Pat’s Blooming Opuntia & More!

Pat-Garden-Gallery

First of all, I would like to thank Pat from Canada for sharing with us photos of her blooming opuntia and some of her other plants. The colors of the opuntia flowers are beautiful.

Beautiful colors and easy maintenance, don’t you find these factors attractive enough to make you a cactus fan?

. . . → Read More: Pat’s Blooming Opuntia & More!

Hoya Kerrii – My Hearts are Falling Apart!

Hoya Kerrii

My Sweetheart Hoya (left) taken in November 2009 (right) taken in August (2010)

This is my Hoya Kerrii.  It used to be a pretty baby before but somehow since last month its heart-shaped leaves started to wrinkle up, and after a week or two, the leaves began to fall apart 🙁

At first . . . → Read More: Hoya Kerrii – My Hearts are Falling Apart!

Caleana major – the Flying Duck Orchid

Caleana Orchid

I received an email that titled “Caleana major – the Flying Duck Orchid” from a bonsai friend yesterday.  When I checked the attached photos, I was amazed.  This orchid surely lives up to its name! Continue reading Caleana major – the Flying Duck Orchid

It’s Time for Yellow Watermelon Again!

grow-watermelon

Because of the intensively hot weather in Hong Kong in the recent few weeks, the yellow skinned watermelons in the greenhouse have ripened unexpectedly early this summer. In fact, since all of them ripened all together so quickly, many of them couldn’t be enjoyed in time before turning bad.

So at . . . → Read More: It’s Time for Yellow Watermelon Again!

My Super Goldy Lollipops

golden-shrimp-plant-lollipop-plant

This summer, the lollipop plants (Pachystachys lutea) on my balcony are growing vigorously with many flowers. Frankly, I was a bit surprised. I didn’t expect it to blossom so well, for I have been so busy lately that I haven’t done much pruning and fertilizing since its last bloom.

I guess it’s the extremely hot hot sun in these two weeks that has helped my lollipop plants growing so well. Continue reading My Super Goldy Lollipops

How to Grow and Care for Phalaenopsis Orchids

phalaenopsis orchid

Phalaenopsis orchids are very suitable for city dwellers who have limited space and no gardens. Since Phalaenopsis orchid is quite easy to grow and generally likes the light and temperature condition of our homes, it is an excellent choice for the first time orchid growers, as well as indoor gardeners.

Below . . . → Read More: How to Grow and Care for Phalaenopsis Orchids

Madeleine’s Jurassic Park

Jurassic-Container-Garden

It is always encouraging when some friends and blog readers tell me how much they enjoy Gardening on Cloud 9 and get inspired to start growing some plants at home, or even better, shares with me the fun they have with the tabletop gardens they made.

A few days ago, I have received from Madeleine some photos of a Jurassic tabletop garden she has made. With rocks, sand, and tree barks, she has made a very fun, creative Jurassic park garden for her grandson. The tabletop garden is very well decorated, I especially like the little pebbles placed on the sandy ground as the colors and shapes make the whole picture more fun and interesting. Continue reading Madeleine’s Jurassic Park

How to Grow and Care for Cattleya Orchids

Cattleya-Orchid Cattleya-Orchid

Cattleya orchids are among the most beautiful and satisfying of all orchid species to grow and care for.  Since the care of Cattleya orchid is easy, gardening beginners who are interested in growing orchids but haven’t had any experience before, can start with Cattleya orchid.  With simple growing conditions, most of us can obtain outstanding results.

And here, let me share with you what I have learned about Cattleya orchids.

Light

The growing area of Cattleya orchids needs to be covered with 50-60% shade cloth. If the light is too strong, the leaves of the Cattleya orchids will be burned. On the other hand, if the light is too weak, the plant will be very weak, and won’t blossom.

Continue reading How to Grow and Care for Cattleya Orchids

Dried Hibiscus – Great for Culinary & Medicinal Uses

I love dried fruits, and dried Hibiscus is one of my favorites (oh yes, Hibiscus is not a fruit but flower… anyways…). I always thought that dried Hibiscus, like fig and red date (aka Chinese Jujube), is common in Asia and probably less familiar among westerners. But when my dear friend, Winifred, gave me a pack of dried sweetened Hibiscus during her visit to Hong Kong from California earlier last week, I knew I was wrong. And I was surprised when Winifred told me that dried sweetened Hibiscus is so common in the states that it can be found in many supermarkets. Take about accessibility, I haven’t seen any supermarket in Hong Kong selling dried Hibiscus.

Dried-Hibiscus-Roselle Dried-Hibiscus-Roselle

Continue reading Dried Hibiscus – Great for Culinary & Medicinal Uses

How to Grow and Care for Dendrobium Orchids

Deciduous Dendrobium orchids are peculiar-looking plants. Before the orchid enters its dormancy, it will get dry and shrivel, showing its bamboo-like canes after all its leaves have dropped off. And amazingly, and lovelier by contrast, the orchid flowers bud and bloom from the nodes of these day canes once the orchid has come out from its dormancy.

And after sharing what I know about Cattleya orchids, let me share what I know about Dendrobium orchids here.

Dendrobium-Orchid Dendrobium-Orchid

Continue reading How to Grow and Care for Dendrobium Orchids