Garden update #1 --- more plants

As I write this update, a van-load of new plants is on its way to the farm. This will definitely augment the meager number of ornamental plants that are currently there (see "the greening begins" entry).

Below is the list of the new batch of plants coming.

• Champaca
  
• Black bamboo
  
• Buddha-belly bamboo
  
• Bird of paradise
  
• Heliconia
  
• Ginger (ornamental)
  
• Traveller's palm
  
• Philodendron
  
• Champagne palm
  
• Podocarpus
  
• Triangle palm
  
• Pandanus
  
• Water cabbage - (aquatic plant for the ponds)
  
• Schefflera
  
• Ponytail palm
  
• Norfolk island palm
  
• Ti (cordylines)
  
• Golden betia palms
  

Some of these plants are still in the seedling stage. For the next few months they will need much tender loving care in order to survive. Hopefully there will be no casualties, but the again, only mother nature knows.

My father was wondering why we have to repeat buying some plants that we already have. It's for the simple reason that we need to have a lot... and I really mean A LOT! To create a lush garden, there has to be an abundance, not just one or two of each kind of plants.

Softscaping will commence as soon as the road network and foot paths are laid-out and most importantly after the farm has been completely fenced in, lest we suffer the tragedy of seeing the neighbors' animals trampling or feasting on the plants. Hopefully when the softscaping begins, there will be more than enough to use.

Even with this new batch of plants coming in, they are still far from enough. So for now, the mantra is "buy, buy, buy" (plants, that is).