19 August 2007
14 July 2007
Soaking in the Frangrance of Pulai
It is nice to be able to appreciate my surrounding again after nearly 2 months of intensive travelling. There are about 15 Pulai Trees in my neighbourhood and 7 of them are flowering. Amongst the 7 flowering ones, 4 of them have clusters of flowers all over the trees. The 2 juvinile trees that flowered last time are amongst the 4 - very productive indeed.
In the evening after a day long of child-minding, I went downstairs with my S3 and started shooting this elegant plant.
I was standing under the tree enjoying the unique fragrance of this flower and spotted this branch facing me. All the other leaves and flowers are facing up except for this one.
A cluster of pulai flower consist of many tiny flowers.... wish I could capture its strong fragrance too.
Flowers all over the tree
This Pulai tree is still considered a Juvinile, but it has a nice shape - straight stem and branch out a few layers, wait till it matures into a giant.
I noticed 2 Gardenia flowers when I walked near a green Gardenia bush. Its fragrance is very different from that of Pulai.
Took a closer look at its petals, admired its shape.
In the evening after a day long of child-minding, I went downstairs with my S3 and started shooting this elegant plant.
I was standing under the tree enjoying the unique fragrance of this flower and spotted this branch facing me. All the other leaves and flowers are facing up except for this one.
A cluster of pulai flower consist of many tiny flowers.... wish I could capture its strong fragrance too.
Flowers all over the tree
This Pulai tree is still considered a Juvinile, but it has a nice shape - straight stem and branch out a few layers, wait till it matures into a giant.
I noticed 2 Gardenia flowers when I walked near a green Gardenia bush. Its fragrance is very different from that of Pulai.
Took a closer look at its petals, admired its shape.
09 April 2007
Kids Photos
Junwei lying at an art display at Centiniel Tower @ Temasek Boulevard. He likes doing this pose.
Hoyan also wanted a photo.
Bought this easel from Ikea last Boxing Day (26 December 2006, about 3.5 months ago), to encourage Junwei to write. After buying lots of whiteboard markers for him to scribble, he finally started to write properly! Just have to take a photo to record this milestone.
Hoyan also wanted a photo.
Bought this easel from Ikea last Boxing Day (26 December 2006, about 3.5 months ago), to encourage Junwei to write. After buying lots of whiteboard markers for him to scribble, he finally started to write properly! Just have to take a photo to record this milestone.
10 March 2007
Images from Eco-Garden @ SBG
Went for an early morning outing in Botanic Garden with yK. Both of us were stressed out at work during the weekdays hence this de-stressed outing. Reached there at 6:30am and it was quite dark to see anything so we just walked and enjoyed the fresh air. Saw a big Pulai Tree and immediately this Pulai Queen was reminded (and teased) about the false Pulai encounter. Saw some long seed pods on a few Alstonia angustiloba.
We walked around the lake and into the Eco-Garden, a part of SBG I have not explored. The plants in this section is organized by species so we saw different species of Jasmine, different species of Jambu, different Dellenia species and even Eucalyptus!
Jasminum Sambac (Arabian Jasmine)
It has a lovely sweet smell and the whole bush is flowering, quite a sight. Next to the Arabian Jasmine bush are a few Star Jasmine bushes, it's strange that not a single Star Jasmine flower was seen. This shoot was taken with Micro function and manual focus.
Hibisucs Tiliaceus 'Tricolor'
This colourful plant caught our attention. Its leaf is heart-shaped and come in 3 colours!
A red leaf and a white leaf right next to each other.
Flowers of Syzygium malaccense (Jambu Bol).
yK told me all Jambu flowers are like that ... and yes I saw the white one too! Learnt something new today. Since the Chinese have plum blossom, the Japanese have cherry blossom, we in this region can show off jambu blossom.
p/s. On my way home, I was looking out for seed pods when I walked past the Pulai trees (Alstonia scholaris) at my neighbourhood. All the flowers are gone but no seed pods yet. Perhaps later...
We walked around the lake and into the Eco-Garden, a part of SBG I have not explored. The plants in this section is organized by species so we saw different species of Jasmine, different species of Jambu, different Dellenia species and even Eucalyptus!
Jasminum Sambac (Arabian Jasmine)
It has a lovely sweet smell and the whole bush is flowering, quite a sight. Next to the Arabian Jasmine bush are a few Star Jasmine bushes, it's strange that not a single Star Jasmine flower was seen. This shoot was taken with Micro function and manual focus.
Hibisucs Tiliaceus 'Tricolor'
This colourful plant caught our attention. Its leaf is heart-shaped and come in 3 colours!
A red leaf and a white leaf right next to each other.
Flowers of Syzygium malaccense (Jambu Bol).
yK told me all Jambu flowers are like that ... and yes I saw the white one too! Learnt something new today. Since the Chinese have plum blossom, the Japanese have cherry blossom, we in this region can show off jambu blossom.
p/s. On my way home, I was looking out for seed pods when I walked past the Pulai trees (Alstonia scholaris) at my neighbourhood. All the flowers are gone but no seed pods yet. Perhaps later...
27 February 2007
Another Pulai "surprise"
Decided to take a close look at Pulai trees near my neighbourhood after identifying them last week. I first went to see the Alstonia Scholaris at Ah Hood Garden car park. The flowers do not smell that strong anymore and I could see the cluster of tiny white flowers started to wilt.
Some of the leaves and flowers have dropped .... Next time will take a better image for the vein.
Walked over to Toa Payoh Garden, intending to check out another species of Pulai. Saw a tiny Pulai, scratch the tree bark and it's really britter. I wanted to do the latex test (poke the tree for white latex) but not nice to do it in a public park.
Now, I proceeded to check out another "pulai" but when I looked at the leaves closely (which I didn't last time) .... oh no! Looks like I have made a mistake because the leaves are so different from the other Pulai species!
Went on to take a few more detail shots, so that I could identify it better.
Noticed there's a tiny green leaf coming out from the tiny white flowers ...
Can you see the leaf attached to the tiny white flowers?
Not in the mood to take more photos, wished to go back quickily to identify this tree which I thought is Alstonia Spatulata. Consulted 1001 Garden Plants in Singapore, found out it is Dalbergia Latifolia! Oh dear! I quickily sms my fellow plant enthusiast yK about this mistake but he said he's already at Toa Payoh Park looking for Alstonia Spatulata! He good humouredly said he'll remember this plant that led him to Toa Payoh Garden, and it's since named "Pulai Spatulata Palsu" (false Pulai Spatulata) because of me. Hahaha!
A hydrangea (one of my childhood flower) in Toa Payoh Park.
There's this tree right at my neighbourhood. Will talk about it next ...
Some of the leaves and flowers have dropped .... Next time will take a better image for the vein.
Walked over to Toa Payoh Garden, intending to check out another species of Pulai. Saw a tiny Pulai, scratch the tree bark and it's really britter. I wanted to do the latex test (poke the tree for white latex) but not nice to do it in a public park.
Now, I proceeded to check out another "pulai" but when I looked at the leaves closely (which I didn't last time) .... oh no! Looks like I have made a mistake because the leaves are so different from the other Pulai species!
Went on to take a few more detail shots, so that I could identify it better.
Noticed there's a tiny green leaf coming out from the tiny white flowers ...
Can you see the leaf attached to the tiny white flowers?
Not in the mood to take more photos, wished to go back quickily to identify this tree which I thought is Alstonia Spatulata. Consulted 1001 Garden Plants in Singapore, found out it is Dalbergia Latifolia! Oh dear! I quickily sms my fellow plant enthusiast yK about this mistake but he said he's already at Toa Payoh Park looking for Alstonia Spatulata! He good humouredly said he'll remember this plant that led him to Toa Payoh Garden, and it's since named "Pulai Spatulata Palsu" (false Pulai Spatulata) because of me. Hahaha!
A hydrangea (one of my childhood flower) in Toa Payoh Park.
There's this tree right at my neighbourhood. Will talk about it next ...
19 February 2007
Different kind of Pulai and Common Vines
Recently I noticed this interesting flowering tree at Ah Hood Garden car park. What attracted me is it's fragrance, which is almost impossible to miss.
I finally had a chance to photograph the tree today, the 2nd day of CNY, for identification purpose.
It is called Alstonia scholaris (Common name: Devil Tree, Indian Pulai, Milky Pine, White Cheesewood), which belongs to Apocynaceae family - the same family as Common Pulai! The Common Pulai is taller than this Indian Pulai. They have the same leave structure and I would be curious to find out if their flowers bear any similarity.
Fragrant tiny white flowers of Alstonia scholaris
That's how the tree looks like. I saw some sun-birds feasting on the flowers (perhaps just the nectar) but the birds moved too much and the tree is too tall for me to photograph.
The surprise for today is the Alstonia spatulata (common name: Marsh Pulai) in Toa Payoh Garden. At first I thought it is the Indian Pulai I wanted to photograph, but later I could tell the difference due to its much rounded leaves and sparse flowers. Never did I guess they belong to the same family!
Alstonia spatulata
The tree is too tall for me to photograph its flowers.
This Golden Trumpet (Allamanda cathartica) caught my attention. It's a nice landscape in Toa Payoh Garden.
I have seen the same flower in bush form (Allamanda oenotheraeflolia, or bush Allamanda) but they are actually different species!
Golden Trumpet under the blue sky
Ipmoea cairica (common name: Messina Creeper, dont' we call it morning gloary?) at the fence of Sun Yat Sen villa.
Shifu said I should compose my picture, so here it is. This is done using aperture priority feature in S3, f=8.0. Stepped backward and zoom in - trying to make use of the tree bark as background so as to reduce distraction.
Aquatic plant at the pond of Toa Payoh Garden.
Russelia equisetiformis (Firecraker plants)
I used to squeeze out the nectar like this and eat it from the flower.
Hoyan & Junwei playing under the shade of gazebo.
I finally had a chance to photograph the tree today, the 2nd day of CNY, for identification purpose.
It is called Alstonia scholaris (Common name: Devil Tree, Indian Pulai, Milky Pine, White Cheesewood), which belongs to Apocynaceae family - the same family as Common Pulai! The Common Pulai is taller than this Indian Pulai. They have the same leave structure and I would be curious to find out if their flowers bear any similarity.
Fragrant tiny white flowers of Alstonia scholaris
That's how the tree looks like. I saw some sun-birds feasting on the flowers (perhaps just the nectar) but the birds moved too much and the tree is too tall for me to photograph.
The surprise for today is the Alstonia spatulata (common name: Marsh Pulai) in Toa Payoh Garden. At first I thought it is the Indian Pulai I wanted to photograph, but later I could tell the difference due to its much rounded leaves and sparse flowers. Never did I guess they belong to the same family!
Alstonia spatulata
The tree is too tall for me to photograph its flowers.
This Golden Trumpet (Allamanda cathartica) caught my attention. It's a nice landscape in Toa Payoh Garden.
I have seen the same flower in bush form (Allamanda oenotheraeflolia, or bush Allamanda) but they are actually different species!
Golden Trumpet under the blue sky
Ipmoea cairica (common name: Messina Creeper, dont' we call it morning gloary?) at the fence of Sun Yat Sen villa.
Shifu said I should compose my picture, so here it is. This is done using aperture priority feature in S3, f=8.0. Stepped backward and zoom in - trying to make use of the tree bark as background so as to reduce distraction.
Aquatic plant at the pond of Toa Payoh Garden.
Russelia equisetiformis (Firecraker plants)
I used to squeeze out the nectar like this and eat it from the flower.
Hoyan & Junwei playing under the shade of gazebo.
04 February 2007
Trees at Marine Parade
I have read when a Casuarina tree (Casuraine rumphiana) is spotted, you are not too far away from the sea. Indeed we saw many of them at East Coast during our weekend outing.
Spikey fruits from Casuarina Tree
It's not easy to take a good record shot of Casuarina tree. It's so hard to take its fine leaves and they are so high up.
A closer shot
Even closer ...
It's much easier to photography coconut trees.
This particular one has a huge branch of flowers, and you can see a few coconut fruits in its early form.
Can't help to notice the grass right at the beach. Does it look like a Chinese painting?
Spikey fruits from Casuarina Tree
It's not easy to take a good record shot of Casuarina tree. It's so hard to take its fine leaves and they are so high up.
A closer shot
Even closer ...
It's much easier to photography coconut trees.
This particular one has a huge branch of flowers, and you can see a few coconut fruits in its early form.
Can't help to notice the grass right at the beach. Does it look like a Chinese painting?
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