friend sowed 3 seeds per spot and said that I needn't thin them out. There have been a few casualties, methinks, because not all spots have 3 plants now. However, there should be quite a few, if they survive. (I haven't had the best luck with corn yet, so am sceptical)

Here’s the glutinous white corn. Our friend sowed 3 seeds per spot and said that I needn’t thin them out. There have been a few casualties, methinks, though, because not all spots have 3 plants now. However, there should be quite a few plants, if all these survive. (I haven’t had the best luck with corn yet, so am sceptical)

We started out with 6 seedlings but now have only 3. I blame the snails, because of the way the leaves were eaten up. After we lost the third plant, I resorted to using snail pellets. Since there was only one small snail that died next to the plants, I suspect it was the culprit, because a big snail would have decimated the plants in one fell swoop.

We started out with 6 bittergourd seedlings but now have only 3. I blame the snails, because of the way the leaves were eaten up. After we lost the third plant, I resorted to using snail pellets. Since there was only one small snail that died next to the plants, I suspect it was the culprit, because a big snail would have decimated the plants in one fell swoop. So thank goodness it was a small one, because I’d really like to finally grow the big variety of bittergourds, and these plants need to live!

Apart from kangkong, I haven't had the best luck with leafy veggies, so this is a novelty for me - the three pots of Chinese greens, I mean.

Apart from kangkong, I haven’t had the best luck with leafy veggies, so this is a novelty for me – the three pots of Chinese greens, I mean. A fresh lot of kangkong is growing in the long planter.

All of these plants were sown by our friend from Thailand. I think she was really excited about what she had brought, and wanted to get them growing immediately. It was also probably because she saw how busy I was with work while she was visiting, and she guessed it would be some time before I got down to planting anything. Well, seeing them grow has inspired me to get my seeds out of the fridge and start more plants, because I really, really enjoy the sight of new plants growing. :)

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More Italian flowers

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I was just looking through my photos from our recent trip to Italy and realised there were still photos to share! While I wish I could have stopped for a better look at some of the kitchen gardens we whizzed by while travelling, we did see some gorgeous plants and gardens along the way.

The monks' garden at the abbey of Sant'Antimo.

The monks’ garden at the abbey of Sant’Antimo.

italycommunitygarden

This is an Italian community garden in Buonconvento, a nice little town in Tuscany.

I don’t know what flowers these are, but they certainly caught my eye:

Pretty flowers in Pienza, I think.

Pretty flowers in Pienza, I think.

More pretty flowers.

More pretty flowers.

I was intrigued by the dual coloured sets of petals on these flowers.

I was intrigued by the dual coloured sets of petals on these flowers.

More unnamed, pretty flowers.

More unnamed, pretty flowers.

These, I remember, were growing in an alley in Buonconvento.

These, I remember, were growing in an alley in Buonconvento.

The eye-opener for me were these different varieties of succulents that were growing extremely well in a hill town in Tuscany. I tend to associate succulents with desert climates, but this was far from that.

The eye-opener for me were these different varieties of succulents that were growing extremely well in a hill town in Tuscany. I tend to associate succulents with desert climates, but this was far from that.

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Is it banana season?

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I ask this because I’ve noticed the banana trees in the neighbourhood, both in gardens and by the roadside, bearing fruits. Even our old banana plant that has been struggling to survive after being crowded out by other, stronger plants, has set fruit – although it’s a really small comb of bananas.

The short comb of bananas from our older plant. I guess the plant couldn't just give up without a fight!

The short comb of bananas from our older plant. I guess the plant couldn’t just give up without a fight!

Novice Gardener, I hope this means that your plant will join the crowd soon!

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