Lets go to Floria 2014 - Part 2

Here are a few more pics from Floria 2014 and Magic of the Night 2014. Remember that the two events are now at two distinct and separate location, and hence the need to move from one site to the other. For Floria, the site is hot and sunny, as mentioned in my previous post, so go armed with umbrellas and caps. Or come in the morning or later in the evening (hint - sunset is lovely).

Flower pinwheel spinning in the sun

Tag says Paphiopedilum curtisii.

Rhyncholaeliocattleya Memoria Helen Brown

Wedding bouquet arrangement

Indoor pavilion display.

Vanda lamellata x Vanda Muang Thong

Vanda Pat Delight x Vanda Guo Chia Long

Sunset at Putrajaya

You can also seek refuge in the air-conmditioned indoor pavilion and the school flower arrangement area (cooler air-conditioning).

For Magic of the Night, you can see the fireworks from Seri Gemilang Bridge or from the grandstand of the Kompleks Sukan Air Putrajaya. However, the floats will be quite a distance away. To see the floats up close, either go to the public viewing area for Magic of the Night or the areas marked with red arrows just down from the Marina Putrajaya. Fireworks are only on the 14th, 20th, 21st and 22nd of June.

The Magic of the Night is now at Marina Putrajaya, which is quite a distance away from the Floria site, and the floats DO NOT go past the Floria site.

Perlis

Perbadanan Putrajaya

Johor and the tiger...

The float from Penang, styled after a dragon boat (and spouts water too).

This is taken from the green arrow area in the map. The fireworks are partly blocked by the Pullman Lakeside Hotel.

Fireworks from the public viewing area.

More photos to come....

Lets go to Floria 2014

This weekend sees the opening of Malaysia's much awaited yearly flower and garden festival, Floria 2014 in a new location at Precinct 4, Putrajaya. This year's theme plant are Begonias, with the show title being  'Mesmerizing Colours' (can someone please tell Floria not to use both US English and UK English spelling in one sentence!). Another new thing introduced this year, besides the new venue, are entrance fees of RM3 per adult and RM1 for a child aged 7-12.

Floria 2014 will run from 14th June to 22nd June 2014, with opening hours from 9am - 10.30pm on Mondays to Thursdays and from 9am - 12midnight on Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. There are several thematic 'gardens' within the show grounds, including Wedding Garden, Showcase Garden, Royal Garden, Tea Party Garden and so on, not forgetting the air-conditioned, indoor Floral Pavilion.

The new showground for Floria 2014 near the Seri Saujana Bridge, Precinct 4, Putrajaya.

As with previous Floria, the nights will see Tourism Malaysia's Magic of the Night parade of illuminated boats cruising on Putrajaya Lake and fireworks show. If you are going on the first two days, do expect a large crowd as it is the end of the school holidays, and parents are likely to take their kids there.

UPDATE:  Some notes for people going to Floria 2014 and the Magic of the Night

1. You need to know Putrajaya well enough to find the new site as signage are hopeless and more confusing than before since Floria and Magic of the Night are at two separate locations. The Waze app thingy they posted will lead you in circles (friends have experienced it) so don't bother.
2. Floria 2014 site is very hot due to weather and probably the terrain plus the lack of mature trees so bring an umbrella or hat if you are going during the day.
3. A lot of the flower displays are facing the hot afternoon sun directly and fading fast. Even those in the indoor pavilion are wilting. I suspect teething problems with cooling, misting etc is making the plants go fast.
4. The major food and beverage area is across the road. Do keep your tickets if you go out so that you can come in again and not pay a second time. Also food choices is worst than last year's Floria.
5. The expo site is now spread across a wider, so expect a lot of walking.
6. Plant choices at the bazaar is nothing much to shout about, unless you have just started gardening and are wowed by any or every plant.
7. Magic of the Night is at Putrajaya Marina, Precinct 5, beside Pullman Putrajaya Hotel. Fireworks only on the 14th, 20th, 21st and 22nd. A strange move since this is Visit Malaysia Year 2014.
8. Make sure you give yourself ample time to get to your car from Floria site, drive to Precinct 5 area, find parking and get to the stand. Lots of space though for people to sit.

Click here for more photos of Floria 2014 and Magic of the Night 2014 lighted flotilla.

Flowering Capsicum pubescens Cabe Gendot Dieng

My Capsicum pubescens plants have finally flowered. The flowers are a lovely purple colour, and together with the black/brown seeds, are diagnostic characteristics of this species. These plants are from seeds saved from this post Interesting Fruits from Dieng Plateau.

An eight-petaled flower of Capsicum pubescens 'Cabe Gendot Dieng'.

The stems of Capsicum pubescens are hairy and so are the buds.

Hopefully the flower can set fruit but I am not putting much hope since the weather is getting quite warm during the day. By the way, they are called Cabe Gendot by the locals i.e. fat/plump chilli as the fruits are plump (err fat) and short, unlike the thin and short Capsicum fructescens or the long Capsicum annuum. The name is also used for Capsicum chinense in Indonesia.

The half open bud. Flowers emerge singly or in doubles. Some of the double buds end up with one of them being aborted.

Some of the plants do not colour up with purple internodes or purplish stems but remains all green.