About

I garden in tropical Malaysia where the sun shines almost 365 days a year and the humidity hovers between 70-90 percent. Days can be a scorcher with temps ranging between 30-48 deg during the day. We have warm, sultry nights with an average temp of about 28 deg. Tropical storms are common and as long as they don’t cause flash floods or traffic snarls, they’re all right. The plants love a good shower every now and then.

I’ve loved gardening for as long as I can remember. As a child, I spent more time in the garden than I did studying, so I guess I must have been a cause for concern for my folks. Even then, I found the dirt, seeds and plants more fascinating than anything I read between the covers of a book.

Many people advocate gardening as a means to de-stress. I agree wholeheartedly. But more than just soothing away the stress that comes with an urban lifestyle, gardening has become a intergral part of me.

I hope you will enjoy reading this blog as much as I enjoy sharing my experiences with you. Welcome to my little green patch.

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You will find more photos on my Facebook: Typica Gardener

Drop me an email at: typicalgardener@gmail.com

33 Comments »

33 Responses

on November 14, 2009 at 2:25 pm | Reply Guarana

We like your site we added it to our list, here is the link.

http://www.plantsearcher.com/index.php/selected-websites/typicalgardeners-blog.html

With compliments,

The plantsearcher.com crew
on November 19, 2009 at 11:45 am | Reply typicalgardener

thanks so much for your kind words, plantsearcher.com crew. that is very encouraging. 🙂

i hope readers will find this site useful.
on February 2, 2010 at 7:12 am | Reply weeps

I enjoyed your CPs, BTW, what is the scientific name of tiny fruits in your background picture? I have the same plant and use to flower but it won’t grow fruit. I am not sure whats the reason behind.
- on February 2, 2010 at 8:09 am | Reply typicalgardener
  
  hi weeps. that’s morus alba. is your plant in full sun?
on June 10, 2010 at 11:21 am | Reply vivien

love your blog! now, if i could get beyond tackling the weeds … hope to get some tips on how to plan a moderate size (tropical) garden!
- on June 10, 2010 at 12:15 pm | Reply typicalgardener
  
  thanks for your encouraging words, vivien! hope some of the articles will help as you plan your tropical garden. 🙂
on August 23, 2010 at 10:22 am | Reply Krista

I am going to add your blog to my blog roll over at http://www.mayakirana.com 😉

I love gardening too! There’s something so grounding (pun intended) about watching plants and herbs sprout and grow!
- on August 23, 2010 at 10:48 am | Reply typicalgardener
  
  thank you, krista! 🙂
on November 4, 2010 at 1:28 pm | Reply Alfredo

Hi,

An avid plant-lover, I’m drawn to the plethora of plants at your blog thriving with vigour under your green fingers. I look forward to seeing more of your gardening posts and learning a tip or two on growing healthy blooming plants from you. Cheers!

Regards
Alfredo
(from Singapore)
- on November 4, 2010 at 1:42 pm | Reply typicalgardener
  
  Thanks, Alfredo. It’s hardly a plethora …. but i do confess that I love most plants. 🙂
on November 5, 2010 at 5:05 am | Reply cina_fong

hi tygardener

Enjoying your blog, interesting informative and fun to read beautiful pics. U are now head to head with curiousgardener on my impress list 🙂
- on November 5, 2010 at 7:47 am | Reply typicalgardener
  
  hahah, didn’t know there was a competition, much less head to head with anyone. 😀
on November 6, 2010 at 4:34 am | Reply cina_fong

I like your taste.

I have been looking all over for zodia and apparently no one has heard of it until I found this this lady who has a nursery deep inside Sg. Buloh. She said no one sells this plant anymore cuz its gotten too expensive to bring in from RM2.50 to RM8.00. I told her RM8.00 for such a great plant is reasonable, bring it in pls! haha..

And it was just last week that I bought the shy little white lily, fell in love at first sight. Also looking for the white hippeastrum.

So much to do so little time haha..

Yes, very impressed with your knowledge of plants and beautiful pictures. Informative too.
- on November 6, 2010 at 5:07 am | Reply typicalgardener
  
  hi cina_fong. thanks for your kind words. you found the zodia in sg B? wow, that is fantastic news! i posted on the white hippeastrum last night – i love that colour.
on November 7, 2010 at 12:52 am | Reply Penny

Hi, I just commented on your Jacquemontia pentantha with it’s wonderful sky blue flowers.

What are the berries at the top of your blog? What soil conditions does it need? I’m in South Florida, which, for all intents and purposes, is tropical. I just bought a tropical bramble/blackberry, but I don’t think it will like our alkaline soil with limestone about 2 inches below the surface. I think I’ll have to grow it in a container.

I do like your blog.

Best.
Penny
- on November 7, 2010 at 5:22 am | Reply typicalgardener
  
  thanks so much, penny. the berries on the banner are mulberries (morus alba). it’s not fussy about soil but well-drained soil i better. i posted on mulberries in Sept 2009. here is the first of them: https://typicalgardener.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/growing-mulberry-plants-from-cuttings/
  
  i think you should be able to grow them without any trouble. look out for other mulberries varieties too – morus nigra is said to be good as well. 🙂
on November 7, 2010 at 3:31 pm | Reply Penny

Thanks! As it turns out, I have a Morus nigra waiting to go in the ground. My parents, in England, had a wonderful M. alba tree in the garden from which we made some very passable wine. 🙂

–Penny
- on November 7, 2010 at 9:10 pm | Reply typicalgardener
  
  never tried mulberry wine before but it sounds really lovely!! 🙂
on August 22, 2011 at 2:22 am | Reply SNS

Thought you would be a good person to answer this – is it possible to get a mandevilla easily in Malaysia? Is it commonly grown there?

I am asking on behalf of a friend who lives in Penang and would like to acquire one.
- on August 22, 2011 at 5:01 am | Reply typicalgardener
  
  your friend can buy it from most garden centres. problem is, many do not know the name of the plant so i suggest your friend prints out a picture to chow them.
  
  it is not so commonly grown mostly because it’s rather prone to aphids and scales. still, it’s a nice plant and worth trying again. 🙂
on January 17, 2012 at 3:46 am | Reply babi3

hi, i’m yf frm KL, newbie in gardening, found ur blog while looking for plant infos, thanks for sharing.
- on January 18, 2012 at 12:12 am | Reply typicalgardener
  
  hello, yf. hope you like my blog and i hope it helps you.
on April 5, 2012 at 7:22 am | Reply Lay Im

Hi

I came across your blog and spent hours browsing through your lovely collection.

I am interested in the Brugmansia, Gladiolus and Mulberry. Do you sell your plants/corms/cuttings as I can’t find any in Penang; that’s where I am.

Thank you.

Lay Im
- on April 5, 2012 at 11:51 am | Reply typicalgardener
  
  will drop you an email, lay im.
on January 23, 2013 at 9:43 am | Reply liza yee

Hi,
Thank you for sharing. I am wondering if you have any bunga kerak nasi (vallaris glabra) in your garden. Do you sell your plants ?
- on January 23, 2013 at 3:59 pm | Reply typicalgardener
  
  i do not have the vallaris glabra, liza. i have sold a few plants to those who ask – are you looking for anything in particular?
on March 19, 2013 at 3:18 am | Reply jessicachomusic

wow I like your blog, i have a gardening blog http://homegardeningjournal.wordpress.com
but yours is definately more pro. Thanks for sharing 😀
- on March 19, 2013 at 12:40 pm | Reply typicalgardener
  
  thanks so much, Jessica. that’s really kind of you to say so. will definitely have a look at your blog and plants.
on November 29, 2013 at 4:49 pm | Reply Steph

Hi
Our house has rough face brick external wall. When we bought it, the house was covered in Begnonia creeper which looked amazing but was causing havoc in the rafters. So we pulled it right down and it died off.
What alternative fast growing indigenous evergreen creeper could we plant that would not be so labour intensive for cutting back? It will be in full sun early int he morning until about 11h00 each day.
Your ideas would be much appreciated.
My email address is stephatrelatecoaching@gmail.com

Many thanks
Steph
on January 27, 2015 at 11:17 pm | Reply Consuelo Sata

Looking for seeds of Katuk, as you live in Malaysia maybe you can help
on September 15, 2018 at 5:36 pm | Reply John Pawsey

Very impressed, your little green patch is brilliant!

John. UK
on September 20, 2018 at 12:15 pm | Reply John Pawsey

Very impressed, your “little green patch is brilliant!”
- on September 26, 2018 at 9:46 pm | Reply typicalgardener
  
  Thanks so much, John