Have visited the Tropical Spice Garden in Penang.
It’s set in an idyllic location on the coast with tantalising glimpses of the sea through the greenery.
Our guide showed us all sorts of exotic plants –
plus bats –
snakes –
and even the cat’s whiskers –
used to make a type of tea.
This long, flat leaf smells and tastes exactly the same as coriander, but looks nothing like it.
Ginger flowers are just as delicious as the root, but much prettier.
And this is what nutmeg looks like on the tree.
The real eye-opener, however, was the poison garden, where I learned that practically anything that grows can kill you.
For example, a single Oleander leaf is enough to kill a person. So the average Mediterranean resort contains the wherewithal to wipe out most of Europe.
Or, if you fancy a zombie-like slave in your life (and who doesn’t?) … just invest in this small shrub
originally from Brazil, but I’m sure it could be enticed to flourish elsewhere with enough TLC.
Cerbera odollam is also very useful – especially for disenchanted new husbands.
Although – as its common name is the suicide tree –
I’m not very clear as to whether it’s the husband or the wife who decides that marriage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
I was also interested in the rosary pea
and its ability to predict weather conditions
… wonder if it could also predict lottery numbers?
All plant orders to me, please, and I will command my zombie-like slave to post them off to you.