Bali: The Gardens (Part One)

Since flying to Bali for my conference last Wednesday, flying back to Jakarta for a night to pack on Saturday, and now exploring Jogyakarta, I seem to have seen and done so much and have taken a huge number of photos. It is a challenge to group them into themes as the subjects range from temples to handicrafts to hotel interiors, and, strange as it may seem, many of these categories overlap. But I thought I would make a start with the wonderful gardens at the hotels I visited in Bali.  My conference was at the Ramada in Kuta, but on Friday, the girls (my project manager Ema and translator Steny) and I moved to the nearby but more economical Hotel Kendi Mas, and then we went up-market once again on Saturday when we lunched at the Hotel Tugu at Canggu Beach.

Each of the gardens had its own charms, and there are wonderful ideas to take from all of them.

At the Ramada, I especially loved some of the planting combinations and the mix of warm and cool colours in the huge, beautifully maintained grounds.

The Pagoda Flower Clerodendrum paniculatum was a star (here with variegated Ophiopogon and red cordylines)

With plumbago and a red border

Blue ruellias with warm-toned cordylines, crotons, and ixora.

More ruellia, with dracaena, green cordylines and red cannas

They had some stunning potted Adeniums

Variegated pandanus

I have seen this in my local nursery, but I have forgotten the name.
(Thanks to Kacky at Vivero's garden I now know this is a Thryallis.)

Doesn't it look great planted next to red foliage.

Here lime foliage adds a zing to the garden bed...

and the pretty two-toned flowers are a bonus.
(Thanks to a post by Lotus Leaf at Garden Tropics, I can belatedly provide the name to accompany this pretty flower - Pseuderantermum reticulatum,  known in Southern India as Gokarna jasmine.)

Cool whites and mauves, courtesy of the orchids...

And a sizzling Heliconia rostrata.

I hope you enjoyed the tour, and, no, I couldn't sign off without a water feature, especially in Bali!