Sure-footed Capricorns!

As I started the last month, I decided to continue to Birthday gift post every month and this month is for the sure-footed Capricorns (Dec 21 to Jan 20).

Many more happy and bloomy returns O’ Capris!

As the sure-footed ones you’re you’ll climb to any height, no matter if you’re threatened by great perils. You’ll cross them all and bunch up to your personal summit!

Butterfly Pea - Clitoria ternatea - Aparâjita

Triumph is for you on the summit.Though looking small, meek, delicate, and reserved, you’re the brave ones who fights against all odds...

Oleander - Nerium oleander - Karavîra

You always keep your heads held high

Desert Petunia - Ruellia brittoniana

Zinnia 'Dreamland Rose' - Zinnia Elegance

as you deem self-esteem more important in your lives…

Wax Rose - Pereskia bleo

The natural absorbents that you’re, you wait patiently to produce great results and are efficient servers!

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

Don’t lose your heart though, O’ sure-footed ones, if the outlook seems small!

Chrysanthemum - Chrysanthemum indicum - Sevantikâ

To you, your appearances are important, ain’t it?

Rose - Rosa

Generally being short of stature, you have exceedingly expressive eyes!Hibiscus - Hibiscus rosa-sinesis - Japâ

Look away from your self for the light and you would find it…May this year bring all happiness to you and lead you to your success!Crape Jasmine - Tabernaemontana divaricata 'Flore Pleno'

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)