Japanese Rose/Portulaca grandiflora hybrids

In August 2008, I did this post and it attracted 828 hits.

I liked the Japanese Rose, it is nothing like a rose that you are familiar with. In USA, it is called a moss rose. It is a succulent or a bush.

Portulaca grandiflora hybrids grown in Singapore Malaysia.

The common varieties in Malaysia are many-petaled (doubled) hybrids which comes in different colours: white, red, pink, orange and a white-pink combination.

There is also a single layer petal, and the leaves are broader.

Japanese Rose makes a nice ground cover, borders and beds in the sun. It also makes a good hanging basket plants. My paternal Grandfather grew many kinds of flowers in the garden of his big bungalow. The Japanese Rose has reddish stems. It grows like a grass carpet with green single thick pine needle like leaves. He grew them as borders for the opulent look, the one inch rosette-like flowers are beautiful and can be cut for a little vase. Grandfather’s footpath to the house is very long, and on both sides of the footpath are lined with the beautiful flowers.

The Japanese Rose blooms only in the morning under strong sun. In the afternoon, the rosette closes up into buds but they still look very beautiful.

In NTU, there is a ruling that residents can grow only in pots and not directly in the ground except at the gardening club allotment. I grow my Japanese Rose in pots. I have a whole border of red, pink orange and white Japanese Rose leading to my house. If you drive out from the North Spine car park, there is a nice border and patch of beautiful Japanese. Slow down and appreciate and smell the flowers.

I teach my Samoan student after she told me that her Grandma's name is Rose, she laughed and laughed. My other kids laugh that I am singing them a Chinese song. Then I realise that it is an Asian version. This song is about the Rose of Malaya, I guess it is about this rose, and not the rose that one that is more known in the Western world.

ROSE, ROSE, I LOVE YOU (MAY KWAY O MAY KWAY)
(Wilfrid Thomas / Chris Langdon)
(Based on the traditional Chinese Folk Song,
"Meigui Meigui Wo Ai Ni" - Music: Chen Gexin)

Frankie Laine - 1951
Buddy Morrow & His Orch. - 1951
Gordon Jenkins & His Orch. (vocal: Cisco Houston) - 1951
Petula Clark - 1951

Also recorded by: Miss Hue Lee (Yáo Lì) (original song - 1940);
The Quests; Anita Mui; Frank Chacksfield & His Orch.



Rose, Rose I love you with an aching heart
What is your future?, now we have to part
Standing on the jetty as the steamer moves away
Flower of Malaya, I cannot stay

Make way, oh, make way for my Eastern Rose
Men crowd in dozens everywhere she goes
In her rickshaw on the street or in a cabaret
"Please make way for Rose" you can hear them say

All my life I shall remember
Oriental music and you in my arms
Perfumed flowers in your tresses
Lotus-scented breezes and swaying palms

Rose, Rose I love you with your almond eyes
Fragrant and slender 'neath tropical skies
I must cross the seas again and never see you more
'way back to my home on a distant shore

(All my life I shall remember)
(Oriental music and you in my arms)
(Perfumed flowers in your tresses)
(Lotus-scented breezes and swaying palms)

Rose, Rose I leave you, my ship is in the bay
Kiss me farewell now, there's nothin' to say
East is East and West is West, our worlds are far apart
I must leave you now but I leave my heart

Rose, Rose I love you with an aching heart
What is your future?, now we have to part
Standing on the jetty as the steamer moves away
Flower of Malaya, I cannot stay

(Rose, Rose I love you, I cannot stay)

http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/r/roseroseiloveyou.shtml

http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.co.nz/