Greeny and Bloomy 2008

So, the Year 2008 was so bloomy and greeny!

Purple Allamanda - Allamanda blanchetii

Desert Rose - Adenium obesum

Rangoon Creeper - Quisqualis indica (right); Asoka - Saraca indica (left)

Though it was built late in the year (during the summer), Plantville grew up so fast and healthy.

Butterfly Pea - Clitoria ternatea - Aparâjita

Cockscomb Crested - Celosia argentea var. cristata

A lovely splash of colors adorned the mini city, welcoming visitors and growing along with them well.

Blue Morning Glory - Ipomoea nil - Krishnabîja

Mexican Flame Vine - Senecio confusus

Plants are the most adorable pets who reward you well, aren’t they? They do survive a day’s starving and regain back soon with proper attention the next day!Plumbago - Plumbago auriculata - Nîlacitraka

Isn’t that the most positive factor about having Plants for Pets?

Oleander - Nerium oleander - Karavîra

They make no noises, would damage your belongings, don’t need to be walked, and many more attractive factors make them a perfect choice as pets. They in fact cheer you up when you're moody with their beautiful greens and blooms.

Wax Rose - Pereskia bleo

They definitely did for me! I wasn’t content with one and on and on grew their population, crowding the Plantville. Some died and some were thrown out for misbehavior.

Sunflower - Helianthus unknownus :D

Cucumber - Cucumis sativus - Trapushpa

Some were tortured badly by their worst enemies, but always recovered and were grateful to me as ever.

Hibiscus - Hibiscus rosa-sinesis - Japâ

I'm going to talk less today and let you enjoy this year’s cheerful pictures of the denizens of Plantville…

Chilli - Capsicum frutescens

Chrysanthemums

Crape Jasmine - Tabernaemontana divaricata 'Flore Pleno'

Purple False eranthemum - Pseuderanthemum carruthersii

Four O'clock - Mirabilis jalapa - Krishnakeli

Cape Honeysuckle - Tecomaria capensis

Ixora - Ixora coccinea

Canna - Canna spp.

Desert Petunia - Ruellia brittoniana

Zephyr Lily - Zephyranthes candida

Rain Lily pink - Zephyranthes grandiflora

Yellow Zephyr Lilies - Zephyranthes sulphurea

May the next year bring us all and our green pets, happy, prosperous, and bloomy surprises!

The Twisters and Mounters

They slither… they shuffle from the heavens… they crawl about… they try to reach the sky… I’m sure you already guessed about whom I’m talking. Yes, it’s the every gardener’s favorite creepers and climbers. My love for plants began with them. If you had read my very first post, it was the Betel Creeper that initially got me started and then I wanted to have creepers, creepers and only them, but due to the lack of enough space, I had to restrict myself with a few. But someday, when I own a large space I’d fill it with almost all creepers that I get my hands on! That’s my dream!

Anyways, coming back to reality, this is the first ever creeper that I grew from the seed. Remember Mrs. and Mr. Jequirity? Well, they've grown really tall and are trying to reach the sky.Turning and twisting around each other they make a wonderful sight now.They look so delicate, elegant, and are a loving pair!

Abrus Precatorius - Gunja (Sanskrit) - Jequirity

The climbing Purple Allamanda joined the team next. He’d go up, up, and up but would never flower and one fine day with the arrival of Autumn, he surprised me with a lipstick like bud, which grew, grew, and grew and ever since he’s been flowering almost continuously.

Allamanda violacea - Purple Allamanda

To accompany him, came the glorious Morning glory from heavens. She shuffled down, delicately twisting herself around anything that touches her.

Ipomoea nil - Kalanjani (Sanskrit) - Blue Morning Glory

I almost forgot about this handsome and slithering hunk. He was sold to me in the name – Celosia. And that too by someone learned in Botany! I looked at the Bill she gave me thinking she might have spelled it wrong, but no she spelled it clearly as CELOSIA! I wasn’t an expert (nor am now) at identifying plants, but I was good enough to know that Celosia’s leaves don’t look like this and moreover they don’t climb! I saw this vine climbing and twisting about in the nursery’s arch and asked her for it, attracted by it’s beautiful orange flowers.

I waited… waited… and waited… Hoping he’d flower someday and yes, he did… And he turned out to be a pleasant SURPRISE in capitals! He was none other than the great Mr Senecio confusus (Now I see where the name Celosia came from, but it was still too much a mistake coming from a Botanist) – Mexican flame vine.

He’d slither about everywhere, flowering profusely…

His flowers initially look yellow and darken to red in a few days.

Senecio confusus - Mexican Flame Vine

Since this not being a native Indian plant, I'd like to name him Agnikana (Spark of fire)

And the most deserving member of this Vine family is Butterfly Pea! I thought I planted the couple yesterday and lo and behold! The very next day they seemed to start flowering (actually it hardly took them two weeks to start flowering). That too the lady white would flower crazily, some of her creations being extra large! Mr Blue wasn’t all that active, but he was no flop, all the same!

Clitoria ternatea - Aparajita (Sanskrit) - Butterfly Pea

I plant to train the lady white into some shape…Clitoria ternata 'Alba' - White Butterfly Pea

How shall I do it? You got any ideas?