Xeric Days are over

It was worst summer this year compared to some of the last years ,It was dryness everywhere with plant affected adversely .Many plants were not able to strive the hot and dry weather ,the leaves got burnt due to excessive hot climate.
                                                       

Now the situation has changed and the weather has become pleasant..thanks to the pre monsoon    showers,Its time to bid adieu summer and welcome the wet and humid Rainy weather .                                                                                          

The wait is over my Orange Day lily unfurled its petals after drop in temperature.

 Zinnias are back 

 Petunias left there dormancy and bloomed ..

We are anticipating for the monsoon to strike our city and drench us and revitalize the soul.

X is xeric for Abc Wednesday                                                                              

Growing Sacred Lotus from seed

It all started with the search for the sacred lotus plant which is not available at Plant  Nurseries ....Then I got to know through an acquaintance that it can be grown through seeds easily available in the market popularly known as Kamal Gatta ...I thought of giving it a try..
                                               
I bought a few and scarified them deeply using a metal file  so that a creamy layer could be visible ...and soaked them in the water overnight...
Here's what I got on the next morning...the seeds have been bulged from the original sizes due to penetration of water

Finally there was a sprout after soaking for 4 days ...One thing to keep in mind is changing water twice a day                                                                                                                                                  

I planted it in a small 6 inch pot and kept that pot in a bucket filled with water...within a week there was a floating leaf  ...It was thrilling experience to see that floating leaf                                                      

After a week ,The plant has been shifted to big round tank and it is growing day by day ...

.One important point to keep in mind is tank should be kept in indirect sunlight area so that leaves don't get burnt....                                                                                                                                              

A week later the plant has rapid growth with leaves filling the tank..                                                                             

                                             

                                                                                       

Twenty days later Aerial leaves have started emerging they are breathtaking ....                                       

                                

White Fragrance of summer

Summer has been terrible  this year with temperature revolving around 45 degrees celsius .But there is a reason for which it is being remembered every year and rejoiced for the fragrance it brings to the garden.
Although Summer is not a floral season at all due to scorching heat ,but still there is a reason to wait for  Summer after spring season , the array of white flowers that choose to bloom in summer are always looked forward for there fragrance.
         There are multiple flowers in the Jasmine family ,but here I am describing about the sweet little fragrant Juhi Flowers as locally known ...Botanical Name is Jasminum Auriculatum ...

They grow in vine form which can reach many meters if not trimmed ,they blooms best on a cloudy day and at night time ,there wafting fragrance instantly grabs attention ,they are used for sacred purpose too for offering to gods in our religion.I have one such vine at my backyard and front yard  as well separately                                                                                                                

There flowers are smaller in comparison to  all the other flowers from the jasmine family but there fragrance is divine and sweet  .   They have a long blooming period   from mid summer till the end of monsoon season.                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                               I have some more vareities of white fragrant flowers of summer that chose different times and conditions of summer  that shall be discussed in upcoming posts ...Till then bring this sweet little vine to your home and bring some relaxation to mind through there fragrance .

                                      

                           Abc Wednesday                                            

Today's Flowers 

Our World Tuesday             

Bloomed @ 45 degree celsius

This Summer has been the hottest of last thirty years ,Temperature has touched 47 degree celsius which was a record in itself  for the city .The dry days with long day hours that too with hot winds where temperature at daytime moves between 45 - 47 degree celsius makes it impossible scene for flora to survive and flourish ,but we can call it by God's Grace or blessings given by the Almighty of Nature,there were some plants who did beat the Heatwaves and bloomed to my surprise...

      Sunflowers looking into face of the Sun   ...

                                           

Portulacas giving some color to otherwise colorless dry garden...                                                       

Zinnias the Hardy summer Annuals blooming alonwith a surprise of petunias at the back in the same pot,as Zinnias were planted with forethought that Petunias would die back automatically leaving the space for Zinnias but they survived somehow the Summer Heat...WOW!!!

 A closeup of the above Zinnia...

 Some more Petunias which were kept in the shade are blooming too..Yipee!!

 That too there color is intact with hotness at 45 degree celsius ...thats a gift of god I guess!!

A surprise was sudden bloom of beautiful double coloured Miniature canation                         

 Ruellias the Drought resistant plants blooming with pretty pink charm..

 Oleander again a Hardy perennial giving a vibrant pink environment along with 

whole year blooming Bougainvillea

We can always hope for the flowers blooming throughout the year in our region ...just by being patient since little patience will give Monsoon in a few days rejuvenating the plants again..

Have a bloomy week..                                                                                                  

Whats blooming around the world ,look over to Garden Blogger Blooms Day and enjoy the blooms...                                                                                                                               

Proud to be vegetarian

In our society where Hindu religion prevails being vegetarian is not a choice given but a custom being adopted from the birth and I am proud to be part of such religion due to  the health benefits of being vegetarian, 

                                                             

                                                             Okra for cholesterol controlling    


since vegetarians are at lower risk for developing :

Heart diseases,
Corolectral,ovarian and Breast Cancer,
Diabetes,
Obesity,
Hypertension(High Blood Pressure )

This is because a healthy vegetarian diet is typically low in fat and high in fiber. However,a vegetarian diet can be high in fat if it includes excessive ampounts of fatty snack foods,fried foods,whole milk dairy products.

                                                             

                                                        Capsicum for proper digestion

And not only that Our religion teaches us to worship Animals and there should always be a desire to protect and respect animals because they form vital part of our ecological system .

                                                                     

 

Basil the Anti aging drug

In the nutshell being vegetarian gives you joy of  loving vegetables and  herbs, promoting a green ecosystem and also encouraging you to grow them at your home and lead a healthy life...                 V is for Vegetarian for Abc wednesday                              

Unconditional Giving

Sometimes we become to involved in fulfilling our needs in fetching every other thing around us without even giving a thought of returning it back..But there is one being that never demands instead give endlessly without wanting anything back in exchange....Guess what it is ...

                                                                     

It's obviously the trees they gives us fresh air to breathe ,they give us plethora of edibles to survive from death out of starving ,they give us shade to survive the boiling heat ... they give birth to triplets too   ...                                                                                                                          

                                 

and want nothing in return but some love in the form of watering and  manuring...thats such a petty cost for what they give us ... and the only one we will find in the world   where there is no unconditional exchange ..                                                                                                                       

So Wake up and Plant more trees and make world a better place of unconditional love

                                                                                                                                     

U is for Unconditional for Abc wednesday