Fresh Mint

Fresh Mint

Mint is usually used as a garnish to the dish or drink. It's also one type of herb with pungent and sharp minty smell. It grows very rapidly when it's on the ground and it's preferable to grow in pots to keep in control from growing wildly. Mint also is one of the ideal herb to add into the sauce or mayo for fish meal, as it can help to remove the fishy odour and freshen up our mouth.

Indonesian Ginger Plant with white flower

Indonesian Ginger Plant
with white flower (Galangal)

Kencur/Kaempferia Galanga (ginger)

The ginger plant grows widespread and it has shallow roots. It spreads rapidly if it is grown on the ground. If you are using pot to plant this ginger plant, choose a long or wide pot so that it can grow.
It has white flowers but only bloom for a day, and dies. The flowers are very fragile, as its' petal touches water, it'll turn to translucent.
The ginger can be found under the soil and it is very small, about 1- 2 cm long but it grows in a bunch most of the time.

Ginger plant the leaf grows swirl in the beginning and will spread wide open when it grow bigger.

The ginger leaf can grow as big as an adult palm size. Amazing!
Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory herb. It has a very strong pungent smell and taste.
Some use it to treat joint problems while some Indonesian cook the leaf to eat as a medicine or add to a dish to get rid of the wind in the stomach.

Flowers: Hakone

This picture was taken on my trip to Mt. Fuji-Hakone tour in Japan during winter season (2014). It was a delight to us to be able to catch a glimpse of flowers during this time.

Flowers: Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens

On our second day in Japan, we travelled from Shin Osaka to Shin Kobe by Shinkansen train. And we have to ride on a ropeway up to the top where we found this Herbal Market at Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens.

The temperature there was freezing and saw some snow on the ground everywhere. It was a delight to catch a glimpse of flowers blooming and survive in this weather. It was so beautiful. 

Location: Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens

This yellow rose bloomed so well and huge even though it was during the winter season. Indeed, the rose has a pleasant scent as I bend over to smell. It smells so good!