A Celebration of the Hibiscus - Happy 56th Independence Day Malaysia!

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This is the common red Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, the National Flower of Malaysia.

Scientific name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Brilliant Red'

Family: Malvaceae

Origin: China

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis - our Bunga Raya

The flower petals are edible.

It attracts the butterflies and sunbirds!

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar - double flower variety, red colour

“A Celebration of the Hibiscus - Happy 56th Independence Day Malaysia!”, a copyrighted post, was written for My Nice Garden blog by Autumn Belle @ http://www.mynicegarden.com/ on Aug 28th, 2013.

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis single flower variety - pale pink colour with red eye (centre)

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis single flower variety - yellow colour with pink veination

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis single flower variety - yellow colour with red eye

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid - single flower, yellow colour with red eye

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar - double flower variety, yellow colour

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar - single flower, yellow colour

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar - small, upward pointing, single flower variety

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar -  single flower, shocking pink colour, wavy edged petals

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid - single flower variety, red colour with white splashes.

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid - single flower variety, pink-orange combo colour, red eye

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid- single flower variety, white-pink combo colour

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid - single flower variety, pink-purple-white combo colour, red eye

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid - single flower variety, purple-pink combo colour, red eye.

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid - single flower variety, purple-pink colour, red eye.

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar - single flower variety, white colour

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar - single flower variety, orange colour with red eye.

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Hibiscus rosa sinensis 'Cooperi Alba' - single flower with variegated leaves

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Scientific name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis var. schizopetalus
Synonym: Hibiscus schizopetalus 'Pagoda' - red colour

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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid - single flower variety, red and orange colour

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Hibiscus schizopetalus - Japanese/Chinese Lantern, Fringe Hibiscus Flower

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Hibiscus mutabilis - double flower variety

The flower colour changes from white to pink to deep pink within the same day.

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province in China is also known as the City of Hibiscus,

named after this flower, the "Mu Fu Rong"

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Hibiscus mutabilis - single flower variety.

The flower does not change colour throughout the day.

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Hibiscus syriacus - double flower variety, purple colour.

Hibiscus syriacus is the National Flower of Korea.

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Hibiscus syriacus - single flower variety, purple colour.

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Hibiscus moscheutos

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Malvaviscus penduliflorus - The Sleeping Hibiscus

The flowers point down and they are always half opened as though half asleep!

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Malvaviscus arboreus - Turk's Cap Hibiscus

The flowers point up and look like a Turkish turban.

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Hibiscus tilaceus - Sea Hibiscus

The flower changes colour from cream yellow to pale orange to reddish brown within the same day.


TO ALL MALAYSIANS,
HAPPY MERDEKA!
HAPPY 56th INDEPENDENCE DAY!
- 31 AUG 2013

The Tropical Colonial Garden II - Kellie's Castle Batu Gajah Part 5

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A tropical garden on the grounds of the ruins of an old abandoned castle sound - interesting isn't it? Indeed I am fascinated! Look how our Bunga Raya, National Flower of Malaysia look so beautiful with the castle in the background.

This is my part 2 post about the Tropical Colonial Garden at Kellie's Castle, Batu Gajah, Perak.

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A bush with huge Hibiscus rosa-sinensis flowers.

This portion is the original Kellas House that William Kellie Smith and his family lived almost a century ago. It was partially destroyed during World War II (1939-1945)

“The Tropical Colonial Garden II - Kellie's Castle Batu Gajah Perak - Part 5”, a copyrighted post, was written for My Nice Garden blog by Autumn Belle @ http://www.mynicegarden.com/

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Scientific name: Cleome rutidosperma

Synonym: Cleome ciliata

Common name: Fringed Spider Flower

Malay name: Maman Ungu

Family: Capparaceae

Here are some of the weeds that appear along the cracks and rock crevices on the grounds of the ruins. The above, a cleome species is native to Tropical America but was naturalized here and now it grows like a weed in Malaysia.

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Scientific name: Agerantum conyzoides

Common names Billygoat Weed, Chick Weed, Goat Weed, Whiteweed 

Malay name: Rumbut Tahi Ayam (Chicken Dung Weed), Rumput Sekedok, 

Bunga Lebih Tikus, Selasih Dandi, Si Anggit, Tambok-tambok Jantan

Family: Compositae

Another Tropical American plant that is naturalised and grow like a weed in Malaysia.

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William  Kellie Smith's kitchen and the original Kella's House.

The ventilation hole for the underground tunnel that connects Kellie's Castle to the Indian temple.

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The walkway to the kitchen staff quarters.
Despite the heat of the mid afternoon soon, it feels cool when walking along this corridor.

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The oven made of bricks which is already more than a hundred years old.
I'm really curious what were the favourite food items dished out from this ancient oven during those days.

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View from a kitchen window.
See the dome shaped top?

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Another view from a kitchen window.
Peeping out from the top right corner is the outline of a Coral Bean Tree.

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Scientific name: Erythrina fusca

Synonym: Erythrina glauca

Common names:
Purple Coral Tree, Gallito, Bois Immortelle, Bucayo, Bucare, Coral Bean Tree

Malay name: Dedap Merah

Family: Fabaceae
Origin: Tropical Asia

This is a native tree of Malaysia.

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People can come here for modelling shoots and wedding photography.

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A nice place for a family picnic and some outdoor games.

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Scientific name: Ficus microcarpa

Common names: 

Chinese Banyan, Malayan Banyan, Taiwan Banyan, 

Indian Laurel, Curtain Fig, Gajumaru (Japanese)

Family: Moraceae

Origin: India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, New Caledonia, Australia, Malay Archipelago

Here's a Banyan Tree that has lived through a century, standing broad and strong, a staunch witness to all the historical happenings through the ages.

The Banyan Tree is full of mystique. It is regarded as sacred among Hindus and Buddhists and is featured in many Asian folk tales. Some people believe that these are the dwelling places of spirits and ghosts.

Ficus microcarpa is a strangling fig, native to Malaysia.  It does not grow from the ground but begins life as an epiphyte on the branches of another tree. A seedling carried by the birds is dropped and germinates. It sends out numerous aerial roots which grow downwards until they touch the ground. Some roots cling and hug the support tree, eventually strangling and killing the tree. The fully matured fig tree is a very big spreading tree with many large branches and a complex structure of thick pillar-like roots. The flowers and fruits attract birds, bees and butterflies.

Banyan Trees around the world (Source: Wikipedia)

The original banyan, the species F. benghalensis, can grow into a giant tree covering several hectares. Over time, the name became generalized to all strangler figs of the Urostigma subgenus. There are many banyan species: 

a) Ficus microcarpa, the Malayan Banyan tree which is native from Sri Lanka through New Caledonia is a significant invasive species elsewhere. 

b) The Central American Banyan (Ficus pertusa) is native to Central America and northern South America, from southern Mexico south to Paraguay. 

c) The Short Leaf Fig (Ficus citrifolia) is native to southern Florida, the Caribbean Islands, Central America and South America south to Paraguay. One theory is that the Portuguese name for F. citrofolia, "Os Barbados", gave Barbados its name 

d) The Florida Strangler Fig (Ficus aurea) is also native to southern Florida and the Caribbean Islands, and distinguished from the above by its coarser leaf venation. 

e) The Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus macrophylla) and Port Jackson Fig (Ficus rubiginosa) are other related species.

Myths and Beliefs (extract from Wikipedia) - Respect the Banyan Tree!

1. In Hinduism, the leaf of the banyan tree is said to be the resting place for the god Krishna.

2. The Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees (林村許願樹) are banyan, and are a popular shrine in Hong Kong. They are located near the Tin Hau Temple in Lam Tsuen.

3. In many stories of Philippine Mythology, the banyan, (locally known as balete or balite) is said to be home to a variety of spirits (diwata and engkanto) and demon-like creatures (among the Visayans, specifically, the dili ingon nato, meaning "those not like us"). Maligno (Evil spirits, from Spanish for 'malign') associated with it include the kapre (a giant), duwende (dwarves), and the tikbalang (a creature whose top half is a horse and whose bottom half is human).Children at a young age are taught never to point at a fully mature banyan tree for fear of offending the spirits that dwell within them, most especially when they are new to the place. Filipinos would always utter a respectful word or two to the spirits in the banyan tree when they are near one, walking near or around it to avoid any harm. Nearly every Filipino believes that provoking the spirits in a banyan tree can cause you great harm, illness, misfortune, untold suffering and death. In Guam, 'Chamorro people believe in tales of taotaomona, duendes and other spirits. Taotaomona are spirits of the ancient Chamorro that act as guardians to banyan trees.

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This is actually the front view Kellie's Castle.

Magnificient, isn't it?

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During the recent upgrading works, Dr. Francis Ng's team managed to locate the site of the front entrance to the garage where William Kellie Smith kept his motocars.

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A picture of how the original garage looks like.

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The driveway from the gate entrance at the far end to the garage has been recreated.
A new tar road slithers beside the lawn and shade trees towards the castle building.

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The garden looks so much brighter now.

Some old trees were preserved.

Some new trees were planted in groves.

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Sometimes, the eeriness remains.

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At other times, it looks bright, clear and cheerful!

It's a mix feeling of old and new...
darkness and light...
sometimes eerie, sometimes cheery...
that I find really very intriguing!