Traditional plants get modern twist this Lunar New Year
By Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 06 February 2008 1809 hrs

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SINGAPORE: The latest floral trend for this Lunar New Year has turned one shrinking violet into a glamorous show-stopper.

And even those with little time can enjoy the plant's beauty with minimal effort.

All it takes is some spray paint to give the silver furry buds a make-over.

The stems can be loosely woven together to fill windows and walls while small pieces add something extra to table top decorations.

Pussy willow displays are ideal for the time-strapped home-owner.

Gary Chua, Section Head (Parks), of the National Parks Board, said: "Essentially (there is) no maintenance at all because you don't even need to plant them in water. It is just self-sustaining because pussy willow is quite long-lasting."

Lucky bamboo and pineapple plants are other easy New Year floral options compared to the traditional chrysanthemums and azaleas that need plenty of care to survive.

Mixed garden dishes and tubs are other long-lasting and low maintenance options.

The National Parks Board runs workshops at its HortPark, off Alexandra Road to help budding gardeners get started.

The one to two-hour courses which are designed for beginners include planting tubs, herbs and terrariums which are miniature gardens enclosed in glass. -CNA/vm