Today, Australians celebrate Anzac Day.
Lest we forget the lives lost in all conflicts around the world, as today Australians respect and honour the tradition of Anzac Day. Let us Singaporeans living and working here remember and embrace, too, what the Australians have extended the spirit of Anzac beyond their shore into the hearts of all those who have known or know someone just like them who has sacrificed for his and her country.
Traditionally, Anzac has become synonymous with humble, selfless and self deprecating service whatever field of occupation or profession to help your mates. Lets us embrace what Australians have embraced since the first world war and beyond has been the humour and selflessness applied to helping others in otherwise trying circumstances. These can be their military, natural disaster, personal tragedy or simply in advocating and defence of the vulnerable.
Most of all lets us honour Australian and Allied Servicemen and women past and present.
Lest we forget.

I am still receiving requests for Calamansi plants propagated by air-layering from my eight year old Calamansi tree or some Singaporeans call it “sng kum” others call it “keat lah” and in Malay, it is known as limau kasturi. Unfortunately I cannot fulfill all the requests as I usually do about half a dozen of cuttings each year. The reason is I do not like to over-stressed the mother-plant. I do have seeds to give away, The problem with growing fruit trees from seeds is that it may take very long to bear fruits - some times more than three to five years - and there is no guarantee that the fruits will taste same as the one from which you got the seeds.

Air-layering is one method of propagating a fruit tree from an existing one, which will bear fruits sooner, and the fruits will taste same as the mother-plant.

This morning I have just completed the chore of air-layering the Calamansi tree at our backyard garden and hope that it takes roots for me to give them away in June.

A Fig, an Olive, and a Bay.

What my backyard garden and the cottage of New Zealand's poet Mary Ursula Bethell have in common? A Fig, an Olive, and a Bay!
Bethell is inextricably linked to the garden she tended at Rise Cottage, Its careful cultivation lovingly recorded in this first volume of poems She settled on the hills above Christchurch, where her cottage in Cashmere became the setting for her best-known poems. These first appeared (under the pseudonym Evelyn Hayes) in From a garden in the antipodes (1929).
Where ‘A Bush Section’ is sprawling and inclusive, Bethell’s poems ‘Detail’ begins,
"My garage is a structure of excessive plainness,
It springs from a dry bank in the back garden,
It is made of corrugated iron,
And painted all over with brick-red.

And beside it I have planted a green Bay-tree,
– A sweet Bay, an Olive, and a Turkey Fig,
–

A Fig, an Olive, and a Bay".

“To eat figs off the tree in the very early morning, when they have been barely touched by the sun, is one of the exquisite pleasures of the Mediterranean.” ― Elizabeth David, An Omelette and a Glass of Wine

We harvested our first fig this morning, and we can confirm that a fig picked fresh from the tree, ripened by the sun, is one of the most beautiful fruits to be found in the Mediterranean as well as the one planted in our backyard. If you are lucky enough like us, to have a tree in the back garden, beat the birds by tossing a net over the canopy so the fruit can remain on the tree until it's luscious and juicy before being harvested, it is worth all the trouble for the effort you put in looking after it. Figs are incredibly delicate once they are ripen and deteriorate quickly, so eat them as soon as possible.

Beautiful but deadly...

As I was walking towards to see the Sculpture by the Sea, an annual outdoor display of sculpture (over 100 separate works) distributed along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk, I had to stopped to take a photo of this beautiful oleander plant with its dense foliage providing privacy for its owner. Even on a very busy city road these plants can make a colourful screen against both noise and visual pollution. Hence its popularity as an hedge among home gardeners. I also noticed that it is a favourite outdoor shrub, popular for its evergreen qualities and delicate flowers in many houses around Sydney's famous Bondi Beach. Or is it because these plants easily cope by the seaside, not seeming to be worried with salt laden air; in arid hot conditions, and even where the drainage is poor .
With all those beautiful colours, perfume and toughness why I have recommended you do not plant it in your garden? The answer is that it is said to be poisonous - if you choose to eat it.
Oleander poisoning occurs when someone sucks nectar from the flowers or chews leaves from the oleander. How do I know? Because I googled this information for you.
http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/oleander/

How the Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Plant Got Its Name

With the recent popularity of lifestyle shows featuring garden makeovers we have begun to see a new type of poisoning case in our homes. Many of us do not know many beautiful plants such as this Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow plant, or Brunfelsia latifolia, we planted in our garden are poisonous and toxic. It got its common name because of its fragrant and tri-colour of purple, lavender and white blooms. This unique plant creates variegated clusters of colour and breathtaking beauty when all three shades are present.
These flowers last for three days and change color with each day. The first day they are purple (yesterday), the second day they change to a pastel lavender shade (today), and on the third day they change to an almost white color (tomorrow). Because each flower lasts for three days and goes through this colorful transformation, it is easy to tell whether it is a yesterday bloom or a shade representing today and tomorrow.
While these flowers are pretty, offer months of blooms and give off a sweet-smelling fragrance, it is important to note that these plants also contain poisonous alkaloids and may not be the best choice for households with young children. Seeds from the flowers are poisonous and berries from the Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow plants are especially toxic. To avoid accidental poisoning, caution should be taken and extra safety measures put into place such as adult supervision when toddlers, young children or pets are playing outdoors.

Cattleya Orchids in bloom.

Our Cattleya orchid plant has put up a showy performance for which South American is famous for. This South American native orchid is widely known for its large, showy flowers. It is also called the “corsage orchid” because it is often used in corsages and wedding bouquets. Even though it is not so common to wear corsages anymore, my wife Jo could not help but to hang it in our veranda as a floral decoration for our dinner guests this evening.

I found this Redback spider when I lifted a flower pot in my backyard this morning. Usually I leave it alone but I quickly trapped it in a glass jar, since I remembered a newly arrived Singaporean family living in a nearby suburb has requested me to show them a live Redback if I come across one. I quickly rushed it to their house but I could not persuade the Mrs of the house to take a closer look even I was holding it in a glass jar in my hand. She then rushed into her house and came back holding a can of insect spray. No way, I will allow this beautiful Australian icon from being killed although the female red-back is certainly not adversed to making a meal out of the hapless, smaller male of the species after mating. I can't help but to think that our Singaporean mum must have grown up watching Mortein advertisements and now took it as her maternal duty to eradicate every flying and crawling insects in the world. I can understand her fear, as the Redback spider (Latrodectus hasseltii) is one of Australia's most venomous spiders. It's found across Australia including Tasmania. The redback spider is closely related to the black widow spider of the United States and the katipo of New Zealand
It is often found in outdoor dunnys, letter boxes, under logs and rocks and other dark areas. The Redback spider is most active at dusk and during the night as the weather gets warmer. It is easy to spot a Redback because the female red-back is black with a distinctive "hour glass" red or orange marking on its back, hence its name. Only the female bite is dangerous. They can cause serious illness and have caused deaths. However, since Redback Spiders rarely leave their webs, humans are not likely to be bitten unless a body part such as a hand is put directly into the web, and because of their small jaws many bites are ineffective. Please be careful and wear a pair gloves when doing your gardening chores.

I have received five similar messages asking me on how to grow and care for orchids since I posted these exotic neon bright Dendrobium Nobiles in our FB page. Like many of you, I have always been fascinated by these elegant and exotic plants which have hypnotised gardeners for ages. Many orchid blooms look so glamorous you might suppose that only experts could produce such a beautiful specimen. To be honest, these dazzling stunning beauty of orchids initially makes me orchid-shy because the thought of growing and nurturing orchids seems a difficult and mysterious chore for me to pursue.

Beginning orchid growers find themselves seduced by the gorgeous beauty with showy blossoms could not help but to spend their weekends to look for them in speciality orchid nurseries, botanical gardens or mail order catalogues. Before you put them in your cart and swipe your credit card, the most important is to realise that raising these orchids may call for you to explore some of the technical aspects of orchid growing in same climate zone you are now living in, perhaps the first thing is imitating the orchids natural climate and diet will encourage them to prosper. Remember how difficult you survived and experienced your first winter living outside Singapore and the homesickness of longing for your comfort food of home. Growing orchid in your home means you must provide temperatures within the range that the plant comfortably grows. However with a bit of TLC, the list of requirements is much the same as any plants, and with practice and armed with a few basic cultivation rules of providing the right amount of water, humility, temperature, light level, potting mix and light level, your orchids will reward you with blooming successes.

Spring has sprung...

Spring has sprung and we have been rewarded with abundance of nature gifts. What better place could there be to place a chair and to sit and enjoy the peaceful productivity of our garden? Surrounded by our plants and trees, we take springtime to sit in our garden and observe the play of sunlight and wind on the plants and vegetation. Watch how the insects interact with our plants, and consider what we are going to harvest next ...

Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year!

We love to hear the purr of the postman’s motorcycle engine on their daily round to deliver letters and Christmas cards to our post-box, especially at this time of the year. We are surprised by the numerous Christmas greeting cards we still received from our friends although we must admit that they are getting fewer each year.

In this age of the festive ecards, sending a Christmas card might seem a bizarre and mystical concept to some. With electronic communication dominating many people's lives, "letter writing is increasingly a dying art", laments many older people like us. "But while it is old fashioned, Christmas card-writing is a strong part of the festive tradition - and the one part of letter-writing that looks to be living on." After all, isn't tradition what Christmas is all about?

Likewise, one of the real joys of the Holiday Season is the opportunity to say thank you and to wish you the very best for the new year. 

Happy Birthday to my wife Jo.

What a birthday surprise!!! I am supposed to hide this birthday present from our son to Jo until tomorrow... it was taken from the garage and displayed at the bay window with Jo saying " it won't last until my birthday without me watering it since last week"
Sometimes it seems that I don't see all the special things you do to make our home such a special place to live. But, I want you to know I couldn't ask for a better wife and a better mother for our family. Happy Birthday to the most special person in my life! 
Since you have opened your birthday present from our son a week ago, it is difficult to keep surprises from you.. I bet ya' you did n't know this is coming... We are going to the Alaskan Cruise and visit our god-son Toshi and his family in Vancouver in April next year.

Lest we forget...

Today, Australians celebrate Anzac Day.

Lest we forget the lives and loves lost in all conflicts around the world as today Australians respect and honour the tradition of Anzac Day. Let us Singaporeans living and working here remember and embrace, too, what the  Australians have extended the spirit of Anzac beyond their shore into the hearts of all those who have known or know someone just like them who has sacrificed for his and her country.

Traditionally, Anzac has become synonymous with humble, selfless and self deprecating service whatever field of occupation or profession to help your mates. Lets us embrace what Australians have embraced since the first world war and beyond has been the humour and selflessness applied to helping others in otherwise trying circumstances. These can be their military, natural disaster, personal tragedy or simply in advocating and defence of the vulnerable.

Most of all lets us honour Australian and Allied Servicemen and women past and present.

Lest we forget.

Air layering was practised in China centuries ago...

Air layering in its original form was practised in China centuries ago and here I am with all the inherited genetic make-up from my farming ancestors, could only produce a single successful result from my past numerous propagation attempts. Motivated by the recent success of my air layering propagation of my calamansi plant, I could n’t wait to have a go at it again, this morning.

I was told many times that this method was the easy and sure way of propagating a number of flowering and fruiting plants to ensure that they are the same as the parent plants. Layering occurs naturally in many plants such as the “runners” of strawberries and the tip rooting of loganberry and blackberry are the well known examples and is the term used to describe the rooting of a stem while it is still attached to the parent plant.

 Let me briefly described what I have done this morning. I chose a one year old stem and partly severed by making an upward cut from just below a joint and afterwards a toothpick had been inserted to keep the cut open. I brushed and treated the cut surface with a root hormone powder before peat moss was wrapped around the cut with a freezer bag and binding the lower end of the freezer bag with a wire twist. The top of the bag was sealed after more peat moss was packed into the wrap. It was again wrapped with aluminium foil to strengthen it into a ball and to reduce necessity for constant damping. But I still have to make sure regular attention is given to syringing and watering to keep the ball moist until roots eventually grow out into it. Keeping my “green” fingers crossed.

A one-year old stem is chosen.

Making an upward cut

A toothpick is inserted to keep cut open.

Treating the cut surface with hormone  powder.

Peat moss is wrapped around the stem .

Aluminium foil is wrapped around to strengthen  the ball.

The top of the ball is sealed.

Successful Air Layering from my Calamansi in the backyard.

I was thrilled to see roots on one of my air layer propagated branches on my calamansi plant this morning. I couldn’t wait to try my luck again; even it’s the only successful one out of the three propagations. It has been a long 6 months wait and after the record breaking summer temperature and floods, I just couldn’t believe my luck (certainly not my reward for so many failed attempts to propagate new plants from this popular plant in my garden). I have received a long list of request for this plant since I blog about it. Once I have this precious cutting potted, I have to go and find out who is the lucky recipient on the top of my waiting list. I wish I can have more successful propagations to give them away. Wish me luck for the next try.

Today, Australians prepare for what could be the hottest day in history

As we brace ourselves this morning for another record-breaking day here in Sydney, the severe bushfire threat plaguing parts of NSW, Victoria and Tasmania is only set to worsen. Today, Australians prepare for what could be the hottest day in history, with the average national temperature predicted to hit 43C. The country's record national average temperature is 40.17C, which was reached on December 21, 1972.  According to Bureau of Meteorology climatologist Dr David Jones on the news this morning said “Australians should prepare for more prolonged heatwaves this summer”. How prepared are we when we are going to experience the wrath of mother-nature in some of the worst bushfires we have ever seen. Well, not everyone fully understands the difficulties produced by heat waves especially to our new migrants or visitors from Singapore, who are fit, healthy, and have access to air-conditioned place; a heat wave can pass by fairly uneventfully. However, there is a risk for everyone and it's important to be aware both for yourself and for others whom you might be taking care of.

Looking after others

·         Look out for signs of heat stress and exhaustion in all members of your family and others close to you. Be vigilant and explain to them the importance of taking steps to minimize the effects of heat during a heat wave.

·         Never leave children or pets in parked cars, even for brief periods of time. The temperature inside the vehicle can rise to 49ºC or more within minutes, enough heat to kill someone very quickly.

·         Check on neighbours, family, and friends, especially those who are elderly, sick, or not able to take care of themselves without assistance and those who live alone. If you know that a neighbour lives alone and is at risk of health problems from heat (especially where they do not have air conditioning), try to contact family members to come and help. If that is not possible, your local emergency services might be able to help but if you can ease the burden on them by taking care of such a person yourself, that is the better option.

·         Understand what heat related illnesses are and how to identify the symptoms, such as heat cramps, which are painful spasms in the muscles of the arms, legs, and abdomen.

Heatstroke is an emergency. Anyone exhibiting the signs and symptoms of heat stroke should seek immediate medical attention. Symptoms include:

§  Red, flushed skin - may become pale

§  A body temperature of 41ºC or higher

§  Seizures

§  Extreme headache

§  Rapid breathing

§  Rapid pulse

§  Sweating ceases

§  Confusion

§  Unconsciousness.

Looking after yourself

·         Don't undertake difficult, hot travel or movement during the daytime. If you must travel, the best time is by night, when it is much cooler.

·         Dress appropriately for outdoors: When outdoors, it is important to cover up. Still adhering to the loose-fitting, lightweight and natural clothing, cover up as much skin as possible to avoid sunburn. Protect your head and face by wearing a wide-brimmed hat. Consider wearing clothing made of synthetic sports fabrics that are designed to wick away perspiration. Avoid dark colours as these absorb the heat; light colours reflect it.

·         Look at your urine: To tell if you're dehydrated. Normal urine should be clear coloured, or light yellow. If the colour is any darker, you may be dehydrated. Make sure you have plenty of water to drink.

·         If you plan to be out and about during a heat wave, consider spending the warmest part of the day (or even night) in public buildings such as libraries, schools, cinemas, shopping malls, and other community facilities

Prepare your home for the event of a heat wave.

·         Check that your window air conditioners are snugly installed; if not, insulate around them.   Check that the air conditioning vents are also properly insulated.

·         Install temporary window reflectors (for use between windows and drapes), such as aluminium foil-covered cardboard. These will reflect heat back outside.

·         Weather-strip doors and sills to keep cool air in.

·         Cover windows that receive morning and afternoon sun. Use drapes, shades, awnings, or louvers. Outdoor awnings and louvers can reduce the heat that enters a home by up to 8 percent.

·         Put on a fan. Circulating air can cool the body by increasing the evaporation rate of perspiration. A fan can help move the air around your house and will be useful for pulling in relatively cool air at night, but do not rely on a fan to keep cool during the day. A fan will not prevent heat-related illnesses when the temperatures are over 37ºC. A cool shower is a much more effective way to cool off.

·         Understand what heat related illnesses are and how to identify the symptoms, such as heat cramps, which are painful spasms in the muscles of the arms, legs, and abdomen.Heatstroke is an emergency. Anyone exhibiting the signs and symptoms of heat stroke should seek immediate medical attention. Symptoms include:

§  Red, flushed skin - may become pale

§  A body temperature of 41ºC or higher

§  Seizures

§  Extreme headache

§  Rapid breathing

§  Rapid pulse

§  Sweating ceases

§  Confusion

§  Unconsciousness.

• .        Eat lightly. Hot foods and high-calorie or high-protein meals raise your body's metabolism and its        temperature, which is the opposite of what you need to stay healthy during a heat wave. Think fresh fruits and vegetables, cold salads, etc. and be sure to eat light, well-balanced and regular meals. 

The hot and dry conditions have been labelled as "catastrophic" by authorities in NSW, with a total fire ban established statewide and all national parks and reserves closed today due to the fire.

Over 100 properties have been destroyed since last week, concentrated in the fishing village of Dunalley in Tasmania. No deaths from the fires have been reported, but emergency services crews are conducting property-to-property searches for human remains and many people are still unaccounted for. Please spare a moment to our friends in Tassie who are experiencing the wrath of mother-nature in some of the worst bushfires they have ever seen. It is easy to feel helpless at times such as these but there are ways you can help. You can donate funds to the Red Cross bushfire appeal via this link: http://www.redcross.org.au/tasmanian-bushfires-appeal-2013.aspx. Funds raised through the Tasmanian Bushfires 2013 Appeal will be used to assist individuals, families 

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas but settle for green...

When I was a child growing up in tropical Singapore, I thought of Christmas in the western countries and thought of snow and even put cotton-wool on the Christmas tree to duplicate snow. But now I am living in a western country like Australia there are still major differences between the stereotypical Christmas and an Australian Christmas. Australian Christmases are quite different from the rest of the western world.

While Christmas in the northern hemisphere may be accompanied by snow, Christmas in Australia is accompanied by plenty of sunshine. Christmas is celebrated here during the Sothern hemisphere summer and temperatures on Christmas can sometimes reach over 40 degrees Centigrade. Instead of building snowmen on Christmas day, Australian children may actually go swimming and surfing in the sea.

Storms at times play a major role in Christmas around the world, and the same can be said for Australia, just different kinds of storms. While some European countries may be blanketed with snow, Australia could be getting rain, or worse. In the past, Christmases in Australia have provided floods, hailstorms, brush-fires, and cyclones. In terms of weather, the worst Christmas in Australia had to be Christmas 1974. On that day, Cyclone Tracy tore through Darwin, in the Northern Territory flattened nearly every house on its path.

Due to the hot weather at this time of the year, we normally make our Christmas wreath at the very last moment. This morning, my wife Jo made an eco-friendly wreath from reusable materials that most of you probably have lying around the house.
With some pine branches, pinecones and some recycled Christmas decorations she weaved them together and turn them into a Christmas wreath just to add that special touch to our front door to greet our visitors during this festive season.

Giving my Calamansi an Air layering treatment...

Spring is coming round the corner, it looks like the weather is starting to warm up so I thought why not spend more time in the garden to raise new plants through vegetative propagation. I feel duty bound to learn this fascinating and interesting gardening art and one from which is possible to gain much pleasure  and a great sense of achievement if only I can successfully in propagating my calamansi plant. It has becomes the most sought after plant in my garden since I wrote about it in this blog. I have been inundated with requests from Singaporeans living in Australia for cuttings or seeds so that they too can enjoy this unique lime with their mee rabus or hokkien mee from their garden.

Success in plant propagation is often attributed to the possession of a “green thumb” - a belief which is not without some foundation. It is true that some people seem to be gifted and have little or no difficulty in propagating young plants. I have not been successful in the past few attempts and hope my renewed enthusiasm is not dampened by possible early setbacks and failure.  But there is no reason why I should not successfully propagate my calamansi plant, provided certain essentials are borne in mind. This time around, I will be trying the Chinese method of air layering with my clamansi plant which in its original form was practiced in China centuries ago. My calamansi plant has been grown in the open since I bought it from the nursery and I would be air layering it this coming spring when the sap is rising and flowing freely.  I will post the air layering and its method with drawings or photos once I get it started in the coming weeks.

Drop in this arvo for a cuppa, mate.

In the colonial Singapore, having "high tea" was mainly confined to the tai tai (rich housewives) with their leisurely lifestyle or mainly to affirm their social standing among themselves and usually held in their own bungalows.  As times and lifestyles changed the popularity of the formal afternoon tea waned, but has seen a revival in recent years as people once again enjoy its elegance in the foyer or courtyard of most hotels in Singapore. Most Singaporeans tend to associate nonya kuehs together with dainty decorated cupcakes, sandwiches and scones with High Tea. Contrary to its present fare, High Tea was a more substantial meal, including meat and/or fish, and was really an early dinner which well suited the middle and lower classes after a long day at work in England and Ireland.   This long established eating pattern was brought to Australia amongst the early English and Irish migrants. Today, many Australians still refer to the evening meal as tea and can use the term to mean a cup of tea or 'cuppa'. When invited to “Come for tea” could mean “Come for dinner”, so it is best you ask “at what time?” Tea usually means the evening meal, but as Australians also have "afternoon tea" (mid afternoon light snack) and "morning tea" (mid morning light snack) confusion might result from the word "tea" so you must check with the host, but time will be a good indication as well, i.e. invitation after 6.00pm will be dinner, not just a cup of tea.