Shell Ginger Alpinia zerumbet is a native of India and South-East Asia. I found these plants growing wild in the woods of Hong Kong. They were flowering profusely, and bumblebees were hovering round the plants. The flowers are pretty and shell like, and coloured a delicate shade of yellow and white.
I saw this pink ginger at the edge of a ravine in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, India, when our bus was waiting for the traffic to clear.
The flowering season of the Copperpod tree has staarted and everywhere one sees a carpet of yellow flowers on the roads. The Copperpod tree Peltophorum pterocarpum is a prolific bloomer. The golden yellow flowers fall to the ground below throughout the day. 
A native of India, the Copperpod is called Thangadi Mara in Kannada and Radha Chura in Bengali. It gives good shade during the hot days of summer, hence it is a common roadside tree. 
The wood of the tree is used to make farm implements. All through the year, the tree is shedding something or the other. In summer, it sheds its abundant flowers. In autumn, the copper coloured seeds fall to the ground, half eaten by parrots. And in winter, it is the turn of the tiny leaves to litter the ground. Many of my neighbours hate this tree because of this habit of the tree, which compels them to sweep their yards daily. But I love the two trees right outside my gate, because they provide me plenty of stuff through the year for my compost heap! 
This is called Gandhari chilli, after a strong willed woman from the Mahabharata. The name is apt, because once you have tasted it, the hot taste will linger in your mouth for a long time. The plant looks very attractive with bright green leaves and small orange chillies.
Sinceit is so hot, I use one small chilli in my sambhar, and remember to take it out before starting to eat my dinner.
The Boesenbergia ginger is a native of the forests of the Western Ghats in India. I saw these flowers during a walk in the forest and was captivated by their beauty. It is also known as the Finger root ginger, as its rhizomes resemble fingers. It is used in Chinese and Thai cuisine. IOn India, the herb is used for relieving gastric troubles and for tonsilitis. The rhizomes are used in pickles.
The Betel leaf vine Piper bitle is flourishing in my garden now.Although I don't eat betel leaf, I am growing it because it has such pretty heart shaped and glossy leaves, and makes an excellent ground cover. The other plants you see in the picture are turmeric plants, which are ready for harvesting. The betel leaves and turmeric are considered auspicious by the Hindus. Any fruit offered in the temple is accompanied by betel leaves.
The Chenille Plant Acalypha hispida is also called Cat's Tail or Red Hot Cat- tail because of the long red catkins. There are male and female plants.
This plant has naturalised itself in the tropics. The plant blooms throughout the year in these parts. 
