Another realisation that I had when I visited these far flung areas in the far east was that good gardening sense has nothing to do with being rich and well educated, in many cases. I always thought that one needs to have aesthetic sense (which only educated people could have) and than one needs lot of money to buy quality plants. Far from it. I met people who lived in a straw hut, were not sure about next meals yet they grew wild orchids, ferns, palms, bromeliads and other ornamental plants in such beautiful combinations that one would be stunned. They would go to the forests, pick up plants of their liking and grow them in empty plastic water bottles and cooking oil cans and similar material, mostly thrown away by the tourists. They possessed first hand knowledge of growing these tropical plants. They had no idea of pH levels etc but exactly knew how the plant lived in nature and replicated it in their homes.....simple. I learnt a lot from them. Just a few pics....
Orchids attached with the bamboos of a straw hut.
Stunning
Orchid in a hanging basket. Very simple but effective arrangement.
This guy had dug the Amaryllis bulbs from the mountain and planted in his courtyard. He even put a few rocks in the area mixed some gravel in the soil to improve drainage. I asked him why did he put these rocks, he replied that this is how they exist in nature. Perfect understanding.....
This was the idea that I liked the most. This guy lived next to a rainforest and needed to shield his hut from outside view. Just made a hedge of ornamental banana taken from the forest. He said that it is beautiful and shields his house from outside view. What a hedge.....
