India Garden

Coleus in my Garden

2009-12-24T10:33:00.000-08:00

I guess I will have to concede defeat there – Regular blogging is not easy. I got irregular with posting a number of times in the past, but now becoming irregular has become a regular feature and I feel that regular blogging is not a choice one makes, it’s in the genes. Anyway no more tall claims about getting regular now, I will just stay cool about the regularity issue. Thankfully, tending to plants is not a victim of bloggers’ block. One can be lax in her blogging rituals but the plants keep receiving their due attention. Just like a human baby, who with her innocent look ensures that she remains the centre of attraction, nature has made the plants so beautiful that it is well neigh impossible to neglect them. Foliage plants, like this coleus, hold good hopes of giving the look to a garden during the frigid weather, which lasts here for around a month from December end till January last. The leaves in various wonderful shades of the coleus family keep changing their color tone and in a fortnight they will be the ones providing a colorful ambience, when rest everything will wear a denuded forlorn look. Besides, coleus are a typically no fuss plants: just plant the cuttings, water them…rest is managed by Mother Nature. I wanted to have a coleus dominated landscape this winter providing a nice change from the usual chrysanthemum abundance, but was too lazy to do so…maybe next time.

Red and Yellow make the winters mellow!

2009-12-07T09:29:00.000-08:00

There is a lull in life. It happens every year; round one festive season – Diwali etc. – is over and there are still few days to Christmas and New Year. Thankfully, garden is not yet reflecting the somber winter mood, there is the loving passionate warm glow of red, and mixed with the cheerfulness of yellow, it has created a perfect mood brightening symphony. The Butterfly Weed (Gosh! They call it a weed!) With admix of red and yellow is the perfect cocktail for the spirits. Chrysanthemums bloom in abundance at this time and I try to ensure that there are plenty of them in various hues and shades of yellow and red. We generally get rains around third to fourth week of December and they do not augur well for the mums, but before the frigidity sets in it’s a mum dominated Gardenscape. Even the butterflies are warmed by their red-yellow soothing glow. Sometimes nature tries its hands at origami, and when it does…this is the result. This beautiful Rose, with its wonderful yellow shading and the papery petals, gives the impression of an exquisitely crafted origami specimen. This small, but not insignificant by any measure, Portulaca loves Sun. A typical tropical plant it closes by late afternoon and blossoms again with sunrise the next day- didn’t approve much of the camera coming between it and the Sun.The Heliconias which are typically tropical were a gift by the nuns of a local convent school, who got the plant from Kerala. The plant has thrived well and is another pretty red-yellow combination in the garden. The exuberance of red with a dash of yellow for the tip gives the Gaillardias a glamorous outing in the wintry outdoors. Amidst the relatively dense foliage, embossed, are the cute red-yellow aromatic clusters of lantana. There is a predominantly red-yellow tone in the garden. The warmth of these colors and the gentle sunshine make winters a fun season, but of course only till this colorful landscape lasts…after that it is going to be all grey-white, and outdoors…Brrrrr!!!

The Buddha Belly

2009-11-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

This laughing Buddha was a wedding gift by a dear friend, and since then it has occupied the pride of place in my drawing room. It is always a warm and happy feeling to look at someone with such a merry expression on the face. Moreover, it is quite heartening to see a well fed rotund belly, resting comfortably on a relaxed and happy body in the era crazy for size zero; I am always on the lookout for such realistic inspirations:-) Like this laughing Buddha, which has made the indoors a gay and happy place, its namesake – Buddha belly plant – has added vivacity to the outdoors.Jatropha podagarica or the Buddha belly plant, as it is known because of its wonderful belly, is an eternal favorite of mine. Whenever it found a place in the posts, it has always received an inquisitive comment from the fellow bloggers. I procured the plant from a local nursery for its merrily swollen belly. It flowers all the year round. During winters, though it loses its large lobed leaves but the coral red flowers hold.As the climate gets colder the leaves have started falling off giving the plant a denuded look but the beauty of the belly will remain unaffected. The plant does have great vibes as is evident from the butterflies flocking to it. My daughter loves it for the seedpods that explode launching the seeds several feet away. Ultimately, this is one happy plant which helps brighten up the mood, and for a good luck charm – I occasionally rub its belly too!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - November 2009

2009-11-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

November GBBD is always special as this is the best season here to be outdoors before the frigid December winters envelope the plants in a dense fog, sending them into dormancy or freezing them to death. Although, probably as an adverse effect of global warming, one gets to see blooms in mid December also. These are the plants which grace the garden here in NOVEMBER Portulaca Calliandra or Powder Puff Shrimp plant or Pachystachys lutea Buddha Belly or Jatropha Podagrica Lantana Gaillardia or Blanket Flower PlumeriaWater Lily

In The Night Garden

2009-11-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

As autumn nears to an end, the night air has acquired a slight chill. But despite that it is a pleasant feeling to take an evening walk amidst the plants; it is rejuvenating, de-stressing and, thanks to these sweet smelling plants – a perfectly natural, low cost, aromatherapy. It is rather unfortunate that the sense of smell cannot be conveyed through the blog post, but hopefully the night time photos will stimulate some olfactory nerves to give an idea of the soulful aroma of Plumeria pervading the night time air. The sensual delight of a perfumed garden – no allusion to the 15th century scripture – inspires me to have more of these aromatic plants like this Hedychium. During day the Nyctanthes or Parijata presents a lonely sight, but it is with the fall of dusk that the flowers bloom and start exuding their soulful aroma. The sweet faint odor of this Jasmine pervades the evening air and depending on the direction of airflow, its intensity and character keeps changing, keeping the senses active yet very…very relaxed. The most psychedelic of the pack has to be the queen. Queen of the night or Cestrum nocturnum has the strongest presence in my garden among all the aromatic plants. Every life is besieged with a thousand worries and a million anxieties but the time spent with children and plants is a catharsis brought about naturally, silently and effectively.

My Whacky and Whimsical Containers

2009-10-31T11:52:00.000-07:00

When I did this I was accused of being downright eccentric and whimsical by my family, but now these ‘best out of waste’ ideas look like work of art, at least to me.It was, thanks to some careless handling on a bad mood day that the base of my favorite water flask came off. The sight of the fresh Kiwi fruit on the body had made this flask a much cherished one. So obviously my despair knew no bounds when the base gave away. Not in a mood to throw away something so dear to me, I hit upon the idea of planting some ornamental Asparagus in it. And now the plant is thriving and the flask with the kiwi fruit photo too is all there.What used to be a beautiful lamp once was reduced to a rotund glass structure after meeting its nemesis in my little daughter. One fine day she decided to test the resilience of the lamp by banging the telephone receiver on it; as it turned out, receiver won the mini battle and the lamp was left separated from its neck. And so here it is, sitting pretty in my garden, with a portulaca in it instead of a bulb. This sea shell was brought from Kerala coast, where my hubby had gone on an official trip, and I instantly knew the best use I could put this shell to. So that’s Haworthia in a Sea Shell for youThis one actually is an earthenware pot, which was a ubiquitous presence in Indian households for storing water, before plastics and other synthetic derivatives displaced everything traditional and healthy. Because of the naturally present micro pores in the earthenware pot, it kept water very cool and lend a slight ‘taste’ to the stored water making the water feel very fresh to the palate. As a fond remembrance for the, now vestigial, earthenware pot, I planted a Tradescantia in it, and as the structural material of this pot is same as the conventionally used one, plant is happily thriving. Having read a number of articles about the dangers posed by plastics, I have come to despise them, especially for microwave cooking. I believe that warmth can cause the toxic chemicals from the plastic vessel to enter into food, even with the so called ‘food grade’ plastics. Saying no to plastic for cooking, I used it in my garden! The Portulaca seems to enjoy its modified container.Aromatic tea gave way to beautiful Caladium, as the handle of this cup gave away, and the floral pattern on the cup makes the cup appear at home amidst other plants…or so I hope! Now that is numero uno in the list of my whacky containers. I had a sedum planted in this loofah and had it hang through a support. Having seen me indulge in these whacky, and may be downright atrocious container planting, my hubby says, “I am scared that if I am to stand still for more than 15 min, you might even start entertaining the idea of potting something in me” Now that is so inconsiderate!

My Heart goes Banana...

2009-10-24T02:22:00.000-07:00

Its time to go bananas again! I was rather impatiently, and with a little apprehension – the fondness of bugs for my fruits has been all too evident in the past - waiting for the bananas to ripen. Fruits are arguably the best thing that comes out of a garden. One can buy a whole bunch of bananas in the market but it is not a patch on a single one produced in your backyard. After all it is not without reason that most of the anecdotes allude to these wonderful gifts [fruits] of nature. Have we ever heard of, ‘reaping the flowers of one’s labor?’ Or may be, ‘tasting the sweet vegetables of success?’ quite obviously these altered proverbs don’t cut any ice with logic. Finally ripen they did. When the bunch of this, potentially creamy, juicy, but now raw green fruit showed slight roundening of borders, I knew that the time was ripe to free the bunch from the branch. Now, here was the catchy part as I had to invest in a kilo of apples from the fruit vendor so that I could put one of those apples with my beautiful bunch to enable ripening. The acetylene gas, which is liberated in whole sale by the apple, helps ripen the bananas quickly. The banana bunch, with the apple, are put in a bucket and covered nicely with a newspaper… Lo and behold! Rich, sweet, creamy, healthy, power packed, absolutely homegrown(but for the solitary apple), bananas are ready…

Happy Diwali

2009-10-16T23:47:00.000-07:00

The festival of lights, Diwali, is here. On this wonderful occasion I wish all my blogger friends peace and prosperity. As per Hindu tradition this festival marks the homecoming of lord Rama after slaying the demon Ravana. Therefore the festival in essence is celebration of restoration of good after destroying evil and etymologically Diwali means a ‘row of lights’. The houses are spring cleaned, decorated and lit with a row of lights. I will get on with the preparations and may you all have a very Happy Diwali. (photo courtesy-kalisipudi.wordpress.com)

First Feel of Autumn

2009-10-13T07:32:00.000-07:00

Things are going to be good for next five months; the weather I love most is here. Finally, I can say that autumn has arrived.This year saw a protracted spell of heat and humidity with less than expected rains. Therefore, after the harsh heat and heavy humidity, the soft cool caress of autumn feels divine. To max the autumn fun is the vivacious atmosphere created by Pre-Diwali preparations. During these days life goes on at a hectic but interesting pace. And it is not only the bipeds who are having an interestingly busy autumn, even the quadruped here is kicking his feet, celebrating the jovial weather. There is a sudden flurry of activity. The beautiful butterflies flitting in and out…The colorful caterpillars are in competition for the green leaves. Soon nature will molt one beauty into another... more elegant... more colorful. the squirrels busy mixing fun with the serious business of storing food for the waiting winters, the birds merrily perching on the post monsoon lush greenery… Autumn feels like a second spring. And unlike spring which is followed by summer and its accompanying side effects, autumn brings in winters, which may be cold, numb, sedate, but still feel better than the grime of summers. For me, the best way to enjoy winters is from under a heavy cotton quilt with a strong cup of coffee in hand; and the Groggy eyes peeking at the first rays of Sun falling on the blooms of roses and chrysanthemums on a really lazy Sunday…utopia!

A Bloom too soon!

2009-10-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

Diwali, the biggest event in the Hindu festive calendar is about 3 weeks away. I wanted the garden to have at least some blooms which I could show off to the guests dropping in for celebrations. Alas! This Garlic wine, on which I was counting so heavily, is in bloom now. The blooms of this lovely Vine are gorgeous like always, but for me they came a tad sooner then they should have. I guess the ‘flowery fireworks’ will have all fizzled out by Diwali. The other blooms, which I turn to for this festival, are the mums. But the mums have decided to not to oblige soon enough; they will be in bloom only by November 1st week. So, even the chrysanthemum bloom will elude me this Diwali. But this one plant, whose bloom may not have coincided with the festival, has still made me happy just by blooming. Dracaena is known to be a very capricious bloomer. That it gave out flowers is enough a cause for celebration. Now I feel that I should have planted some Marigolds which quite likely would have bloomed at the right time.

The '5 colored' plant!

2009-10-01T03:30:00.001-07:00

It was around two years back that a home to home vendor sold this plant to me. I was told that the then small green sapling will grow up in a plant having 5 colors in it. Quite naturally I was intrigued, not so much by his 5 color statement, but just to know the true nature of the plant that had this vendor so amused. I am a little wary of buying plants from such vendors, as besides being unsure of the health and quality of the plant, there botanical knowledge is also somewhat challenged. Yet there is a benefit, which I found in this case that sometimes they hand you over a sapling whose growth is almost as interesting as turning the pages of a mystery novel. Well, I planted it anyway … and had forgotten about the 5 color thing, till yesterday I saw this beautiful leaf. The leaves were a perfect heart shape, with a different color on each half. I still don’t know the actual name of this plant. I tried to Google it and it looks like Disanthus cercidifolius. I hope my blogger friends can help me out with the solution to the ‘mystery’.

Pumpkin ahoy!

2009-09-26T04:54:00.000-07:00

It was about 3 years back that I got the first pumpkin of my garden – well, the first and last. For the last 3 years this vegetable has eluded me. 3 years back, when carrying out routine cleaning and pruning work, I noticed this thing growing behind some thick undergrowth. It was a pleasant surprise. This lone pumpkin escaped unnoticed, as it was hiding behind leaves and twigs. Well, there are some advantages to be had when you are a thoroughly unplanned and clumsy gardener because then you fail to look properly where and if you sowed any seeds, and then such things spring up as a surprise! Well, that was 3 years back. Since then my attempts to grow pumpkin bore no fruit…or vegetable…whatever. But, yesterday it felt as if I had finally hit a 'Pumpkin Patch'. This thing was hanging from a pumpkin wine which had entwined itself around a pomegranate tree. Now you can only call it Nature’s satirical sense of humour; I’ve a pumpkin after a gap of full 3 years, hanging by a thin lifeline, which will snap prematurely sending my much awaited and cherished pumpkin biting the dust. Things might not have turned out exactly the way I would have wanted to, but there is a brighter side – I think the jinx which was holding the pumpkins back has been broken and will soon have a huge healthy pumpkin kissing my garden soil.

Why Weeds?

2009-09-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

The other day I was reading an article which said that Plant Weeds are a major contributor in purifying the environment. Well, that sure was news, as till now I have despised the existence of weeds with the contempt reserved for an unwanted, unannounced guest dropping in at dinner time. The rainy season has had a very healthy effect on all my plants, and as usual the weeds turned out to be the best adapted to exploit the favorable conditions (I guess that’s why they are weeds!). Post rains they showed an explosive growth. Earlier I used to mount an all out offensive, but this time, with the above said article in my mind, I treated them with a little respect. Oxalis were, thanks to blogging, found to be decorative plants elsewhere.It seems that plants qualifying as weed differ from place to place.Periwinkle is the most omnipresent among the pack. It grows with so little fuss – in fact it grew without my planting it at all – that it has always been there ever since I remember. Like all other things which need no pampering and become for granted in life, this flower felt like an unwanted presence. With a changed perspective it now looks beautiful to my eyes! Butterfly weed was sourced from a local nursery. Now that appears paradoxical- why should one buy a weed? Well, I was charmed by its looks…I still am. Its just that it spreads so fast that it gives an unhealthy competition to other plants. Like Oxalis, Lantana too is ironically a beautiful weed. There are vast stretches of land made beautiful by a covering of prolifically growing Lantanas, but in a home garden there rapid growth can be a menace. Castor plant is grown as an ornamental in many parts of the world b'coz of its star shaped, multilobed leaves. It has a copper variant too, which looks very interesting in garden landscapes. Here it grows profusely and multiplies rapidly, thus categorised under weeds. Though highly toxic, paradoxically it is also used in many Ayurvedic medicines since ages. This is something which psyches me out even before touching it! For a gardener the psychedelic properties of Cannabis,or Marijuana, or Bhaang as is known locally, are evident as soon one finds it growing unabated in the garden, unabated and remorselessly. It is especially during spring that I have to struggle hard to keep the plant in abeyance. The name of this weed is not known to me but both the leaves and the purple hairy flowers are very interesting.The leaves are initially green but change to yellow later on! They are beautiful, but their beauty is compromised because they are plenty.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - September 2009

2009-09-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

Things have been moving in the garden now. A delayed spell of rains has ensured that garden is back to its green glory again. Fresh rain washed blooms of September are enlisted here as part of GBBD started by Carol at Maydreamgardens. Plumerias Buddha Belly or Jatropha Podagrica Pentas Water Lily Queen of the night or Cestum nocturnum Shrimp plant or Pachystachys lutea Crepe Myrtle or Lagerstromia Hibiscus Gaillardia or Blanket Flower Plumbago Mirabilis Jalapa or 4'o Clock Plant Brazillian Button Flower or Centratherum intermedium

Mid Blog Life Crisis!

2009-09-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

The other day I sat looking at the four year old pictures of my garden. It was astonishing to see the amount of change that has taken place in the character of space available to me in these 4 years. Gardening is perceived to be a relatively slow activity but comparing the older photographs with the recent ones made me wonder if that is really so! The change has been positive and very heartening. Till about 4 years back, when I got this space to myself, I only had my interest, bordering on passion, in gardening, to do something with it. It all started very gradually with information collected from other amateur gardeners in neighborhood, or from plant sellers in various nurseries. But the real impetus came through blogging. When I started my blog, around 3 years back, the garden was in infancy, not very different from the lawns which are there just to add a touch of green to the house. But the ideas and gardens of my fellow bloggers, the desire to show something novel and new in my blog, the pressure to gain knowledge to try and match the standards of bloggers in blogosphere, made my garden a better garden and me a better and more knowledgeable gardener. I continue to be in awe of the way people around the world love and maintain their greens, at the same time I keep getting enriched by the mutual interaction which has been made possible by the internet and blogging. They say that the biggest room in this world is the one for improvement. In that spirit I thought that time was ripe to introduce changes in the way I blog. Like all activities, blogging too becomes a monotonous activity if it continues unchanged for a pretty long period. Over the years there has been a drop in the frequency of postings, and it has not only been me who is suffering from this mid-blogging-life crisis; many of my fellow bloggers too, I find, are finding it hard to keep their posts regular. For me it had become a little hard to keep up with regular postings because of time constraints, shortage of good ideas, or simply because sometimes nothing major happens in life, but that shouldn’t have prevented me from writing frequent small posts. There is always something little but interesting happening around, which could’ve been put in the form of a post. Now I hope that these little mood or monotony related impediments will not stop me from blogging regularly, and a little change in the blog will recreate the interest. Blogging, for me, is too precious an activity to be shelved for want of change or better ideas. I made some cosmetic changes to my blog which I hope will help keep my blogging spirits alive and kicking.

Valley of Dreams...

2009-08-23T06:25:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought that life has gone on at a pretty lull pace for a long time, came the news that my hubby will have to go to Kashmir on an official trip for 10 days. Had it been the period before 1988 we all would have looked forward to the trip and in all probability i would have attempted to join him. But since the region – though one of the most beautiful on this planet – has been in News for all the wrong reasons, I was forced to stay back and pray that everything goes well. Well, thankfully, everything did go well, and he came back rich with memories and stunning photographs of a virtual paradise on earth. Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir is a breathtakingly beautiful valley in the northern Himalayan ranges. The temperatures were most comfortable in the range of 25-28 degree C, and the morning view from the room was a stunner. One could see snow on the mountain tops even though late July is a peak summer month. He was told by the locals that these are the hottest months in srinagar (they should visit the north Indian plains to see what heat is all about!). So, for late July, the hottest in Srinagar was cool enough for him, and it was a pleasant surprise to see that security situation in that place was not at all as deplorable as the general perception is. The place abounds in gardens, with some of the very famous Shalimar and Nishad gardens leading the pack. The pictures of these beautiful gardens with Himalayan ranges on one side and the pristine, pure Dal Lake on other, made me yearn to have the experience first hand. Dal lake is a landmark almost synonymous with srinagar. The lake is unsurpassed in beauty, with beautiful houseboats of Victorian era lining its both sides. One can stay in these house boats and enjoy the divine natural beauty – lotuses, water chestnuts, lilies, and numerous exotic birds which throng the lake. Gulmarg is one lovely hill station atop the Himalayan range encircling Srinagar valley. It was again – a paradise within a paradise. The slopes of the meandering roads leading to the hill station were covered in Daisies. The hill station itself was an abode of flowers: Gulmarg literally means place of roses. Hill station was bathed in crystal clear sunlight with the daisies gleaming in delight as sunlight shone on them. The slopes, now covered with flowers, turn into world famous ski slopes with the onset of winters.This is one place which has to be visited repeatedly in different seasons to be able to imbibe its complete beauty. During the months of August- September there is a bounty of apple crop and one can only imagine the site presented by the apple laden trees which line every path, every house. October to February is the time for snowfall, when one can enjoy Skiing on the beautiful slopes of Gulmarg. March heralds the onset of pleasant weather conditions with flowers blooming all over the landscape and especially in Srinagar’s majestic Mughal gardens. The photographs of Srinagar and Gulmarg were enough to leave me crying over the missed opportunity to visit the places, but there was more. Just when I thought that nature has been a trifle unfair in bestowing its best to Srinagar and Gulmarg, came the mention of Pahalgam.Whole of Pahalgam is a big recreational resort, and to quote a line from my hubby who got inspired by the beauty first hand – ‘It is better than any fairy land of the kind I had imagined on reading little fairy tales’. Plants appear to be in love with the place too. These blooming beauties stand testimony to the kind of place Pahalgam is for plant lovers. . Drive from Sringar to Pahalgam takes 2-3 hours, and midway through the drive the sparkling clear waters of this river accompany you well inside Pahalgam. The journey is fascinating with absolutely no music required as the sound of flowing river water is a melody no man made music can match. Chinar trees were in plenty there. The beautiful Lake, the flora, the weather, the huge Himalayan ranges, friendly people, sprawling gardens, freely flowing jhelum river…Srinagar has it all; yet the paradise has been made inaccessible to the common people on account of terrorism. P.S – Kashmir is a hot bed of dispute between the neighboring countries of India and Pakistan. It is definitely not my point or authority to decide or comment on the respective claims, but one thing is certain that to be deprived of a visit to such a place because of the conditions created by self serving politicians is a huge injustice towards humankind.

An Indian Summer!!!

2009-08-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

Life has been in slight disarray over past one month. Hot and humid summer months are always a stress, not only personally, but professionally as well. The number of patients suffering from viral fever and gastroenteritis goes up drastically sparing me with less time for other things. A side effect of all this has been borne by my garden and my blog. The lawns do not present a pretty picture with unkempt tall grass making me a little shame faced. All kinds of small creatures have made their abode in these tall grasses. The pruning and cutting work has been relatively better managed, thanks to my garden help who obviously wasn’t constrained by the weather factor; he is a weather hardened guy totally unperturbed by any sorts of heat or humidity. The mango tree disappointed this season and I couldn’t have more than a single piece of my favorite fruit from it. But the loss in the quantity of mangoes – if not the taste – was made up by the jamun(Indian blackberry) tree, which produced an abundance of sweet jamuns; a very rich source of anti-oxidants. I tried several innovative – if I dare call them so – techniques to conserve the vegetables, guarding them against the onslaught of bugs emboldened by their favorite hot and humid weather, but most of those ‘innovative’ techniques fell back on my face: the security ring around the bitter gourd - the newspaper cover - was compromised, and these nasty bugs... ended up enjoying a meal leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. With my aversion to the use of pesticides I feel like a dumb standing there mutely watching the parasites eat into my labor and patience. I believe in trying to avoid too much negativity, and so the issue of bird eaten, bug-laden guavas will be discussed some other time. Meanwhile, the silver lining is that barring supernatural wrath things cannot go any worse; hence I can expect a recovery from hereon. This year the weather has played very truant with exceptional humidity and failed rains, but by first of September things will start getting cooler and hopefully, we will have a healthy blossoming season ahead (The threat of Swine Flu notwithstanding).

Rain drops bring Green Visitor!

2009-07-11T10:37:00.000-07:00

One can never trust the weatherman! At first the forecast was of normal monsoons, then they modified it to a delayed but normal monsoon, and now it is delayed and subnormal monsoon. I guess its just another euphemism for telling that we might have the spectre of drought staring at us. Well, we did have some rains lately and they were enough to infuse a sense of freshness in the whole ambience. This colorful birdie flew in to add to the ambience with its myriad moods and expressions, and was patient enough to pose for me. Nicely camouflaged between the green leaves this Parrot was busy feasting on the sunflower seeds. A little zoom and his antics were more apparent. My loving gaze failed to flatter him and he shifted his location thinking that he’ll have more privacy atop the Mango tree. But, oh no! Horrors of horrors…the sunflower stalk escaped his beak and fell down. 'Look at the impertinence of this lady; she is reveling in my misery, let that camera meet the same fate as my food and then I’ll love to see the look on her face.' 'Hey! You wanna shoot me? Well then, take this….''How about this…'

Oh! It's so hot!!!

2009-06-28T02:46:00.000-07:00

It will be an understatement if the weather is described as seething, scorching, baking, burning, fiery…because at 45degreeC it is nothing less than Catastrophic! There is absolutely no sign of monsoon clouds. Now and then an occasional stray cloud shows up with no promise of any respite from the searing summer heat. Life looks tough outdoors yet these intrepid birds fly around undeterred, settling down only to have a cool sip. I remember reading somewhere that the best way to beat the heat is to drink lots and lots of water and to stop cribbing about the weather. They say its all in the attitude; well, these birds do teach a lesson in attitude building.Not everyone protests the oppressive climate though; the sunflowers look gay and sprightly. The blooming sunflower is one thing that gives me a reason to dare for a stroll outdoors; it is fascinating to see the movement of the flower head with the movement of the Sun. Heliconias are always a beautiful sight to behold though their fiery red color is not exactly very summery, and when seen outdoors in this weather, they look more like a yellow flower, which has been roasted red. The lilies bloomed just in time in my makeshift pond to lend a cool touch to the garden – a desperate need in this weather. There is a measure of optimism though. The monsoons have finally started moving, and if the weather forecast is to be believed, there may be some respite coming in a week or two. Till then I am trying to keep my cool by dreaming about all the good things I am going to do once the rain gods start showering their blessings!

Paradise Regained!

2009-06-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

The Himalayas are home to some of the most breathtaking locations on this planet. This time, thankfully, my jaunt did not end with nainital, rather we went deeper into the Kumaon hills to the idyllic locations of Kausani and Ranikhet. A 4 hour drive form nainital had me transported into a different world altogether; quaint, pristine, absolutely untouched by the maladies of urbanization.Kausani, at an altitude of around 1900mts is situated near to the snow capped higher ranges of Himalayan Mountains, and that makes the place ideally suited for a panoramic view of Himalayan beauty. Unfortunately, it was cloudy all throughout my stay, and so I could only catch a faint glimpse of the snow covered ranges. It is at these sorts of places that the feeling of ultimate calm and unison with nature descends. No honking horns, no cacophony of the modern day traffic, no humans jostling through the morning crowds to reach their workplace, just plain lazy contemplation on the why’s of life, over a cup of tea with the mountains in the backdrop. The landscape of Kausani was dotted with beautiful sights of terrace farming. The farming here, thankfully, is as yet untouched by the menace of fertilizers and pesticides. This fact was all too evident in the taste of food, as it was a pure gourmet delight. At a small distance downhill from Kausani is a small cluster of fairly ancient temples – believed to date around 12th-13th centuries - known as baijnath dham (abode). The Gomti river nearby had huge gluttonous fishes which are regularly fed by the pilgrims who consider it auspicious to do that. Leaving kausani was like leaving the soul behind. The aura of Kausani meant that probably no other place would seem worth a visit now, as it would invariably be compared to it. But to my huge relief, on visiting Ranikhet after Kausani, I learned that every place carries its own unique charm and that renders any comparisons meaningless. Ranikhet is another beautiful jewel in the Great Himalayan crown. A quaint cantonment town with fruit orchards and wild life sanctuary all around it is an ideal getaway. And if one gets to stay in a resort in the middle of the high altitude jungle, the memories are going to last a lifetime.The resort, where I stayed was an old heritage building built during the colonial era and converted into a hotel two decades back. The rooms had a vintage cozy feel, and the view splendid.I could even catch a shot of this colorful parrot from the window, trying to steal a peek at the new visitors in the room.The cleanliness and the calm of a cantonment, the heady cocktail of the voices of barking deer, monkeys, mynahs with an occasional roar of the leopard, amidst the cozy comforts of a forest cottage makes you thank God again and again for giving this life and this planet.A huge golf course, at an altitude of 2000mts, from where a misdirected shot can land in the valley below! Inspired a feeling of awe at the kind of life being led by the defense personnel, who deserve all the wonderful things for the service they give to their Motherland.Traveling and visiting new places has a wonderful effect on mind and the body. Besides being relaxing, the very act of moving out of the confines of your daily rituals stimulates positive vibes in the body and opens new vistas for the brain. I hope the feeling will last till its time to pack my bag again.

Break from the Humdrum to the Hills!

2009-06-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

The heat is increasing and it is said, “when the going gets tough the tough get going”, well I Went…i.e., went off, for a week to spend some time in the lovely hill stations nestled in the upper ranges of mighty Himalayas. Nothing beats the heat like a jaunt to the cooler and purer environs of the hills. Nainital was my first stopover where the site of lovely blue green waters of Naini Lake encircled by the beautiful Himalayas stole my heart. The cool higher altitude air, like that of Nainital at an altitude of approx. 1900m, is very refreshing and humidity free. Although the place has become a bit crowded overtime, yet it retains the charm as a getaway from the urban chaos. The night scene was even more pleasing as the reflecting lights in the lake water made a wonderful dancing pattern. If the innocent charm of the little ones in your life loves something, it makes that thing even more memorable. My daughter seemed to be in total love with the changed ambience – a far cry from what she is used to in a city, and was completely at home sporting this mountain outfit which is a ubiquitous presence at North Indian Hill stations. The added bonus of being a plant lover is that besides the things which conventionally please at a hill station, the flora of different places is something to look forward to. Plants, such as Hydrangeas, which I struggle to grow here, were thriving naturally, and many of them like Iris were growing in the wild! It wasn’t only the flora; the fauna was no less amazing. A visit to the high altitude zoo there left me in awe. It had beasts not visible in the zoos at plains. It was the majestic and ferocious Siberian Tiger whose swagger I caught on the camera, blessing the sturdy cage that separated the Cat from me. Personally, I prefer that these animals - like the snow leopard in the picture - belong to Jungle and a reserved forest is a better option where humans can satisfy their curiosity in a jungle safari. Being caged in Zoos, howsoever well maintained, curb their natural instincts and is unethical. Well, these issues are always complex and there can always be a counter argument to this line of thought, and so I would rather keep my mind open on this issue. I don’t know if it is the effect of the altitude or the air, but there is a noticeable uplifting in mood and spirits on hills. Personally I find a spiritual side of me, which lies dormant on the plains, taking over and it made me thank God for creating these natural wonders like Seas and Mountains.

Garden Bloggers Blooms Day May 2009

2009-05-15T03:38:00.000-07:00

Scorching Sun, smoldering earth, parched plants mark the mid may GBBD. The heat has been getting on me and my plants, though I did take a break from it all, but more about it later. Right now it is a desperate defiant attempt by the blooms to thrive. Sunflower Plumerias Canna Lily Adenium Trumpet vine Dwarf Ixora Russelia equistiiformis Clerodendron Thomsoni Heliconia Rostrata Quisqualis indica or the Rangoon creeper Lemonia spectabilis

The Unfurling!

2009-04-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

There are few things more fascinating than to be able to watch and record the unfolding of the beauty of flowers in its various stages day after day. This Spring I had the good fortune of watching and clicking the various stages of the Alpinia Zerumbet flower right from the bud to bloom. This plant is a native of India and has – as told by wikipedia – spread to Brazil and other areas. The transformation from bud to bloom happened in a matter of a week, so I didn’t really have to be very perseverant in getting the successive stages on the camera. I guess it will continue to look good for few more days, and after that I am not quite sure what its fate will be, because, although the internet tells me that it bears lovely looking fruits after this stage, but my past experience has not been very good as the flowers tend to fall off.

GBBD April-2009

2009-04-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

Mid April is a season of mixed blessings here in Indiagrden. The spring blooms are ebbing away and summer annuals are gradually showing up. It is a cauldron of gifts from both the seasons which I display here as a part of GBBD post started by Carol of Maydreamgardens.Petunia Chincherinchee Rose Crape jasmine Dahlia Brunfelsia americana Hibiscus Hollyhock Easter Lily Gladioli Gaillardia Plumbago BouganvilleaThese are the babies I nurtured over the late winter and spring season. Some of them will not survive the harsh summers and will be replaced by their summer cousins. Winter, spring or summers, it is a show which goes on; the characters change but the show goes on….

Sensual Spring Garden!

2009-04-09T20:19:00.000-07:00

It is a divine experience to be able to gratify all your special senses; and the spring season is a taste of precisely that divinity! The invigorating all pervading aroma of the spring blooms is a treat for the sense of smell; the soft heavenly touch of the petals makes one thank nature for this wonderful special sense; the colorful, bloom-full sight beholding is a feast for the eyes; and, if we close our eyes to focus on the sounds around us, the sounds of nature, produced by the abundance of life forms during spring, regales the hearing sense in so many ways. The vegetable garden completes the sensuous trip by gratifying the taste buds. And, the visual appeal is matching too! A garden full of flowers is a beautiful sight for anyone, but a healthy vegetable garden provides me with a satisfaction no bloom can. This part of the garden and its produce is meant for no one else but me and my people (that doesn’t mean that I loathe sharing them. Good neighbors – if that doesn’t sound like an oxymoron – are most welcome!). A matronly attitude towards the vegetables ensures that they respond to the affection by becoming hale, hearty and plump! The veggies sure have lots of substance, but they are not to be left behind in style too. They sure can shoot a bloom or two to prove a point. And, sometimes they throw a pretty picture showing between the flowers giving the latter a huge complex! Although, sitting on the cusp of seasons of salubrious spring and sordid scorching summers, there is a gradual dwindling of blooms, yet there is so much to look forward to in the vegetable garden. Thank God for the change of seasons that we can appreciate the variety in life, without which life would have been tasteless…literally.