Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas and King Tut in a Merry Mood

 Wishing that everyone is having a wonderful time creating beautiful memories with their love ones during this festive season from us here in Kebun Malay-Kadazan Girls/Boys. A beautiful memory was made in our kebun (garden) this week, it was the first time that King Tut sweet pea bestowed the first bloom for us in this tropical lowland garden of ours. Well, for beginners in spring colder region it is easy to grow sweet peas. However, not in this hot humid garden of us, very rare to get them survive and blooming unlike the Butterfly pea which grows out of control here. I was not planning of having a trial growing sweet pea this year with juggling a lot of priorities. However, I can't resist when I can get my hands on the legendary King Tut Pea (Lathyrus sativus) seeds due to my deep interest to any related with archaeology especially ancient civilisation. The fact/myth that this strain of sweet pea seeds is said to be found in Tutankhamun's pharoah tomb was enough to tantalize me to grow them. Of course I am still daydreaming of one day to step on the ground where once those pharoah spend their lives. Surprisingly our 4 and 6 years old boys showing much interest in Egypt ancient civilisation as well. It is really interesting to listen to their conversation interpreting the hieroglyphics, usually 4 years old Rayyan is the storyteller to his 6 years old brother. The mother receiving difficult question to think of an answer suitable for their age. The brothers are even trying to save money so they can visit Egypt as soon as possible by keeping all the money gifts from festive season given by their elder relatives. Then asking frequently to the mother, do we have enough now??? Dear boys, the land is so faraway compare to Adelaide.
I thought my eyes was playing trick on me when I suddenly saw a flower bud.
 The King Tut seeds germinate easily and fast in par with radish seeds germination rate which was unexpected because I just sow the seeds in the soil and did nothing. The nature did all the work. All I did was observe and learn. The first time I sowed the seeds in partial shade under the durian tree canopy on a raised bed. I have a hunched that the monsoon heavy downpour will not make the pea happy.  So I was kind of thought that the canopy will somehow protect the seedlings and the raised bed will be well-drained in this wet season because peas relative don't like wet feet that much. Well there was one week when the downpour was heavy and made the stems here and there broke under the heavy ran. Moreover, I suspect not enough light to satisfy King Tut on that location. Ok now is just to troubleshoot the 'light' aspect. So I decided the second attempt was to sow the seed close to a sunny location next to the arch brought back from Adelaide once upon a time happened to be the reliable trellis for sweet peas flowering profusely. The arch looks familiar right? The garden arch must have brought us luck with the sweet pea, the spirit is there. Actually it was growing with neglect I totally forgot about it until one fine day I was collecting cypress vine seeds on the other side of the garden arch, I finally noticed that the plant is actually still growing on the spot full of weeds.
  In colder region, the King Tut pea must have been bluer compare to warmer region. Hopefully the second bud close behind to the blooming one will also show itself soon. Wonder if it will develop seed pod, that will make be very joyous, a chance to get a strain which will be more adaptable in our 'kebun' climate.
 Some of the ducks and geese at our backyard.

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

15 comments:

Sunray Gardens said...

Sweet Peas are such pretty little flowers also. Nice to see them doing something for you. You sure have a lot of ducks running around there. Hope you have some wonderful holidays.
Cher Sunray Gardens

Unknown said...

I love sweet peas with their variation of pastel shades of blue and pink. You have shared some wonderful photos with us. I am so glad you are eating healthy! Nothing tastes better than homegrown.

Merry, merry Christmas to you and yours and thank you for your visit.

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

So great about your sweet peas!

Love the ducks.

Merry Christmas!

Mark Willis said...

Happy Christmas, Diana! I hope your boys do manage to visit Egypt one day. I'm sure it is a fascinating place.

Sue Garrett said...

What an unusual colour of sweet pea.

Annie's Journal said...

I so impressed with your success in growing sweet peas in your kebun:)...and they're so pretty tut...I mean too!!! I love sweet peas...it doesn't grow so well here either even though we have cold season, probably due to my timing and watering. Wshing you and your family a very merry Christmas:)

Unknown said...

Wow..the color of the flower is so impressive..never thought even peas have such stunning flowers..nice one.

rainfield61 said...

So great to have the sweet pea sending you best wishes.

Kate said...

I'm so glad your garden gave you a Christmas surprise! I really hope one of the pods hangs on and gives you some seed to work with. How wonderful to encourage your little boys in Archaeology. Our middle daughter is an Archaeologist. She was awarded a Fulbright scholarship last year for a project in Trinidad. She had this interest from the time she was a small child, just like your boys. Happy New Year to you and your beautiful family!

Anonymous said...

Envy your ducks and your geese...
Happy 2014 to you and your family!

de engineur said...

Love the ducks.
In our younger days, we spend time rearing ducks, it was fun digging up pond for the ducklings

Stephanie said...

Congrats on this achievement! Wow that sweet pea bloom is amazing! You have super green thumb :-D

James David said...

It must be tough to grow them using seeds when the weather is all against them.
One reason I'm not so favourable with seeds as they don't seem to sprout or face an early death suddenly in my garden.

Glad your sweet pea made it and truly a Pharoah like crown.

Malay-Kadazan girl said...

Hi Cher,

The ducks are getting fewer.
Many were attack with big lizard during the drought season we had.
Probably not much food around so they feast on our ducks.

Hi Judy,

Sweet peas does really have very sweet colours. A favourite for pastel colour lover.

Hi Gardener on Sherlock Street,

Happy that we managed to get them flower here in the tropics.

Hi Mark,

Yes we hope someday will have a trip to Egypt.
Hope the situation also gets better there.

Hi Sue,

Love the combination of blue and pink.

Malay-Kadazan girl said...

Dear Simple Living,

Maybe just the timing.
When we were in Adelaide growing the peas or sweet peas the sowing time was really crucial cos we warm up pretty fast. And you know they don't like to much heat.

Hi Tarique Syahman,

This is one of the rare electric blue heirloom ones maybe.


Hi Rainfield61,

DEfinitely like a Christmas gift and a good way to say bye bye to 2013.

Dear Kate.

Unfortunately they were no seeds to keep. But the area now are swarming with bees. So hopefully with the other plants that I am trying to save seeds will have a more successful chance to keep.
Oh wow she is really a bright girl to be awarded a Fulbright scholarship.
Hope she is enjoying here time in Trinidad.

Hi LrongLim sensei,

Maybe you can start to rear them too at your place in 2014.

Hi De engineur,

I can imagined how fun was it to dig up your own pond for the ducks :).

Dear Stephanie,

Just lucky to get them blooming. Pure Luck.

Dear James Missier,

I think it was just by chance when I sowed the seeds it was their optimum sowing criteria. Sowing time is critical for seeds and different plants have different optimum temperature for them to be able to successfully germinate.