Seed Propagation of Woody Ornamentals

One of the oldest methods in producing new plants of many woody ornamentals is by seed propagation.It is the least expensive way of producing large number of new plants when stock material is scarce. Seed propagation is still the preferred method when the plants are not able to be propagated asexually. However,the main disadvantages of seed or sexual propagation are that it fails to produce plants true to variety and it takes a longer time to produce a saleble plant.

Water Garden

To start a series of articles on water gardening we requested our landscape consultant to come up with a proposal to replant our big pond on our farm. The pond has gone through various changes mainly to rectify problems we had with it. It was an originally natural pond being fed by underground water that seeped out. It was small when we got the property but we dug to make it bigger. It became a fishpond where the family enjoyed many hours of fishing. When the pond needed to be filled with fish fries we had to clean it out and remove any old and big fish. It was planted with lotus and water lilies but filling it with a wrong variety of fresh water fish saw our lotus and lilies disappearing.

Agati or Turi

Agati or turi (Sesbania grandiflora Pers.) belongs to the family Leguminosae. The flowers, pods and leaves are edible raw or cooked.  The tender leaves, green fruits and flowers are eaten alone as a vegetable or mixed into coconut milk, curries or salads. Flowers may be dipped in batter and fried in butter. The tree is grown as an ornamental shade tree, and for reforestation. It is also known as keti amongst the people of Penang, Kedah and Perlis.

Malaysian Potpourri

The word potpourri was originally French and literally meant pot (pot) rotten (pourri). The French used the word in the culinary sense to describe a stock-pot of mixed vegetables and meat. In English the term potpourri generally applies to a mixture of dried flowers , spices and other dried botanicals that is used to decorate and scent spaces and rooms. 

In Malaysia we are gifted with flora that can be turned into the most sumptuous of potpourris. We can dry our flowers , leaves and seeds and blend these with exotic essential and perfume oils to decorate and scent the spaces and rooms in our homes and offices. In the following we are happy to illustrate the simple method of making potpourri with Malaysian ingredients.