Dec 18, 2008

Bud(g)s Beauty

I decided to do a Birthday Gift Blog after discovering that it was our fellow garden blogger Greg’s (http://midnightgarden12.wordpress.com/) birthday this month (this also is dedicated to other fellow bloggers whose birthday falls in December. May life bloom ever-beautifully! Here’s a glimpse of what your lives were like before it bloomed this month. Hope you all like this gift. Happy Birthday again Greg and others! May many more happy blooms open in the years to come in your lives!). Wouldn’t it be special for our Garden Blogger friends to see such posts. So it’s my humble request that you all update your Date of Birth in your profiles. Thank you.

No matter how much you speak to your plants, coo to them, serenade to them, or whatnot, they don’t respond as they do to the gentle caress of the bugs. Now, I’m not complaining, but just stating the fact.

No one can ever make the Lantana open its eyes like the butterflies (I couldn’t capture them as they were too quick for my basic camera, for that matter most of the bugs were too quick for me to capture them caressing the buds).

Lantana camara var. aculeata - Lantana

The Chillies might be red hot when ripe but are cool and pleasing when they’re about to bloom.

Capsicum frutescens - Chilli

And the Cockscomb! Man! I was lucky to eavesdrop on these people’s intimate conversation. The bee (I guess that’s what it is) was made over this Cockscomb especially, and was all over it, caressing, cooing, singing, and whispering.

Celosia argentea var. cristata - Cockscomb crested

The bees know time better than humans as they never fail to visit this Four O’ Clock almost every day.

Mirabilis jalapa - Four O'clock - Krishnakeli

Well, I can’t praise this beauty enough… but I don’t want to overdo it at least for some time now…

Hibiscus rosa-sinesis - Hibiscus - Japâ Pushpa

These candies are an ever-favorite of an unknown bee that literally dances around the bud – I’ve never seen it near them when in flower. By the time I clicked my camera, it jumped on to the Ruellia and even there, I manage only a lousy image of it (see if you can spot a light blue body with stripes on lower left-bottom corner amidst the Ruellia blooms)

Tecomaria capensis - Cape Honeysuckle

Well this green-eyed insect-peacock (that’s what I named these flying beauties for their beautiful splash of colors) seems to love Ixoras (Again you might be able to see a black speck on the lower left-bottom corner on the leaf)

Ixora coccinea - Ixora

The Jasmine requires none as she’s too proud to let anyone near.

Jasminum sambac var. 'Belle of India' - Arabian Jasmine 'Belle of India'

Jasminum sambac var. 'Grand Duke Of Tuscany' - Arabian Jasmine 'Grand Duke Of Tuscany'

The lone one in meditation before opening her eyes to the sun.

This fly seems to like my Dwarf Oleander a lot as most of the times I see him lurking around its pot. What’s so special about my Olie?

Nerium oleander - Oleander

Waiting to smile, the canna is in no hurry. She’d openly slowly no matter a human, bird, or insect cooed to her.

Canna spp. - Canna lily 'Orange Delight' (I nicknamed it)

And so is the Hippeastrum

Hippeastrum hybrid - Amaryllis Lily

These are Butterflies’ all-time favorite too.

Ipomoea nil (Convolvulus nil) - Blue Morning Glory - Krishnabijah

And these too…

Zephyranthes candida - Rain Lily White

I almost forgot this beauty on which the insect peacocks sit most of the time.

Tabernaemontana divaricata 'Flore Pleno' - Crape jasmine

(Identification of the insects are appreciated)

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Awesome collection, Chandramouli. And a great idea doing a birthday post like this. Happy Birthday Greg!

I'll be in Chennai at the end of this month. My sister lives there and we might go to B'glore too. Would like to get in touch with you after I get there. My mail---
kanakhagjer@yahoo.co.in

Anonymous said...

Many thank yous, Chandramouli! It's been a pleasure meeting you through our blogging...and enjoying your garden this winter while mine is asleep. Glad you enjoyed the Christmas tree posts!

Chandramouli S said...

Thank you, Kanak :)
Sure thing. You can mail me at Chandramouli.S@gmail.com. My Pleasure.

Hey Greg! You're welcome as ever. I did totally enjoy your posts and looking forward for other installments. Hope you liked the gift.

Marvin said...

It is a great pleasure to look at your beautiful photos when almost everything outside here is some shade of brown. Thank you!

(A tiny bit of help with the insects: The large insect with an obvious stinger is a wasp. The small, metallic insects are actually flies, probably some species of long-legged fly.)

Corner Gardener Sue said...

What a nice bunch of flowers and flies!

Wayne Stratz said...

I enjoyed the photos. Have you ever grown the cockscomb that look like a brain? always gets attention when I plant them at the school. I saw one in a catalog that is bright yellow. I am tempted.

Chandramouli S said...

Welcome to Plantville, Marvin! Glad you liked the photos and stay here.

Thank you so much for the help, coz I wouldn't have been able to identify them myself. I'm so bad when it comes to the insects' world. All I can identify is the normal housefly, mosquito (we get lots of them in here. LOL!) and the dragonfly.

Chandramouli S said...

Yea! Wow! I was awed too! :) Thanks for stopping by, Sue.

Chandramouli S said...

I enjoyed the photos. Have you ever grown the cockscomb that look like a brain? always gets attention when I plant them at the school. I saw one in a catalog that is bright yellow. I am tempted.

The cockscomb that I have is the same - looks like brain when it blooms completely (Celosia argentea var. cristata). It's such a treat, but takes days to get to that stage. I've seen only one in my plant, others are yet to grow to that stage...