Garden Affair : Pink prevalent in the Garden

 We are into the October which had an odd  beginning with a round of downpour. October is generally time when weather is transitioning into the Autumn season. This particular year summer annuals are into their prime of blooming stage even in the October month. 

I never plan for my Autumn Garden as Summers here are harsh and  the aim to protect plants from harsh summer and the concurrent  monsoon is a priority. While the Garden itself is spontaneous to come into view in the Autumn after nourishment of  Monsoon Downpour . This year it  seems the Autumn Garden will bring the riot of Pink shades in for 'The Autumn Play '

                                                                              

                                                                 Ixora 

Balsam

Zinnia 

                                                                       Vinca

 

                                                              Ruellia

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Garden Affair : Does Lucky Bamboo actually work

 Lucky Bamboo plant is a popular indoor houseplant that  had became popular after its cultural significance as a good  omen  in the ancient practice of Fengshui had been proven in the world. It became a household plant after it became a name in every household as a plant that bring good fortune .  

                                                                              

How to grow the Lucky Bamboo plant and care 

                                                                                       

It is interesting to note here while it is called Bamboo plant due to its resemblance to Bamboo it is actually not a Bamboo plant instead a variety of Dracaeana Family. It is an easy to Grow indoor plant that requires ample indirect sunlight and can be easily grown in water , sand and any well drained  soil . 

Propagation of Lucky Bamboo plant 

                                                                                 
Lucky Bamboo is an easy to grow plant that requires minimal care and grows well indoor . The Lucky Bamboo cutting can be propagated through stem cuttings . The cuttings obtained from the offshoots grown on the plant can be easily grown in water and also can be grown in well drained soil with the use of rooting hormone . 

                                                                      

Does lucky bamboo actually brings good luck ?                                                                        

According to Chinese culture Fengshui Bamboo stalks can be directly effecting your fate and bring good omen . According to Chinese culture Fengshui number of stalks grown of Lucky Bamboo plant have their own significance and there quantity individually  symbolizes the   positivity and prosperity in our life. 

Although this plant is not directly related to bringing  good fortune in life the placement of plant according to Fengshui and Vaastu shastra has mentioned its significance in bringing positive energy and happiness in home when placed  in the south east direction of House. 

My personal experience of Growing Lucky Bamboo 

I had planted set of six stalks of Lucky bamboo about five years back in a small jar which was kept in a living room with indirect sunlight . It grew within a year with offshoots growing on three of the stalks which I trimmed and used for propagation. While what positive effect it brought into my life is still unascertainable it is definitely a great indoor plant that can be grown to add greenery  to your room .  

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 be open for a week starting from Friday.                                                 

                                                                               

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Garden Affair : Big Butterfly month

The weather after monsoon is cooler in comparison to Summer  with  pleasant sunny days which is considered favorable  for the emergence of bugs and bees  family . Butterflies are more prevalent  after  the post monsoon Indian climate.  While the ideal monsoon season in India covers July to Mid September. It is the September season that leads to growth in Fresh vegetation and emergence of annual and perennial nectar rich blooms that attracts Bugs and Butterflies. 

                                                                             

Big Butterfly Month in India is celebrated in September month which has primary focus on spreading awareness about the presence of Butterflies and thereby encourage the observing , recording and reporting of Butterfly  sightings  which help monitor Biodiversity and overall assess the environmental health.                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                  

Why it is important to conserve Butterflies and How to participate in Big Butterfly month  ?  

Butterflies protection and conservation came into light when it was scientifically proved that           Butterflies play vital role in maintaining ecological Balance . They play active role in assessing           environment health and climate change .Thereby Big Butterfly month plays significant role in         collecting data of Population of Butterflies.                                                                                                  

                                                                            

                                                                                                                           

How to participate in Big Butterfly Month                                                                                                     

   - Participants can count the population of Butterflies using apps and submit their collected Data on available platforms and apps. Some of the relevant apps working on conservation of Butterflies are  INaturalist, Official BBM App                                                                                                                                                          

-Participants can attend    workshops and seminars to get awareness about Butterfly month organized by clubs , NGOS working  for environmental protection .  There are even Butterfly walks organized in parks and places to sight butterflies to  record their count  and observe their species.                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                      

- Organizing get together and events by Nature enthusiasts to encourage awareness about protection and conservation of Butterflies.                                                                                                                

Plants like Bougainvilleas, Indian milkweed , Plumbago , Lantanas, zinnias and many other nectar rich flowering  plants should be planted more to attract Butterflies in Gardens, parks .                            

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 Friday. 

                                                                           

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Spring that comes post monsoon

 Monsoon    has outperformed itself  this year as records of rainfall pertaining to   last decade has been broken this year in my region.  

These self seeders always dominate my  post monsoon Garden 

                                                      

                                                                                        

                                                                                 

Bougainvilleas steal the show post monsoon 

                                                                                 

I am recommending this Life saver succulent plant to every fellow gardener who wants to grow succulent for the first time  at their respective  place if you don't see freezing temperature as it is one of the most hardy succulent in my Garden and those star fish alike blooms are stunner. 

                                                                          

Some summer bloomers that chose post monsoon over summer season due to temperature drop post monsoon   to flourish in their prime. 

                                                           

I am observing sudden increase in population of Myna Bird from quite some time now in my region. I recently found out that they are very adaptable in diverse habitats and their breed is well established in Indian Terrain  .  

                                                                                

Garden Affair : This self seed flower tastes like Cranberry

 I have been always astounded about how Nature surprise us in the most pleasant manner. Monsoon is on a state of taking bid adieu for this year  and now in no time Autumn season will arrive in my Garden . 

Autumn season is one such season when Garden sees maximum blooming just after the spring season .The summer annuals are at their peak blooming  and just like spring even self seed plants which emerge post monsoon blooms at the mid of Autumn and continue blooming till the end of  season.

Cranberry Hibiscus or Red leafed Hibiscus which self seeds itself every year  as an annual in my Garden during Autumn  is a beautiful shrub with large red to maroon colored Hibiscus shaped  flowers with elliptical maple shaped leaves . The leaves and flowers both are edible and  even taste like Cranberry fruit. 

                                                                                    

                                                                  

Method of Growing and care 

While Cranberry Hibiscus is a hardy perennial like every other Hibiscus plant it grows well in a Full sunny area  and blooms profusely when fertilized before flowering period. The Cranberry tastes mostly comes from the leaves of plant. The juice extracted from leaves of plants has the taste of Cranberry Juice. 

                                                                 

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 Friday.                                        

 

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Garden Affair : This plant in my Garden is immortal

           It was about two years  ago when I was cleaning up garden area after disarray created by downpour post  monsoon season . During this process of cleaning time in my Garden  I discovered  out this stem  lying on  porch area of Garden. I ignored it on the first thought that it could be some kind of  weed and kept it on a Garden Table and forgot completely about it only to rediscover it  almost a month later at same place, I was amazed it was growing and even leaves were budding and this is how I discovered The immortal plant   of Tinospora Cordifolia . The uprooted plant stems can survive months . 

                                         This below  is the stem I found out in my Garden               

I planted that stem and it grew over  into a beautiful voluptuous vine in a course of two years 

                                                                      

I have covered in detail about growing , propagation and care about Tinospora plant in my earlier blog , u can check here How to grow Tinospora cordifolia                                                                                  

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 from Friday for a week .                                   

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Garden Affair : Plants that attract sunbirds in my Garden

 Sunbirds are one of the most fascinating  looking birds adored for their striking color and their small size around the world. Sunbirds are small in size but their vibrant display, their ability to adapt different habitats even in urban environment makes them one of the most frequently observed  birds everywhere around the world irrespective of climate. They are often spotted feeding  nectar on flowers that makes them fascinating to watch among bird lovers among other birds feeding upon nectar. 

First time I saw Sunbird in my Garden was when it was feeding upon pomegranate flower. I was awestruck with its beauty. 

They are commonly seen in my Garden especially after monsoon season and spring . While they are attracted to plethora of flowers their visit in my Garden is mainly on these blossoms around the year .  

           Cypress vine is annual which attracts pollinators and nectar feeding birds mostly .I had heard about hummingbirds and sunbirds picking upon cypress vine blooms for nectar.                                                             

         Lantana is one more shrub that attracts butterflies and sunbirds especially during Autumn season.                  

I have seen Purple sunbirds from my childhood   especially purple sunbirds feeding upon pomegranate flowers. They are mostly observed post monsoon season when flowering on pomegranate is   prominent.                                                                                                                                                   

Hibiscus plant is a fascinating plant to grow in garden to attract sunbirds. I had observed sunbirds picking upon Hibiscus blooms for the nectar at frequent time periods in a year. 

                                                                                   

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 .                                                                              

                                                             

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Garden Affair : This vegetable peel helped me got rid of leaf eater moth

 Its Monsoon season , the favorable weather for the parturition and breeding of  bugs . Where the monsoon season proves boon for the garden to bring back greenery, it surely proves to be a favorable weather for the outbreak of bugs and little critters. 

While I was on my cleaning spree in my Garden after rains , I was took aback when my spider lilies and Rain lilies plants went vanished  from pots . Monsoon is  adjacent with flourishing rain lilies it was disheartening to see them disappear completely in their prime blooming season when the  leaves were  chewed by the moths. 

                                                  Leaf eater moth feeding upon Rain lilies 

However these moths don't reach till  the bulbs but controlling their resurgence  is necessary for the garden . The little creatures have capacity to vanish leaves from the plants in a single feed only. 

                                                                      

I had made up my mind recently to use organic fertilizers and pesticides in my Garden after realizing  the damaging impacts of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in Garden. 

Garlic peels had proved as an effective insecticide and pesticide especially controlling the larva and moth growth on plants.                                                                              

How to prepare Garlic Spray as an effective pesticide for Garden :

Garlic spray is one of the best effective organic pesticide that helps in controlling the growth of moths and bugs on leaves  . The simple procedure to make a spray from Garlic peels or whole Garlic cloves is to soak them in water over night and then directly using the strained water to spray on the leaves of plants the next day . We can add a drop of  organic liquid detergent with Garlic water spray  to  help to last upon the leaves. 

                                                                                         

 

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 . 

                                                                       

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Garden Affair : Happy Independence Day

 Its 79th Independence Day , the year when India had encountered multitude of Challenging situations and was able to successfully weather the storm . I am really proud to be born in this country. 

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY 

Garden is basking in  green cover  after prolonged Monsoon rains . Rain Lilies and Portulacas are blooming in profusion in Garden . 

                                                                 

Nature finds its way to surprise us when we are not expecting it . Those who do Gardening can relate with the lines  " Its about finding something valuable and delightful when weren't  actively searching for it , and it can bring joy, persona growth and new opportunities. "                                                    

I almost forgot about an avocado seed that I planted in a container in summers until it appeared out of nowhere during my Garden cleaning in the form of  full grown  seedling after the magic of             monsoon spell upon it.                                                                                                                             

The seedling popped out of Seed which I completely forgot after planting in summers. 

  

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 .                                                       

                                         

 

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Monsoon Effect

 Monsoon Downpour has taken a halt the  weather has become moderate and pleasant. The monsoon rains and fall in temperature helps in resurgence of blooms in garden.  

             I had planted these cypress vines at the end of Summer season and after consistent  downpour of monsoon the vine has covered entire flower bed and with a monsoon break the blooms showed up in beautiful scarlet color. 

     Although  Vinca Plant is all year bloomer in my Garden its colors somehow pops more after the monsoon downpour. 

                                              Rain brings the Rain lilies back  into profusion of blooms.                                                                                                      

I await for Tecoma blooms after long summer months 

                                                                

Frangipani is one such perennial that has adapted our climate very well 

                                                                      

I saw this beauty first in the morning as I was heading towards my morning walk it was close enough to give me a shot after trying few times with mobile camera I was able to capture it in a still position

                                                                           Peahen resting upon Log