Monday 18 March 2024

Garden Affair : World Sparrow Day

 March 20th is observed as World Sparrow Day. Sparrows have been integral part of human civilization. Sparrows count has been decreasing globally so it is imperative to raise awareness about their conservation and protection. 

                                                                  



The goal of this day is to promote awareness about sparrows and similar birds and thereby to inspire people about creating and organizing program for the  protection of sparrows .                               

There are several ways through which we can protect sparrows in our areas :                            

We can plant a bird house in our garden or in our locality whichever is feasible where sparrow activity is spotted on regular basis providing it should be placed at  a good height which would assure sparrows safety for their nesting .                                                                                                      

Placing a Bird feeder or a  water container in your locality will protect sparrows from the harshness of weather and help them survive in our harsh summer climate.                                                      
          

                 
It is the time for link up party Garden Affair where we can share posts related to Gardening, Nature and birds. The link up party will remain open for a week starting from Sunday. 

                                                                             


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Friday 15 March 2024

Spring has arrived

 The late start to winter and early onset of spring has envisaged earlier  blooms in garden . The hum and haw due to  the dip and rise of  temperature has affected health and Nature equally. 


The Flame of Forest or 'Palash' tree is one of  the  first arriver of Spring 




                                                               Cassia blooms are early for this time of the year      






                                                                   























My Backyard had a barren land where I planted the spring annuals , the place is now ready for the spring show. 





                                                                  Meanwhile a Cormorant was spotted at the lake  

Thursday 7 March 2024

Happy Blogversary

 It was 11 years from now back in time when I penned my first blog post, never knew would continue writing for more than a decade . It had lead  me to  get closer with Nature and connect with the joy of Gardening. 

                                                                     


 I feel blessed to connect with fellow bloggers from around the world  through my link up party Garden Affair  . Thanks for being besides me in my journey through ups and downs. 

Sunday 3 March 2024

Garden Affair : Jatropha

There are few of the evergreen shrubs that adapts well in our environment and blossoms in our climate throughout the year . Jatropha is one of the most hardy shrub that blossoms throughout the year . It is drought resistant shrub that grows wild and its  miniature tubular  blooms are attractive to bees and butterflies.


                                                      Blooms and  seeds formation on Jatropha plant




Growing method and care                                                                                                                         

Jatropha plant is a hardy shrub that doesn't require any special care to grow as it can grow in any soil condition irrespectively. The plant doesn't require much water to grow thereby it needs well drained soil . It can easily be grown through dispersal of seeds and can be easily propagated through stem .                                                                                                                                              



It is the time for link up party Garden Affair where we can share posts related to Gardening, Nature and birds. The link up party will remain open for a week starting from Sunday. 


                                                              


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Monday 19 February 2024

Garden Affair : Gardening and wellbeing

 Gardening as a practice of cultivating and arranging plants and shrubs is just not a hobby it has psychological implications . According to world wide research there is one out of every four person who  would be suffering from one of the mental illness which could be anxiety disorder, depression or any other mental disorder by  the year 2030 . Gardening as a therapy had played vital role in curing the mental illness. 

  

                                                               



The idea of  using gardening to promote health and well being which is also known as therapeutic culture has proved to be helped many individual come out of  the depressions, anxiety and thereby improvement in mental health .Horticulture therapy is playing vital role in improving well being of  
  people who had been suffering from chronic health conditions, drug abuse and tobacco use .                                                                 




                                                                                                                 
It is the time for link up party Garden Affair where we can share posts related to Gardening , Nature and birds. The link up party will remain open for a week starting from Sunday . 

                                                       





You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Thursday 15 February 2024

Spring is knocking

The global climate change has effected the winter season drastically with late arrival of cool weather  and spring. The month of spring starts today with this auspicious day of ' Basant panchami ' which is believed to be first day of spring , although the presence of coolness in the air had derailed the spring arrival. The rise in temperature had envisaged the audacity of early spring blooms in my garden.  


                                                                          

                                                        

                                                                  China Aster is unfurling blooms 


                                                         Kalanchoe plant coming out of dormancy 

                                                                         


                                                                      Osteospermum blooming

                                                                               


                                                         

                                                          Mesembryanthemum and petunias blooming 


                                                                       


                                                                                                                       


 Common kingfisher spotted by the lakeside 


                                             



Monday 5 February 2024

Garden Affair : Growing saffron at home

   Saffron is one of the most expensive as well as popular spice consumed in the world. It has distinctive flavor which is used in sweets and savory recipes. In India around 90 percent of Saffron  is produced  in Kashmir . 


                                                            


            Saffron is  actually a stigma obtained from the flower Crocus sativus which belongs to Crocus family, It is actually the stigma that is edible and is popularly known as 'Kesar' in Hindi in India . 

                                                             Saffron grown in my Garden            


It is a bulbous plant that is suited to be  grown in cooler environment which is reason it is grown in the hilly areas of J&K of India. 

                  It was my first experience to grow Saffron flower in my home garden . Here is my detailed experience in chronological order   to grow saffron flower from bulbs : 


Saffron    flower bulbs were sown at the starting of winter  in the sandy soil which is composed of more part of organic fertilizer and some part of river sand so that there is no chance of water retention.                                                

                                                                               Saffron flower bulbs


              I chose a earthen pot to grow bulbs as they maintain the cool temperature of soil for longer time.  I watered the pot every once in a fortnight and it was around at the end of month the tip of bud showed  .                                      


                                                                     Saffron bulbs  sown in earthen pot


The bud showed up from one of the bulbs  after sowing of Saffron bulb a month ago  it was  thrilling experience to capture the first ever flower of Saffron grown in my home garden.                                                                             

                                                                    


It bloomed completely  in a time span of two to three days , it can be clearly observed that red stigma in the purple Crocus flower is saffron . 

                                                                          



It is the time for link up party Garden Affair where we can share posts related with Gardening, Nature and birds. The link up party will be open for a week starting from Sunday. 

                                                               

                                                                



           


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
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