POT - TER MANIA

Garden is an ever changing place, brimming with life, with something new being added everyday. Be it the new bud which sprouts, the flower that freshly blooms or the winged garden visitor that chances upon this humble abode; things never remain constant. These are the ways nature acts to continually keep its creations interesting, and as is human nature I too felt compelled to add my own bit to the change, which I did by adding some Pots I bought from the roadside earthenware Pot vendors in Delhi. These beautiful earthenware pots are an ode to the potter’s wheel which is losing its relevance in the contemporary world to mechanization and Plastics. Cheap, Eco-friendly and very suitable for plant growth, these Pots, in various shapes and sizes are a delight to grow plants in. In a Hot and dry place, as is my part of the world, these earthenware pots are almost, and thankfully, irreplaceable; by virtue of their porosity they keep the plants cool even with scorching temperatures outside. Gardening has been one area where the synthetic alternatives have still not proved equal to a basic earthenware or clay pot, and thus, has ensured survival of traditional clay pottery art. A small time town near Indian Capital city, called Khurja, has developed this special kind of ceramic pottery painted in vibrant blue colors; a unique combination of clay with quartz and Feldspar, lending a lustrous sheen to the product. This beautiful creation from the austere Clay has put an otherwise non-descript town of Khurja on World Map. Thanks to the revival of an interest in ethnic and retro, the good things of past are making a come back.

Pot Pourri

The beauty of even the most alluring plant or flower is accentuated manifolds, if the pot in which it is planted compliments it. Here, in my part of the world some interesting makes of the pot are seen and I thought about sharing them with my blogger friends The imaginative shapes and colors of the baked molded clay, leaves me gaping in wonder at the skills of semi-literate potters. Although there are numerous varieties available, here I could picture only the ones which I have. Maybe sometime later I’ll add more varieties. An earthenware pot is an essential part of any garden, cheap and ideally suited to the needs of a growing plant. Despite the availability of more visually appealing options, a pot of clay or earthenware is as yet unmatched in its suitability for a plant. A flat pot is ideal for displaying Bonsais or certain special characters in the stem of a plant, like in this case the swollen base of Beaucarnea is seen prominently. Then sometimes pure economic sense prevails and in an effort to get some good (if not the best) out of waste, I used these gunny bags to plant shrubs like Plumbago,Hibiscus and Lantana. Besides saving the effort of procuring the pots, they are very convenient in shifting because of the easy grip and light weight. How could I not include this one in my post! It has featured in my previous posts and here it appears again. More colorful than the leaves of croton planted in it, the pot steals the sight away from the plant. Sometimes the potters do their bit to test their artistic skills. This pot was coated with plaster of paris and covered all over in reflecting mirror. It certainly doesn’t look out of the world but I bought it anyway for the effort, the maker must have put in it. If you are not happy with the way the pot looks you can use a cane planter to make it appealing. Thin strips of cane are intertwined to form this beautiful and strong structure. A blue beauty again! I came across it on one of my outdoor trips. If not for the idea of dimension conveyed by the Syngonium plant, the pot appears more like an ice-cream cup! Possibilities are endless. So many things can be used for planting, like an old gum boot! (I think I’ll try the idea for its practicality before mooting it). Out of the box ideas can make gardening such a fun thing. May we have more of such whacky ideas?