First Feel of Autumn

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!

Little changes which make life more beautiful!

Before the blogging stuff came in life, life was like living on an island. The place where I live in does not have many people sharing an interest in plants and gardening. And, when you are left to yourself, feeding on information from boring magazines and your own imagination, productive ideas are hard to come by. But, thanks to the blogosphere, there’s inspiration all around. Almost two years and a thousand blog posts read down the line I feel that the blogging gardeners all over the globe are the creatively most accomplished lot. I have been very inspired and compelled to introduce little changes in the green cover at my disposal. It is a great feeling to savor even the tiniest addition or substitution one brings about. A couple of months back I sat wondering on the rearrangements I could do to keep my excitement quotient high, it was then that this neglected swing was decided to be given a touch of green with the help of Thunbergia Grandiflora vine. Then was the turn for some groundwork or some ground breaking work. With a little help from the garden help the area under the swing was modified to accommodate few plants; enjoy nature with life on the upswing, literally. I know I know that the iron supports need painting, but life is long and one has to have tasks lined up for that elusive ‘tomorrow’. This fellow was looking a bit sad. On closer inspection I felt that it was the slightly denuded look which was giving it an inferiority complex. A little touch here, a little touch there, some soil and some ribbon plant, the birdie is back preening and flaunting its feather. If its change you are talking about then everyone has to contribute, that’s what I made these turtles realize. Realize they did as they carry a turtleload of plants to its destination. The terra-coated Piscean also chipped in, albeit disgruntingly, with its contribution. Meanwhile I tried to create a dish garden in this oval terracotta pot. With everyone racking their brains to come up with ideas, my little one was busy wracking this – what was before her onslaught – a beautiful lamp. As the recent theme in my life was creation, I convinced the remaining base of the glass lamp to behave as a flower pot! The department of destruction is spearheaded by my daughter, but sometimes the weather outperforms even her. A stump is all what was left of this Ashoka tree after a particularly heavy storm; a little rearrangement and two hanging baskets made this relic standout in the lawn. The last time when I had mentioned this desperate modification the baskets had an empty look, but with the Sedums, ivy and pilea hanging out, it is giving a more satisfying appearance. Surfing thru the local market, I got these wall mountable stands. The place is famous for this sort of stuff and the choice was really difficult but I settled for these two. I gave them the pride of place in my verandah. Change is that necessary ingredient, the essential spice without which the dish of life tastes insipid, boring. I hope I can always bring about these little positive changes not only in my garden, but also in my life and world as a whole…

Changing Colours

Fresh crispy mornings and sunny noon of late September give an All-is-well feeling, especially as they were preceded by the humid, sunless, dull grey of the rainy season. But, in the month of June the first bout of rain accompanied with same dull grey skies was more than welcome, since it had followed the scorching hot summers! Yes, I do live in a place where we experience some extreme weather conditions, and the good thing is that as soon you start getting bored with a particular weather situation, there are signs of change visible. Change is the most permanent feature of our existence, and it is this change which gives and adds color to our lives; Something beautifully exemplified by the Brunfelsia flower, which was purple yesterday,has turned pale Lavender today and will turn white tommorow-so aptly named Yesterday, Today and Tommorow! That is one reason why I love gardening, because a garden is ever changing. A stroll in the garden and you find color and a constantly changing flora all around, which is so very essential to prevent the monotony in life, a refreshing detour from the daily humdrum. The garden is such an apt reflection of nature’s colorful creative abilities with a myriad of colors in all hues and shades. In fact all the colors existing in the nature have a reason. The bright colors make the flowers look attractive and easily locatable. Animals, including we humans are attracted to it, and help in the process of pollination. It is said that one should keep mixing the colors of fruits and vegetables in the diet, as it aids the body in getting a wide variety of antioxidants and vitamins. The bright color fruits are particularly rich in these pigments with anti-oxidative properties. Colors keep us happy and gay, helping to keep the day’s blues and grey away. And, there are some whose presence alone is enough to make the life appear colorful…

A Tropical look...

Things are happening all around. The season is on the threshold of another change; humidity levels are significantly down, there is a refreshing cool touch to the morning breeze, festive season is approaching fast and everyone around seems to be enjoying the welcome change from hot and humid to cool and comfortable. The Rain Gods had something special planned for the monsoon season this time as it saw some exceptionally heavy and consistent rains. And now, with their retreat, the monsoons have left my garden swaying, smiling and all swathed in green. Bathed with nature’s blessings, most of the plants have exhibited an exuberant growth, lending a tropical character to the whole thing. Though, the heavy winds which lashed the place along with rains were poorly withstood by some of my termite infested trees. A consequence of wind and water was the uprooting of a couple of these ashoka trees. In an attempt to immortalize the oldest residents of my garden, I modified the remaining stump to carry these wire baskets, which now stands pretty as a garden feature. One log of wood so derived was hammered in the ground to carry a water bath; a feature heavily inspired by my fellow bloggers. The remaining log was used for making this hanger for my baskets. It seems that Caladiums have enjoyed the rainy weather to the most and now with Autumn seting in its almost time for them to go to their winter sleep. This is the Turmeric or Curcuma longa bloom. It is indeed very pretty and has bloomed for the very first time in my garden probably due to incessant rains providing the right conditions required for the blooming process. Hedychium is a characteristic presence in the garden during rainy season. The beautiful white inflorescence gives the impression of a butterfly bathing in rain. The monsoons i.e. the rainy season is almost over now. At a point of time, because of the excessively wet and humid feel, I was looking forward to its retreat. Now, with the skies all cleared up, the pictures of fresh rain bathed plants and the pearl white rain droplets shining on them, are making me nostalgic.