Vanda Orchids

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…

Orchids are very unusual plants. The more you care for them, the faster they die on you. But leave them alone and water from time to time and they would delight you with flowers that lasts long time. I always leave the orchid plants outdoors in the garden and when it blooms, I would take…

In the community garden, you will find gardens that have interesting plants and flowers. I’m always on the lookout for anything that is worth capturing. I have a small camera that do the job very nicely. I always bring it in my garden bag just in case. This day is when I saw these flowers…

I posted a picture of a shell ginger awhile ago from a garden in one of the hotels in Waikiki. I liked it so much I want to grow it myself. I bought shell ginger. But then, it would be nice to have pink ginger, red ginger and white ginger so I grow them now…

I took this picture when we went to Laguna, Philippines a few years back. This is a typical sight outside Catholic Churches in the country, vendors selling sampaguita leis. Parishioners likes to buy them as an offering to God or their favorite saints. Sampaguita or Pikake in Hawaiian is made as leis for other occasions…

I always go the farmer’s market on Wednesdays (it’s the weekly schedule in our community) and I was surprised to see a new vendor and he’s selling orchids instead of the regular produce. I just have to check it out. The orchids he’s selling is not like the ones I see in KCC Farmer’s Market…