A running log of daily observations, small experiments, and honest lessons from my garden — how plants actually respond to watering, feeding, pruning, and the seasons.
The temperature suddenly shot up these past couple of days, and all the osmanthus trees by my front door have finished blooming. Someone told me that making osmanthus jam out of the petals is absolutely delicious, so I'm planning to give it a try. Haha, I've never done this before, but it sounds like a lot of fun!
Ever since I started growing bougainvillea, I've found it really low-maintenance. I barely have to do anything, just give it a little attention at key moments. Sure, there are minor hiccups here and there, but it still blooms beautifully. I'm really falling in love with growing bougainvillea!
I used to be really into growing roses. I’ve collected quite a few varieties over time, and while they’re gorgeous when they bloom, they’re just so much work. Especially in autumn and winter, the pruning and upkeep can be a real hassle. Lately, I’ve been shifting my focus to bougainvilleas—they’re just so much easier to care for and way less stressful.
I grew this perilla plant myself a while back, just planted it casually without expecting much. I never imagined it could actually be stir-fried and brewed as tea! It’s great for removing dampness and is good for your health, plus it tastes pretty nice too.
I have raised many roses before, and when it comes to pruning, it really makes my head grow bigger. For no other reason, it's because roses have too many thorns. I forgot what variety of Bougainvillea this plant is, and I didn't expect its thorns to be so wild. However, not to mention, Bougainvillea is really easy to raise, and I haven't paid much attention to it. I'm growing pretty well on my own.
I walk past this clematis every day without really paying it any mind, but you know what? It's getting greener and greener by the day, and it's even starting to bloom. Honestly, I've barely done a thing for this plant. Goes to show, as long as you get the big stuff right, plants are pretty low-maintenance.
While checking on my bougainvilleas today, I noticed one plant showing clear signs of anthracnose, with its leaves looking distinctly unhealthy. The textbook approach would be to apply a fungicide right away, but I’m holding off for now. It’s really not a big deal, and I can always treat it later.
New gardeners often feel completely overwhelmed when they spot an issue like this. But honestly, when you run into plant problems, you don’t always have to rush into action. Sometimes, it’s perfectly fine to just watch and wait for a while.
It's been raining nonstop for the past couple of days. Some of the bougainvilleas are still blooming, but if certain ones stay out in the rain for too long, it won't do them any favors for their growth down the line. So today, while I had some free time, I moved a few of them to a new spot—way more airy than before, which should set them up for a solid bloom fest when the weather turns.
I spent about 30 minutes pruning this plant yesterday. It used to be quite lush and full, but after this session, I’ve given it a good trim and set up some supports to help guide its shape. I didn’t do any heavy pruning—just some targeted cuts. Now, we’ll just have to wait and see how it blooms next. Honestly, this is exactly how you build gardening experience: through continuous hands-on practice and reflecting on the results.
Forgot the exact name of this bougainvillea, but it was drowning in leaves! Had a sudden urge to experiment today, so I pruned most of it to see if it’ll still flower. 🤞 It got too dark for a good photo, so I’ll post the 'after' shot tomorrow when the light’s better!
This bougainvillea's been living in a big planter box for like two or three years now, and it's getting huge. Probably another year or two and it'll hit the second floor! Gonna look awesome when it flowers. And honestly? So much less work than roses — way easier to deal with.
Clematis isn't much to look at in summer, but gotta admit — when it flowers, it's stunning. This one's bouncing back now, and I bet we'll see it shine again before long. And honestly, growing a beautiful clematis wall has been a little dream of mine for years.
"I’ve been growing flowers for years, but lately, I’ve been really getting into fruit trees. Take this fig tree, for example. I’m growing it in a pot, which is my first time trying this, and I was totally surprised when it actually produced fruit! It just goes to show that if you get the technique right, growing fruit trees in containers totally works. Honestly, I think container fruit gardening is only going to get bigger from here."
