Wordless Wednesday:Camouflage

OMG!

I have already lost one of my cherished plant

@ a three Yr old Brazilian Rain Tree last month....

Rain Tree - Aug 2k9

.....AND

the disheartening part is that I am about to loose another one......

Ficus - Grp Planting, Oct 2k10

Boo Woo..........

Gosh! I feel so helpless... right  at this moment, 

and just don't know what else to do; 

Except,....Maybe,

Hope n Pray...THE  PLANT  (left, above) recovers soon.

Ficus with Rock ...Grp Planting, Aug2k9

Will it? Won't it? 

Will it!

Skywatch Friday: Fleeting Moments

Gazing up at the sky last evening,

I caught the Silhouette of a lone Monkey sitting atop the Chimney of our house. 

There One Minute...Gone in the Next

He was there one minute and gone the moment after my camera shutter blinked, to capture the fleeting moment.

Malpighia glabra – as a Bonsai

Glabra - Buds Upclose 

Common names include Acerola, Barbados cherry, Wild Crapemyrtle.

Pink Blossom - Up close

Malpighia glabra: Is a tropical fruit-bearing Evergreen shrub or small tree in the family Malpighiaceae, with spreading branches on a short trunk. It is usually 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft) tall, but sometimes reaches 6 m (20 ft) in height

Glabra - Fruit

Nothing is more satisfying for an avid gardener / plant lover, than constantly working towards adding n collecting, growing new varieties of plants, and yes working with them too … hands on.

In my personal quest, to add to my ever-growing Bonsai Collection at home, and collect new varieties of plants from time to time, I bought two small Malpigihia glabra’s, and a Brazillian rain tree, 3 years back. The plants where lanky n fragile, with little foliage, but had good branch ramification; an important prerequisite for any good bonsai.

Way back in spring 2008, while I was getting the plants potted into appropriate Bonsai pots, I discovered that one of the glabra plants had some amazing set of long roots, with a well-spread out branching pattern that could easily be trained to cling n grow on a rock, to achieve the coveted ‘Root over the Rock’ style of Bonsai and the other one could be trained into a ‘Twin Trunk Bonsai’ between rocks.

I immediately set to work……………..and even today, I am still working and enjoying every moment I get to spend with these teeny-tiny plants – watering n pruning them into shape, just like any other garden plant. ERGO, I maybe a little more bent n biased towards my Bonsai - showering them with a little more nurturing n care.

Twin Trunk Glabra & Informal Upright style Rain Tree

Rain Tree, Cascading Jade, Glabra

It requires a lot of patience n hard work to train a bonsai plant into ‘Root over the rock’ style as the take a long time to grow n cling to the Rock, securing the plant in position.

A Picture of the plant in early stage of Training

Recent Pictures of the same Plant… 

after getting it re-potted into a Proper Bonsai Container.

Thx to the ABA Grp President, Arora Aunty, 

who helped me re-pot it during one of our Bonsai Workshops.

Side View of the Roots, Trunk, Foliage

Glabra is an extremely  popular bonsai subject here in India because of its small leaf, dense foliage, beautiful pink, blossom, small fruit and fine ramification. It is also grown as an ornamental  and for hedges. As a Bonsai, it adapts readily to the weather conditions prevailing here and is easy to shape into a specified style.

Malpighia Glabra - Root over the Rock style

Finally as can be seen in the above pic....

 this slanting flow of the plant,... 'Root over the Rock LOOK'

 ....is what appeals to me the most.

The plant looks so different here.... Isn't it?

However, it is the same plant, but shot at a 'Different Angle'....

...displaying all the mesmerizing qualities of a BONSAI!

The Chinese Garden Of Friendship

Bonsai on Display @ Chinese Garden of Friendship

The child in me has this innate fascination for automobiles, locomotives and various modes of transportations. So after having enjoyed a zip-zap-zooming joyride in the monorail, looping around Sydney’s CBD, I was game for yet another ride. After all, we still had over an hour to spare, before the 3D show at the Sydney, IMAX Theatre (boasts of the world’s largest screen) commenced.

People Mover 

My Ma and Maasi (Mom’s sister) however choose to sit back on one of the many  benches, relaxing and taking in the harbour side view, while I excitedly hopped onto one of these much slower trackless people mover train which would take me on a sightseeing tour, highlighting the major tourist attractions alongside Sydney’s Darling Harbour.

Darling Harbour

We crossed the Australian Maritime museum, Sydney Aquarium and Wildlife World, Sydney Convention Center, IMAX Theatre, overlooking the Cockle Bay, King Street Wharf restaurant, Children Park n spectacular water features en route to the Chinese Garden n China Town.

Main Attractions @ waterfront

 But, as soon as the People Mover reached the Chinese Garden, my first instinct was to ask the driver to stop so that I could hop out. On second thoughts, I contemplated whether I should complete the entire People Mover tour and then come back again for a stroll with Mummy n Maasi, if the time permitted. However, my excitement on seeing the Chinese Garden, in the heart of Australia… got the better of me and I got off on the next stop and headed back to the Chinese Garden of Friendship.

The Chinese Garden of Friendship, Darling Harbour, Sydney

Well….here’s what, I would have missed experiencing n capturing on my lenses had I not taken this instinctive split second decision to alight and take a quick ‘sneak peep’ into the garden before rushing back (this time on foot) to where my Ma n Maasi sat waiting for me.

Located at Darling Harbor, in close proximity of China town in Sydney CBD, it reflects the very essence of Oriental Gardens with its majestic Pagoda’s & a harmonious display of plants, rock n water elements in the form of ‘the Water Pavilion of Lotus Fragrance’ & ‘the Twin Pavilion’.

The garden was officially opened in 1988 as part of Sydney's bicentennial celebrations and aptly named the Garden of Friendship. This Dragon Wall (below) symbolizes the bond of Friendship between Guangzhou, China n New South Wales in Australia.

Dragon Wall

The entrance to the garden is guarded by this traditional Chinese Sculpture.

Once inside, the garden offers a rare insight into the Chinese Culture n heritage with beautiful display of Suihan Penjing / Bonsai right at the entrance of the garden.

These Bonsai’s are considered sacred n auspicious in the Oriental culture and are often seen on display in many a homes n even commercial organizations in China n most South East Asian countries.

Being a Bonsai lover myself, I was in complete awe… admiring these so very beautiful and well maintained living piece d’art.

Today, as I glance back at the pictures, I can’t help but smile, recollecting the dilemma I was in - whether to stay put to complete the tour or disembark right then.  I am glad I choose to get off n visit this beautiful n serene Garden Of Friendship amidst all the hustle bustle of Darling Harbour with the monorail offering a sky view of the CBD; the cruise boats, the ferries n motorboats coming into the harbour; the toy people mover's train &  kids whizzing past on skates.....n more....

   The city skyline n the Harbour Bridge…

…as seen from our Room @ Star City, Casino