Most of us are aware that there are plants that produce fragrant flowers. Often, we forgot that amongst these, there are a few species that possess a unique floral characteristic, that is, the ability of the flowers to change colour as they age. At least, this is true for me.
I therefore took this opportunity to introduce these plants to residents living in the Serangoon constituency in the November 2010 issue of the Serangoon newsletter. In it, readers get acquainted with the Rangoon Creeper (Quisqualis indica), Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow (Brunfelsia calycina), Lady of the Night (Brunfelsia americana) and Thai Gardenia (Gardenia gjellerupii).
The flowers of the Rangoon Creeper are white, turn pink and finally red before they fade. For Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow, they are purple when freshly opened, then light blue and finally white. The flowers of its relative, Lady of the Night, are white when they first open which turn yellow finally. As for the Thai Gardenia, its flowers are pale yellow at first that turn orange as they age.
In general, these flowering vines and shrubs enjoy a location with fertile and free-draining soil to grow well in the garden. They also like a sunny location and shade causes them to produce less flowers. In very shady areas, plants become leggy and gradually decline. As with many flowering shrubs, avoid pruning them too frequently. If you need to, practise selective pruning to shape the plant superficially, taking into account that flower buds are always produced in new growth.
