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!

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)