Picture this!

Gardening is such a cool hobby that unless you are to step in the outer space, there always will be something interesting. Jaipur, besides presenting me with some breathtaking sceneries and palaces, had these lovely pots and plants. Certain things catch your attention for their beauty as much as their uniqueness. I saw this lovely blue pot planted with Syngonium podophyllum in the lobby of the hotel, where I was staying. Something as simple as a pot can actually go a long way in accentuating a beauty manifolds Beautiful Amaryllis blooming in the Hotel Garden. Adenium, a beauty par excellence! I have a few in my collection as well but this one is from the Hotel garden. I didn’t see many of this size in my local nursery and found myself wishing for a similar fate to the babies in my garden In the premises of Birla Mandir, was this captivating tree with its yellow flowers providing a perfect contrast to the blue sky! I still don’t know the name of this beauty, maybe my blogger friends can help me with this identity search! The Hotel outdoors had these tray gardens on display. Containing some lovely plants in an arrangement, they just stole my heart. I couldn’t help but capture a few of them in my camera. That gives me an idea of having one for my own collection

The break continues...

I guess that the trip has been so exciting for me that I can’t help but share more of it. There is something with these vacations that lingers on pleasantly in the memories long after the actual thing is over. I still am beseeched by the medieval charm of the palaces, scenically complimented by the ‘Birla Mandir’ made of pure white marble. The famous Taj Mahal in India was also made from marble specially imported from Jaipur! Although I am not a very religious person but definitely a spiritual one, the calm and peaceful environment around the temple, somehow invoked a feeling of respect and reverence to God. Situated adjacent to the temple was this pure marble construction of god Shiva’s idol. Surrounded by marble pillars, the God has an arm raised for blessing (a common feature in most Hindu idols). With the calm and serenity still pervading we made our way up towards the Amber fort. En-route we came across another temple, significant because the Rajas of Jaipur used to pay their obeisance here before setting out for war. By now Sun was almost relentless with its heat, undaunted we hired a guide to guide us through the complex yet beautiful intricacies of the palace architecture. Now we have to give something to the genius of the architects of that era, the structure here is the sheesh-mahal, loosely translated it means a palace of reflecting glass. Designed as a winter bedroom for the royal females, its indo-Persian architecture of reflecting silver ensured that the oil lamps fixed on either side of the room get uniformly reflected, lighting the room, besides keeping it cozily warm. That’s the roof of the sheesh-mahal, opulent! The structure here was the summer bedroom! We were told that the royal rooms, inside the structure, had a storage space for rain water on their roofs, keeping the rooms cool. These people certainly had an idea of rain water harvesting! Concepts believed to be so recent and in vogue, ante date almost a century Finally, we were taken to the museum, again a glorious edifice of indo-sarcenic architecture and housing remarkable remnants of an interesting era. The museum has been modelled on Victoria and Albert museum in London.Now with the trip over and having compulsively shared my excitement with you I am back to the routine, but it is no longer drab and monotonous.

The much needed break

My sincerest apologies for taking so long to write this post but finally after a long gap I was able to treat myself to a vacation, although a short one, to the pink city Jaipur. A stark contrast to my first love that is gardening and green, Jaipur is situated in the desert state of Rajasthan but Jaipur as an exception had some flora I hadn't come across before. Magnificent and opulent, the city of Jaipur was a feast to the eyes. I could not help but wonder at the kind of lavish lives led by the erstwhile rajas and maharajas. Huge palaces on the top of hills presented an awe inspiring view despite the blazing sun (It was 37 degree Celsius!). Entering Jaipur city, I was greeted with the sight of the huge yet beautiful gate, an apt reflection of the architectural megaliths, on its other side, awaiting my visual senses. My trip started at the so called ‘City Palace’ the abode of descendants of the Raja of Jaipur. The Peacock Gate took my breath away (can only dream of one at my entrance!).A 15 Km drive away from the hustle and bustle of Jaipur took us to ‘Amber Palace’ perched atop the Aravali mountains and a standing proof of the architectural abilities of people of those times. That’s the gate of Amber Palace, splendor in abundance intricately decorated with vegetable dyes! (Imagine the eco-sensitivity of those times) That’s the famous Hawa-Mahal, a façade, constructed for the royal females to watch the various processions passing by the city, without being seen themselves. I feel, despite the lavish and luxury, women got a raw deal in those times. To be pushed behind a façade for avoiding exposure to males is so demeaning.

Spring is in the air

What a lovely morning it was today! I woke up to a welcome draft of cool soft breeze bringing with it the mixed aroma of spring flowers. The Sun was already shining bright on the spring bloom. Rather queer and quaint was a cluster of dark clouds in the periphery producing a mix of shade and sunshineI could not resist outdoors to enjoy the heavenly spring, ephemeral, as shortly the scorching summer will parch my plants.Bruno too was enjoying himself taking an invigorating stroll in the lawn, constantly alert to any piece of ‘non-vegetarian’, dropped accidentally by a surveying eagle in my vegetable garden’, as he is denied that luxury in his usual meals. There in my kitchen garden I found that the rhizomes of colocasia I had sown around two months back had given out their first set of leaves. Colocasia or ‘Aravi,’ as it is known in local dialect, is valued for its tasty rhizomes. These are first boiled or fried to remove the slightly acrid taste. At some places the leaves too are fried with gram flour and eaten for their tingling after taste. All the plants seemed to be enjoying the sun and the spring but these fluorescent blue cineraria appealed to me the most. Their brilliant blue somehow enables me to rid myself of those ‘Morning Blues’ which strike me from time to time. A perfect contrast to the blue was being provided by the beautiful bottle brushes, swaying gently with the breeze. Finally with the morning survey complete I strutted to the house with a twinkle in my eyes and spring in my steps.

My Little Gardener

That’s my little sapling enjoying her self in the spring bloom. I have to be careful for the health of my plants when she is around, for she hates anyone sharing her space with me but now I have taught her to be friendly with the plants and my budding gardener takes a more kind view of them. My garden 'marauder' planning her next move! Here she is, trying to get a handful of the phloxes.

Garden Bloggers Blooms Day

Keeping me company in my garden areIce, eyeing with those charismatic eyes Dahlia in its warm glowing splendour Poppies popping cheerfully Friendly Phloxes in clusters Rose in its natural form yet so paper arty in perfection Petunias blowing their own their trumpet. Besides these, also blooming are-Pansies,Marigold,Calendula,Cineraria,Dogflower,Kalanchoes... Its only while writing this post, I realised, that so many flowers are blooming in my garden. This is simply exhilarating!!

I was overjoyed to visit my local nursery yesterday. Spring is here and the place was full of lovely plants. I yielded to the temptation and brought saplings of Lantana, Peperomia and some cacti to add to the glory of my Garden. Its again raining cats and dogs since the last two days .It really is strange for this time of the year to rain so much. I am not much of a weather person so I cannot comment if it’s due to man playing havoc with nature or some plain natural variation but whatever it is, it certainly has postponed the planting of my new acquisitions.

Guardian of my garden

That’s BRUNO! My Chocolate Labrador. Loving, faithful and a bit impish, he was the nemesis of my Garden till a few months back {he used to eat my flower buds esp chrysanthemums and marigolds}, but now as he has grown up, he loves my garden as much as I do, so much so that he won’t let any neighborhood brat touch my flowers.

My Succulent Corner

Succulents are a boon for a gardener residing in an area like mine as summers are generally very harsh overhere and b'coz of their unique capability of holding water in their leaves ,they can withstand very high temperatures and days of drought with ease. Of all the succulents 'Haworthias' are my favorite.The complex geometric arrangement of fleshy leaves gives rise to intricate patterns and designs characterstic of each species.

Kalanchoe Pretty

I love these kalanchoes for the ease with which they can be grown.Just plant them ,sit back, relax and enjoy the bloom.