MAH Garden

That was my perhaps my fifth visit to Mount Alvernia Hospital (MAH), located at 820 Thomson Road, Singapore 574623. MAH or Mount Alvernia Hospital is a special hospital surrounded by peaceful greens.

My latest visit to the hospital, MAH, was last month. I had chosen to give birth at this hospital again. The reason for choosing MAH is that of religious purpose, as well as the beautiful gardens which the hospital has. The most important being the cleanliness and facilities the hospital provides. The toilet is the utmost important factor which determines the comfort of the hospital. During my first pregnancy several years back, the bathroom at MAH was not as good as now. The flooring was rather old, covered with small bluish mozaic tiles!

During my stay at Mount Alvernia Hospital last month as well as a visit to MAH last year, I had a chance to use several bathrooms at MAH. Most bathrooms are upgraded and almost all the toilets are now so much improved. Not only are the toilets clean, with better floor tiles but also bathroom accessories.

I felt very comfortable during the few days stay at the hospital. The thing which really captivated me and 'opened up' my mind, letting me feel so much refreshed was the garden. At the ward, I was fortunate to have a glimpse of the garden view. On the day of discharge, which I felt better, I took some pictures of the gardens as shown below:


Photo of MAH garden taken at my ward, standing at the window of my room.


Photo of MAH garden taken at second storey of the hospital, along the level of my ward.



Photo I: Beatiful garden at MAH, just beside the admission counter.


Photo II: Beatiful garden at MAH, just beside the admission counter (a continuation from photo I)

Dracaena terminalis (Flaming Dragon Tree)

Dracaena terminalis (Cordyline Plant) 'Firebrand'; Flaming Dragon Tree



This is the plant that my grandmother loved. My grandmother loved aloe vera, a very special type of aloe vera she loved very much. As for this purple plant, this so-called flaming dragon tree or Dracaena terminalis, she used to pluck and bring them to our home in Boon Lay. One can grow this plant by stem-cutting. When my grandmother died, her grave was planted with this plant. My grandfather, her husband, knew that she loved this plant, and he had specially planted this plants on her grave.

I went to her grave before the birth of my children. There were one to three flaming dragon tree. But I have not gone there for years. Little did I know that such a mystery exist between me and these plants, and God.

Richard and I (always) jog at Fu Shan Garden, the special jogging loop. The circle is planted with special trees, lots of plants/trees with medicinal values there, with strange fruits, beauty. Of late, I noticed that this purple plant flowered!!!! --- Full of flowers, first time I see! But now I see the fruits, First Time, First Time I see, so nice!


These pictures were taken on 5th May 2008. See the red fruits, they are so nice.



This little plant is grown out of nowhere, and the first time I saw it, it was purplish with little tinge of green. But I have the 'sensation', the kind of 'special feeling' that that is between me and my grandmother. I am green and she is purple. Now we merged, and I am right, the whole plant has become more green and it is growing so nicely. First time I see such colour, and first time I see purple Dracaena 'Firebrand' become green. I have so much things to say about plants...