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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Mr Donald


The Husband thought some fresh air would do me good so he took us cycling at Pasir Ris. But I tired before long, and stopped to rest.

Happily for me, a patch of bright yellow cosmos flowers pulled me by the eyes across a field, through a winding path... and into the most lovely edible garden I have yet seen in Singapore. You know when sometimes you watch movies... and the female star's eyes meet the male star's eyes and the pupils dilate and sparks fly? That was what happened between me and that patch of yellow cosmos flowers. The picture above, comes from here.

Right next to the yellow cosmos flowers were a patch of cosmos caudatus. It is a delicious herb possessing of strong anti-oxidants. They taste divine in salads tossed in honey mustard sauce. They add a little je-ne-sais-quoi to the dish. And the flowers dress up the garden too. The picture below comes from here.

I strolled through that garden humming contentedly to myself, picking and crushing leaves to smell. I didn't see people anymore. For me, there were only plant friends with divine fragrances and medicinal properties. I recognised many friends and acquaintances, and discovered new aspects of old plant friends. I didn't know that the sweet potato plant flowers!! Beautiful dusky pink flowers trailed over the trellis and flopped over like a curtain in front of me. So pretty!! The picture below comes from here.


And I saw the double-petaled blue pea. This bright blue flower was traditionally used to colour Peranakan dishes. I had somehow killed my plant earlier and so I excitedly collected the seed pods.

Then, after I had said hello to all the plant friends I knew, my enchantment lifted, and I saw Mr Donald. As it turns out, he had been watching me for some time, wondering if I was up to no good in his beloved garden. People enter there as they wish, and Mr Donald had had his precious plants destroyed and stolen before.

I have not met many men like Mr Donald. He was very properly dressed for a gardener, I thought. Petunia runs around in shorts and t-shirts... so of course she gardens in such togs. Most of Petunia's gardening friends garden that way too... and one person even wears a towel to inspect her lavenders!!

But Mr Donald had on a short-sleeved office shirt and long pants. His back was ram rod straight, and he had the manners of an old British gentleman. He offered to walk me around his beloved garden... and for 30 minutes, I felt like a lady in a Jane Austen novel escorted by a stately personnage of great dignity.

I don't normally give strange men my phone number and my address but when Mr Donald proposed to send me the seeds of the impatiens balsamina I hesitated not at all. I received the seeds today. Purple balsam and red balsam...

Thank you Mr Donald.

4 comments:

Open Kitchen Concept said...

So pretty! Ah.. the joy of being a good gardener would be having a guest like yourself.. I'm sure it delighted Mr Donald very much to have you admiring his garden.

Petunia Lee said...

Heh! Heh! Then there are blessings all round.

Blur Ting said...

Woah, I was so impressed with the yellow cosmos patch, I wanted to rush to Pasir Ris. Then I realised it is of a different place. ANyhow I can imagine the lovely edible garden you saw. Must be so impressive!

Petunia Lee said...

I didn't know the garden was there and so didn't bring the camera... but I'll do that next time around.