There is something new taking root in the garden at Mahaloka Valley in Nusa Penida. Nugraha, our housekeeper, has been planting Ice Cream bougainvillea as we begin working towards a garden idea: a pergola-style feature that we hope will one day be framed by flowers.
Known in Indonesia as bunga kertas, bougainvillea is already part of the garden scenery around him. This planting brings the Ice Cream variety into the next stage of our plans, adding another detail for guests to notice as they walk through the grounds.
In these photographs, Nugraha is carefully securing the stems to upright supports. It is a small, practical step at the beginning of a much longer process. For now, the work is close to the soil: positioning the plants, supporting their stems and giving the garden's new additions a start.
The pergola is still a plan for the garden. Our idea is to guide the bougainvillea around a supporting structure as it grows, gradually creating a flower-framed feature among the paths and tropical greenery. The photographs show the planting stage, with plenty of growing still ahead.
That is part of what makes this update special to us. Guests see the garden as they pass through it, but behind each new planting is someone taking the time to care for the place. Alongside his housekeeping work, Nugraha is helping shape this little corner of Mahaloka Valley.
If you are staying with us near Crystal Bay, look out for the bougainvillea on your next walk around the garden. It is a chance to see a project at its beginning and to notice the details as they develop.
Thank you, Nugraha, for the care you bring to Mahaloka Valley. We look forward to watching these plants grow and sharing the garden's progress.
