Overhaul is coming to an end

Has it ever happened to you that you save your post as a draft and forget to publish it? Well, It did to me. I intended to post the New Year Post and wrote the post down on 31st I had to go to office on both days (Yeah, I know the surprised expression on your faces, well that’s how bad my work is, anyways!); forgot to publish it and never came back, coz I had also mentioned that I wouldn’t be posting until the month end or February! So much for being a computer savvy! And would you believe that I work with computers every other day and help people fix them! Anyways, Belated Happy New Year 2010 to all of you. May be I’ll change that New Year post to something else and post later. I was lagging behind a lot last year and I hope not to be so this year.

(The pair of shoes below is my first project of the year)(The caps and gloves are for my sister and brother in law)(This purse is for a sweet friend from Germany who was generous enough to send me the Strawberry and many other seeds that I'm gonna sow this month)

The first month of January, I was busy crocheting! Yes, I love doing it. I learnt it three years ago and stopped it as my fingers started aching. Recently I realized that it was because I was holding the yarn wrongly and now that I learnt how to hold it right, I was off crocheting gloves, caps, and stuff for my family and friends.

Plantville is almost getting cleaned up and the overhaul is almost done. I finally found that Neem Spray worked really well on mealy bugs that had conquered Plantville. (This is some unknown larvae that seemed to reduce the beautifully flowering Nyctanthes)

Initially I did the mistake of spraying them once a week but observed that the bugs didn’t go away completely. They seemed to hold their stand on the plants.(Can you make out the mealy bugs on the bud on the left)

I later learnt (after a tiresome translation from German to English – of course with the savior, Google Translator) that I should spray it once in two days for two weeks and as the instructions promised, it worked! Thanks to my sis who brought that Spray (CELAFLOR Naturen Schädlingsfrei Neem) from Germany for me a year ago.

(Can you see the aphids?)

Next huge problem was Millipedes! Yeeew! I know you can feel the chill running up your spine when you see them crawling around. They had built mansions in every pot and were eating up some leaves! Thank god I reserved my veggies sowing after the overhaul; if not these crawlers would have eaten them up! Initially I had picked them (Yeeew, I know, but I overcame the fear eventually) and later read somewhere that detergent in water would get rid of them. That seemed to do the trick but not all of them were eliminated. There were still heaps of them around, so I finally got this insecticide which did the magic. I think it was Dichlorvos.

Meanwhile many plants were trimmed, repotted, and cleaned up.

(This is a new addition)(One of the three Oleanders that I planted. This one started flowering soon. The other two are yet to flower - one is a baby pink and other a double/red colored one)

Many started sending forth beautiful blooms as if the clean environment lightened them up!

(After vigorous cutting, and spraying, this hibiscus is now finally healthy and flowering beautifully)

(I wish the Mums bloomed still so beautifully, but its days are over. Though they're blooming even now, the blooms are small)

(It was strange to find this Jasmine flowering in January!)

(I've never seen this Ixora stop flowering... touchwood...)

I’ll soon update you on the veggies and other seeds I’m gonna sow. It’s gonna be an exciting month. Wish me luck!

And yes, I almost forgot, even the parrot population seems to have increased here. Many babies can be seen from my terrace, playing with each other.

Goodbye Blooming Suns

It’s finally over – the season of Chrysanthemums. Though some flowers have been blooming even after the departure of Haemanta (Dewy Season), their blooms weren’t so beautiful and their efforts went in vain.

Gone were the days when they bloomed open like a sun, who moves across the sky blooming open completely as he rides on.

They basked in glory and showed themselves off to whoever passed by.

Japanese considered this as the symbol of sun and the orderly unfolding of petals represents perfection.

Confucius suggested that it can be used as an object of meditation. Of course, look at its serene beauty! It sure would infuse calmness into your mind.

Chinese drink the Chrysanthemum wine on the 9^th day of the 9^th moon to ensure long life (That was news to me too).

Though they have departed for now, they’ll be back soon with the arrival of Sarad (Autumn). Until then, Goodbye ‘mums! You were great!

Sleep in Mother Nature's lap until you come back with a bLoom!

Weekly Macro

This week I chose this beautiful Chrysanthemum that bloomed after sooooo......oooo long! I named him 'Dewy Sun' as he bloomed during this dewy season.

Chrysanthemum 'Dewy Sun'

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'

Macro Monday

It's my favorite flower on Macro Monday! Chrysanthemum! mmmm.....By the ways, I need help to identify this beauty's botanical name...

A gardener’s exciting moment

With the mere touch, your fingertips tingles, nose becomes sensitive, eyes become attentive, heart flutters, and you’re in heaven. When does this happen? When you’re shopping for plants/seeds! Isn’t shopping the exciting time for a gardener? I’m sure it is. Of course your wallet would lose weight. DUH!

But tell you what! My mom’s purse didn’t lose much weight as we hit JACKPOT two days ago! A healthy plant, with beautiful blooms, at a cheap price! What else do you need? Isn’t that more than a Jackpot? I and my mom wanted to buy some Oleanders and Chrysanthemums and burned the EC road. Our eyes flashed upon a small nursery, which we missed the last time. The moment I laid my eyes on it, an array of humungous roses welcomed me (Damn me for not taking my camera with me!) It was such a delightful sight.

We went in and saw that all the plants were sooo healthy and fresh. We tentatively asked how much the Chrysanthemum costs. The woman said, “10 rupees.”

Jasminum sambac var. 'Belle of India'

Orange Rose

I thought, What? Am I dreaming?

Holy Basil

Mini Rose

Almost all plants costs the same, except the ones that come in mini pots like roses that cost 20 or 25 max. Damn! That was so darned cheap. We chose two chrysanthemums, two roses, two jasmines, and a basil. [Jump… Jump… Jump…]

Jasminum sambac var. 'Grand Duke Of Tuscany'

White Chrysanthemum

(Not sure if it's Oxyene Daisy but the flowers look like it. I'd appreciate if anyone can identify it exactly)

We also saw a grafted Hibiscus plant that had five different colored flowers. The moment my mom and I saw it, we thought, We gotta do that. I got wild and said, we’ll collect all available colors and graft them! Is that possible? Let’s see…

Yellow Chrysanthemum

(Is this the Crown Daisy? I'd appreciate if anyone can identify it exactly. The leaves are yellowish green if that helps)

Of course I wanted more, especially the ogre sized red rose, but I held myself. I didn’t have space for all that, so I restrained and drove back with a kid-holding-extra-large-chocolate-cone-faced expression!