Bird of Paradise

I planned to plant Calendula in my garden but I could not find seeds available in any nursery or garden store so I bought a packet of mixed seeds of perennials knowing Calendula seeds are included in the mix. So I sowed the seeds and I waited for the Calendula plant to show up. I…

On my way to church last Sunday I came across these little purple flowers called Lantana. The profusion of flower clusters really caught my attention. Lantana belongs to the verbena family of perennial plants. They are called honey plants because the bees like them so are the butterflies especially swallowtail butterflies. Even birds like them…

Most gardeners consider these wildflowers as weeds but I find them pretty amusing. Their simple beauty makes me smile. Marjolein Bastin, my favorite sketch artist, seemed to be drawn to their beauty too that she always draws them. I can’t help but emulate.

Ilang-Ilang is probably the most fragrant flower on earth. It’s the secret ingredient in most signature perfumes especially Chanel, I learned. Ilang-Ilang or Cananga odorata is a tropical tree indigenous to the Philippines. It grows tall to about 40 ft. in height. In the forests where they grow well is acidic in nature so they…

</a I went to KCC Farmer's market last Saturday and as usual looking for some good deals and some new ideas to plant or to cook. The sight of the beautiful orchids displayed in one of the booths is really breathtaking. I just have to have one at least to be displayed in the living…

It’s always nice to just go and walk to the beach in Waikiki and come across so many beautiful things like the blue sky and the white clouds slowly moving over a vast ocean of different hues of blue. And then this blue ginger caught my eye and I just have to capture its perfect…