Dance with the Daffodils....

~~*****~~
In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

~~ *****~~

William Wordsworth

Spring is in the air, with the blooms everywhere.....

Early Buds...

Just Beginning to Blossom...

& Finally,  A cluster of Dazzling Daffodils,
Symbolizing onset of Spring  for Today's Flower

Happy Sunday n Happy Spring Season ahead....

Mango - 'Make-a-Wish' Tree

Summer in India heralds the season of the Delicious n Juicy Fruits like Aam / Mangoes, along with the Litchi / Lychee, Tarboj / Watermelons n Kharbooja / Mashmelons.

Soak the Mangoes in water to reduce n wash off  Pitta (heat)

While I like them all, my personal fav among them, is most definitely the delightful Mango, referred to as the ‘King of Fruits’ n also ‘the Nectar of the Gods’. You can savour the ripe mangoes fresh from the trees or make pickles or chutneys or moraba (jam) from the unripe ones or quench your thirst with chilled summer drinks like Aam panna or refreshing Mango Shake or even Punjabi Mango laasi or merely devour them as katha-meetha aam papad or sweet mango kheer for desert.

While I have been praising this stately fruit, let me not forget the MANGO TREE, which happens to be one of the most majestic trees here in India - what with their tall n thick trunk, dense foliage, with wide spreading branches forming  a Magnificent Umbrella Canopy.

Four Mango-laden  Trees growing in our side yard, form a near perfect Umbrella Canopy together.....

What I really like about these trees is that they form one large single unit together, while, up close they are four different trees. We need to learn something from them.... they don't jostle for space, they each seem happy and contend growing  harmoniously together.

Helpers collecting n picking mangoes, hand plucked by the gardener high up on the branches.
Can you spot the gardener precariously perched between the dark n dense foliage above (right) ????

Basket n Baskets full of Dusheri Mangoes is ready to be savoured.

 We have some 8-10 mango trees growing in our yard here in the city n another sprawling 45 acres of Mango grove in Nawabgunj countryside, about 150 Kms from here, specializing in the Rose tinted Gulab khas, Green Dusheri, Yellow Zardalu, Langra, Chausa, Safeeda varieties of mangoes n other lesser known varieties - Makhan, Fakira, maste-anar, katha-meetha, dil-pasand, kishen-bhog, shakul.

Our Mango grove @ Nawabgunj countryside - old trees interspersed with some recent plantations.

Some More Mango Trees...

The mango grove initially belonged to the last ruling Nawab of Oudh, Nawab Nawajid Ali n his family and was established way back in 1906. It is believed that about 1000 saplings of the rose flavoured ‘Gulab khas’ variety, came all the way from Afghanistan. These trees are a little over 100 yrs old.

The Rose Flavoured Mangoes  i.e. 'Gulab Khas' originally from Afghanistan
Its a highly delicate variety, as the mangoes tend to spoil even if pressed gently n have to be handled with utmost care.

After independence, Rani Rehula Shakuntala, is known to have bought 215 bigha’s of Mango grove from the Nawab. After the Indo-Pak partition, the Rani permanently shifted base to Pakistan, selling this property to my grandfather, in 1960’s. As a little kid, I used to be fascinated with this bit of history n other tell-tales associated with Nawabgunj. In retrospect, I have come to appreciate the bounty and marvel of Nature,  trees, flowers, fruits, plants, art of bonsai, the whole gamut of beautiful  greens around us.

Here’s another interesting tale about Mango Tree’s from ‘The Book of Nature’ by Ruskin Bond.

Mango Blossoms...

In the Folklore of India, the Mango is considered to be a ‘wish fulfilling tree’ or  'Make-a-Wish' Tree.

So, when you want to make a wish on a mango tree, shut your eyes and get someone to lead you to the tree; then rub mango blossoms in your hands and make a wish. 

The favour granted lasts only for a year and the charm must be performed again at the next flowering of the tree. 

So,

Go ahead....... n  Make a Wish! For all you know, it might just get granted.

Blossom giving way to Bunch of Mangoes...high up on the Tree.

Finally.... the Fruits of Labour... Dusheri Mangoes  (Desapped, Soaked, Washed n Dried)
Unripe ones well suited for making pickles n aam panna (green mango drink)

Too bad, I just read about the folklore only recently, and so could not 'make-a-wish' this flowering season but, yeah, I intend to give it a try, during the next mango flowering season, come Spring. I have already started working on my rather long 'WISH LIST' and hoping that the Mango Tree would grant them all. Amen.


My entry for Outdoor Wednesday # 128

Maaza Mango

Picture of the FIRST MANGOES in our Yard, this Summer.

My Entry for Wordless Wednesday! n Outdoor Wednesday n The Creative Exchange

Shhhhh....Lets get Wordless.

Splash In Spring Colours....

The center of our garden is a riot of  'PHLOX' colours, this HOLI

as opposed to the pristine white carpet of candy tuft flowers we had last spring.

Phlox adding a dash of colour to our spring garden, this year

White Carpet @ Last Spring, around HOLI

LOOK! Our domestic helper’s son spotted these two teeny tiny nests with one and two eggs each nestled deep within the two Thuja orientalis Trees growing in our garden. (Though, only one of them can be seen in the extreme left corner @ the topmost snap above).

The little one helped me to peep through the dense and bushy foliage and click a picture or two of the 'NESTS' to share here via  my blog, Evergreen Tree. 

 BTW, Can you spot the little black birdie within its bushy foliage @ top left snap in the collage.

And, Did you know? 

Wild Sweet William is a specific variety of Phlox.  

We have them growing wild, in one of the flower beds this year, still adding a dash of blue n violets to the garden, while the other beds showcasing the early bloomers like the Calendula, the  California Poppy n Dog flowers need to be cleared in the coming week ahead after a flourishing winter flowering season. They will be replaced with fresh  plantation comprising of Green needle like Cochia’s, Sunflowers and Zinnia’s in the front garden.

The Garden sometime back in November

Talking of FLOCKS aka PHLOX, they are such prolific growers and seem to have taken over the marigolds encircling them as a border edging. The cluster of flower on top of the stems is very bright and showy, as their vibrant blossom comes in various shades of purple, pink, red, violets, blues and even white. They seem to like full sun and once established they grow well with regular watering, weeding and the best part, without much effort and care.

Whoa! They have filled up the entire bed by March

 Being Perennial, these Phlox flourish well through the Flowering Season, in Spring and early Summer, when they are planted in November. Come April, these beds would soon be cleared to be replaced by the nine-o-clock flowers aka Portulaca, which  will add much needed colour around the Fountain during the scorching Indian summer months ahead….

My entry for Todays Flower # 136

Also linking to SSS  # 148  n CC # 154, MM:Snowdrops, MM #113

Click on the Links to visit them.

  Its a Festive SUNDAY for us here, as we are celebrate the Indian festival of colours today,

Wishing all a Very Happy n Colourful HOLI!

Roses are not just RED

Here's A Green Rose ...

From the Annual two day Rose n Gladioli Flower Show 2011
@ NBRI, Lucknow

Rosa chinensis viridiflora

This has to be one of the most unusual little roses in existence!

The strange blooms are made up entirely of sepals rather than petals.

 It seems it forgot to make petals, and so made the bloom up of more sepals!


My entry for :Todays Flower #129

The Hot, The Loud and The Proud

It’s time yet again to participate in The Hot, the Loud and the Proud, Month End Meme hosted by ‘A Plant Fanatic in Hawai’.

Having missed out on quite a few previous months Meme, I thought I would definitely contribute towards this month end Meme and share these pictures of the first to Bloom Winter Seasonal’s from our Garden.

French Marigold

Marigolds forming a Border... encircling the yet to bloom Phlox flowers

Fiery Orange - Nasturtium

Are growing in a few Shallow Containers,
and all possible partially shady nooks n corners around the garden.

Thats's because....Orange is my fav Colour
&.I can't seem to get enough of these Orange Delights!

To visit the other participants, Click here.

Post-Festive Blues n Bliss

With the Diwali festivities coming to an end, its time for a wee bit of B-R-E-A-K before the Joy of Christmas and the Year End reminiscing set the mood soaring high all over again.....

These last few days, post Diwali, I have been indulging myself in being SUPER Lazy n doing NOTHING!

...Nothing worthwhile that is; except lazing out in the garden, enjoying the winter-y balmy sun; watch the bees, the butterflies n the recently planted winter seasonal flowers (The Calendula, Marigolds, Verbena, Phlox, Poppy, Dianthus, Astor, Hollyhock, Petunias n Pansies, Nasturtiums n more..) grow stronger n taller by the day, before they begin to Bloom n more...

The Veggie patch (Mustard, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Raddish, Brinjals, Spinach, Chili’s n more…) is looking promising as well, provided we get to save the new plantation from the marauding monkeys, who visit our garden almost everyday creating H-A-V-O-C. Its a task to keep them at bay.

Well, Isn't it a beautiful time of the year as we ‘wait n watch’ the Garden Break into a Riot of Colours in the months to come?

Needless, to say, it’s my favorite time of the year, as I simply Love the winters n the months of October, November, December….as they quickly roll past heralding in a Brand New Year.

PS: Phew! I have a huge pile of work that needs immediate attention. PLUS, I still have to visit the Plant Nursery one more time to buy some Salvia’s n Dahlia’s n more….

PSS: ...N…Hmmm...… Need to resume my evening Walks n...

 ..Need to urgently Shrug-off this post festive Blues n Bliss… n the S-U-P-E-R Laziness that comes with it.

Now That Spring is in the Air....

.... With the Flowers everywhere....
When all the Birds are singing in the sky... 
We had Joy we had Fun... 
We had Seasons in the Sun.....

Hmmm...
Now that Spring is in the Air...

I have been listening to this yesteryears... beautiful song…. ‘Seasons in the Sun’ by Westlife, these last few days and still can’t get over the lines, the lyrics which read…. 'Now that spring is in the Air'…also the title of this post.

Whoa! The Mango Trees resplendent with blossom appear promising, as they gear up to bear loads of  Juicy Mango fruits, in the coming summers months following spring.

The new set of shiny, glossy leaves on the Lipstick Ficus, appear so delicate n fresh with their rose tinted tips.

 The semi-cascading Tamarind Tree too is in the process of growing back its flourishing green foliage...

I love the way, the century old, white marble Fountain, the heart of the garden, stands blissfully tall, amidst a carpet of snowy white flowers.

You can also catch a glimpse of the Araucaria tree, the fountain Palm & Ixora's at a distance, the yet- to- bloom patch of Lily’s in the right corner, a row of Petunia’s and dog flowers towards the right again.

A row of Calendula’s n Marigold Yellows flush with bloom just behind me…..

Tons of Scarlet… Reds n yeh…. fiery Orange hues…. here, there, everywhere, adding loads of dazzling n blazing, vibrancy to our Spring Garden, this season.

Alas! Just a speck of beaming Aster Blues ….infront of me… the view of the Aster flower bed, obscured by the Flora Fountain.

However, loads of  Lovely Pinks....thriving all over &....all around again.

It’s a beautiful time of the year here…. 

....With the garden abuzz with spring colours and life...... the fluttering Butterflies, Birds n Bees, skirting Squirrels, hopping Frogs and off course lots n lots of Blooming Flowers n more….

Here's Wishing all a Glorious Spring... with the song 'Seasons In the Sun' .

Bonfire Festival @ HOME

Just starting the Bonfire....

on a cold winter-y January night....

....to celebrate n commemorate the auspicious festival of ....

~  L.O.H.R. I ~

You could click on the link above for more information n insights on this festival....

Special Offerings made to the Sun God 'AGNI' ~

  Peanuts, Popcorn, White o Black Till (Sesame) Ladoos

Some colourful  lighting effect on the overhead Arch...

Can't get enough of the Fire........as it rises higher n higher....

....n its blissful warmth!

Wishing this Lohri Bonfire Warms our Spirits, 
bringing along, much cheer n joy to all.

~ H.A.P.P.Y       L.O.H.R.I~