Shaping

As Prof. Chin whet our appetite with the topiary topic, some of us might want to try shaping some of the plantings in the garden. The easiest way to start of course is to shape the hedge. Most hedges are all the better for hard pruning at the outset, so if you have the luxury of planting one, you should muster the courage to cut it to within 15cm of the ground. In this tropical climate, plants grow fairly fast and we are not governed by seasonal growth. So, shaping the hedge will be an all year round job. Regularly prunning the hedge will encourage a dense hedge growth.We can also try our hand at shaping bushes or trees and using the techniques of the basic cuts of pruning the shapes as shown can be obtained.

Asam Gelugor

'Gelugor’ or scientifically known as Garcinia atroviridis is a village plant more commonly planted in the north of Peninsular Malaysia. It can also be found wild and is a native of Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and India (Assam). Gelugor trees can grow up to 20 m. tall, with slender drooping branches and narrowly conical crown. The male flowers are in terminal clusters whereas the female flowers are solitary, both with crimson coloured petals. However trees with male flowers are uncommon. Garcinia atroviridis is related to the mangosteen but has sour fruits. The fruits of gelugor are globose with smooth skin and prominent grooves. Unripe fruits are green turning brilliant orange yellow on ripening. The unripe mature fruits are cut into slices, on drying, shrink irregularly, turning first to dark brown and then black.