Biding Adieu To February...

From EverGreen Tree

February is a very special month in my personal calendar, because of a series of Flower Shows where the Rose and Gladiolus show at the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) gives way to the Fruits, Vegetables & Flower Show at Raj Bhawan / Governor House Lawns  then a Flower Show @ E- Park, Mahanagar & lastly at the Surya Officers Institute, here in Lucknow.

It is always a feast for the eyes and a solace for the soul as eager Lucknowites throng to the venue for the show in full strength, over the subsequent weekends. A riot of vibrant colours in all possible shades, make you feel complete and one with nature & your surroundings. Be it Cineraria or Calendula, Ester or Carnations, California Poppys, or Daisies, Roses or Dahlias……& not to forget the Prized Trophies the winners at the show get to take back for their commendable effort to fill our lives with Seasonal flowers, bouquets and garlands of love, respect for nature & also lots of admiration for their work.

Now, Gardening can be a very rewarding and satisfying pastime for any nature lover. Some people would like the wilderness of an unkept garden while others would prefer the tamed, prim & proper look of the balcony or terrace garden. The options are many & can vary from one to another.

Even as a kid, I have always been drawn towards NATURE….its like a strong magnetic pull….. I fail to understand… a countryside farm, a ranch, orchards & vineyards, National Sanctuaries, Mountains or let’s just say a Simple patch of green with flower beds and lots of trees around i.e. Our very own GARDEN at home.

I can probably sit in the garden, lazing around doing nothing at all…. gazing at the sky, watching the birds taking a dip in the water bath or merely chirping away like the seven sisters, an occasional squirrel hopping about, the sashaying of the leaves in the breeze, a butterfly on a Nectar flower and amidst it all the sound of your own heart beat. Sounds like I have all the time in the world to day-dream, isn’t it? 


Hmmm…

I remember my brothers, our friends & I, used to perch ourselves high atop a Guava Tree Branch or a Mango tree or an Amaarak (Star Apple) tree, growing in our backyard, all afternoon after school, giggling, laughing, and munching at the guavas we had managed to pluck for ourselves. We were like a bunch of Carefree Monkeys having a time of our lives, back then. We had even managed to convince my MOM to set up a makeshift wooden swing for us…. hanging from one of the sturdy branches of the tree.

Some Memories!! & what a heavenly, luxurious paradise!!

I was probably still in school, when I planted my first tree ~ A Christmas tree  i.e. Araucaria in our garden along with my father. It stands tall and lofty even after so many years right at the entrance of our house.

From EverGreen Tree

I have learnt to appreciate the finer points and the detailing associated with gardening, with the passage of time. I still don’t know the names of most of the house plants or flowers…. or the nitty-gritty of it all, but learning is an ongoing continuous process. I intend to keep learning and keep enjoying the bounty that nature has to offer, to us all.

This blog would be incomplete without two very important things:-

1. Garden Wisdom

“Kind hearts are the Gardens; Kind thoughts are the Roots,

Kind words are the Flowers; Kind deeds are the Fruits,

Take care of your garden, and keep out the weeds,

Fill it with sunshine, Kind words and kind deeds”

From EverGreen Tree

2. Garden Party

So let’s have a Garden Party and a Colourful, Floral Holi Treat for all from our Garden.

Hope you enjoy the Party ie the slide show as much as I do.

Wishing Everyone a Very Happy n Colourful Holi...

From EverGreen Tree

S~P~L~A~S~H !