Winter Annuals Sowing Season in full Swing in Delhi

Hi fellow Gardeners,

It's busy time for all winter annuals gardeners in Delhi.
I have spent many afternoons with the Maalis and "Choudhries" in the Delhi nurseries sipping tea on Charpoys and discussing the peculiarities of this season. They are all lamenting the lack of rains , slow onset of winter and the slower germination of seedlings requiring lower ground temperature. Even the Chrysanthemums ( Mums in the US) which ought to have started budding and flowering by now are taking their own time.I talked to an old Maali friend in one of the Govt Nurseries ( the cheapest source of winter seedlings in Delhi if you have the right contacts) to know whether he would be able to spare some seedlings for my home garden.Pl wait for a week or two, he said. Because their first plantings failed to germinate and they had to sow a second time.

Since my new home has mostly flower beds in the shade ( north facing), I am trying to collect as many Cinenarias and Salvias ( the only winter annuals which bloom in the shade)as I can from my fellow gardening enthusiasts who take the trouble of making seedlings at home, instead of buying them from the various nurseries.I too used to sow seeds in trays aand specially prepared seed beds in my previous abodes but since we have to move out of the house in four months I am deprived of this pleasure this winter. My favourtes being the Rajdhani in Jorbagh and Masjid near Khan Market. On can of course getter cheaper seedlings in nurseries in Vasant Kunj and outlying areas of the city but one can not be sure of their quality.For those who have beds which get full or partial sun there is a huge variety to choose from starting with the hybrid varieties of Petunias ( go for seedlings made from Goldsmith Seeds Co - US) which are the longest lasting, giant pansies ( Japanese Sakata or other European seeds), giant Carnations or Dianthus from the same family or Phlox and Sweet Williams ( similar blooms mostly red and pinks), Dahlias double for show to be planted in pots and single for mass effect in beds. Mysembranthemums popularly called " Baraf" by local Maalis with hteir matyiad colourful blooms which open in the mornings and close at sun set are excellent for being planted to cover rockeries. For window boxes and baskets,Petunias ( Wave variety) and Nusturtiums are recommended. Then there are Larkspurs which yield blooms on long stems in blue,pink and white, Clarkias in purple, stocks in white and pink, Gerberas and Gajanias which are perennials really. For edgings of beds nothing to beat the aromatic Sweet Alysiums ( white and blue).

Mixing the right colours in your garden using your imagination holds the key to the beauty of a winter garden. The good old Calendulas, Escholias ( Californian Poppies) and Marigolds provide abundance of orange and yellow blooms.But pepole generally end up with too much of yellow and orange in Delhi gardens. Blue and red and pink are my personal favourite themes..

Those living in apartments can plant all the above named winter annuals in pots, environment friendly clay pots are recommended over cement . But please avoid the temptaion of over watering and fertilizing. Garden compost , leaf mould and Vermi compost only are recommended. Small doses of Neem Khali, bone meal and DAP to be used very judicially.Pl don't hesitate to seek guidance from experts for tendering your plants instead of experimenting. The young man at Argosy gardening( phone No 24107722) store at Yashwant Place is quite helpful and if you need the Master's help, call my good friend Mr Satish Mathur one of the leading floriculture experts in the capital, whom I call the "Gardening Moghul" of Delhi on his cell phone No 9810076178. Mr Mathur is a true lover of plants, and flowers and a thorough gentleman.I hope Mr Mathur will not mind my intrusion on his privacy, but since my blog is read by a very few friends and family, I don't expect him to get many calls out of this blog

I am adding a few pictures of winter annuals without their names to help you take your pick. I will let you guess the names and the one who adds a comment on my blog space naming them all right gets a big surprise prize from the Desi Maali. All except one ( of the pansies in a ball) have been taken of winter annuals in my home garden at Motibagh on Shanti Path, which unfortunately I was made to vacate recently since the houses there are being demolished to construct ministerial bungalows. Long live Minister Raj! I do hope they shall leave large green areas in those bungalows and some of the Ministers who live in them are garden lovers.

So happy gardening, as winter finally seems to have descended upon Delhi.

Desi Maali From Hong Kong

My wife and I are visiting our elder son and family in Hong Kong for about ten days. This is my third visit to the former British Colony - now a show piece of China as its sovereinity passes back to them in 1997.

What strikes a Delhiite about Hong Kong instantly is its orderliness, cleanliness and efficient civic & transportation services. This Chinese fishing village was turned into a flourishing harbour by the British and the Chinese have maintained it as an important commercial and trading hub since its transfer to them in 1997.The excellent attention to horticulture and landscaping is what impresses Desi Maali immensely. All the shrubs and plants along the roads are sprayed with water almost daily to impart the sheen and shine. Compare this with the dusty trees and shrubs adorning the Delhi city roads.I am uploading a couple of photos I took to illustrate the freshness of the evergreens planted along road sides and the excellent landcaping in Condos.

Although the down town HK roads are narrow with steep gradients,the traffic on them flows very smoothly with no honking by cars , buses or Taxis which whizz around at amazing speed.Compare this witht the din and chaos on Delhi roads which are much wider. And no traffic policemen in sight anywhere. But there is the hidden "danda" and self discipline which does it all!

The population of Hong Kong is almost 90% Chinese. While they are extremely communicative among themselves in Mandadarin, their exchanges with forigners is very limited. This is largely because of their inadequate knowledge of the English language. This is rather intiguing. Why the British who ruled over Hong Kong for over a century did not teach them English, as they did to the natives of the other British colonies, including India.No one has given me a satisfactory explanation for this.

But there is a lot to be admired in the local Chinese. There is plenty of evidence that they have strong family ties.Three generations of most Hong Kong Chinese families live under the same roof. They take good care of their aged parents.Children carrying their very old parents on wheel chairs in the Malls is a common sight.Their children too are a pampered lot wit5h parents sending them to the best schools and buying them expensive toys and clothes.

At A More Personal Level

Hi All,

This Blog is written from the heart . So no hard feelings for those who feel hurt - family and friends.


Taking a cue from Julie Andrew's song "These are a few of my Favourite Things" in the "Sound of Music", may I add,a few things I hate most in contemporary India:-


Flaunting of recently acquired wealth, vulgar pomp and show. Refined display of good taste on special occasions is , however, welcome.

"Bossy/ Overbearing Wives". Never seen one in the family.But I think sorry for several meek and submissive husbands both in the family and friends. Do I sound like an MCP?

I do not at all grudge the wife occupying an equal, if not more important place in the home, than the husband. She definitely must have the final say in all matters pertaining to the home.What getas my goat is wives transgressing limits to encroach on the professional/ social lives of their husbands. Need I say more?

I also hate " the Maha Kanjoos Log" who are forever trying to sponge off others on emotional, social and official planes to save their Pennies for the " next life" perhaps.

I also hate lack of ethics,hypocracy, integrity, and psycohphancy, especially among the bureacracy for progression of individual career goals.

I hate nosy neighbours, lack of public hygiene ,mean,illeterate, ignorant noisy ( honking) and unruly road users; jumping of quues and lack of respect for the elderly.

That's enough hate for a day, I guess!

Meanwhile, Delhi has been experiencing incessant rains past two days. Like the good old monsoon when " Moosladhar Baarish" and " Jhari lag jaana" were oft heard phrases. This should surely wipe out fears of drought and rain deficit in the capital region and the north western parts of the country also improving the outlook for Kharif and Rabi crops,and generally bringing hope and cheer to the farmers.

Taking advantage of the late monsoon revival, I have removed some of my favourite plants from the beds and planted them in pots.This is also the time to plant flowering and fruit trees and shrubs and to repot your Bonsais that require repotting.The copious rains will also hopefully reduce the water scarcity in NCR, particularly in Gurgaon.
Sorry no pictures this time.

It Pours Again in Delhi

Hi All,

The thunder-storm which hit Delhi late afternoon last week took all by surprise! The ferocity of the winds and the intensity of the rains which lashed most areas for over two hours was unprecedented.Those indoors like me, felt protected.But those on the roads, mostly daily commuters trying to make their way home after work, were the worst affected.The traffic ground to a halt over long stretches of the wide Lutyens Delhi avenues.Chaos and frustration overtook the capital for almost four hours. Fortunately, despite the uprooting of several trees, there were no serious human casualties.

The inabilty of the capital to cope with heavy rains made headlines on TV channels and the national dailies the next morning marked by the usual blame games between civic authorities and the traffic police. I saw few comments on how the heavy unfetted construction activity in Delhi has chocked up the drainage systems and the natural reservoirs,leading to extensive water logging.More evidence of utter lack of planning by the city authorities.

But the good news is that the steady drizzles over the NCR since the deluge has revived hopes of the gap in the monsoon deficit being narrowed.

Have you wondered about the future of our country? We are all proud of our freedom, democracy and recent signs of rapid ecconomic progress. But few take notice of the all round devaluation in the values- both family and social which have overtaken the younger generation.Pursuit of money and material acqusitions have taken a toll of consideration and reverance of traditions and for elders,integrity and discipline in public life. But the votaries of rapid economic development say that cosumerism and buying drives the economy! Can't we have both?

Before I end, allow me to make a mention of jolts ahead for my passion for gardening.In the next six months we shall move out of the spacious ground floor Govt accommodation to our own multi-storied aprtment in NOIDA. The challenge, therefore,is the relocation of my plants- a variety of palms, crotons, evergreens and flowering perennials. I have faced similar predicaments in the past as well and each time I used to distribute my collection among fiends.Unfortuntely,there aren't too many "Maalis" among my male friends or extended family in Delhi.Therefore, this time I am planning to shift them to a location which I can visit regularly to take care of them. My Bonsai collection I shall move to our apartment terraces.

My blog is incomplete without pictures of flowers I grow. So I am adding a few taken by me today. These are blue Ruellia blooms in pots- pretty perennials which continue to bloom after intervals of a few months;Plumbago Capesis, also blue flowerng perennials and the multicloured summer flowering Portulacas including the variety which unlike te normal ones, bloom till the evenings called " Bathua Portulcas" ( because its leaves resemble the Bathua Saag)!I am also carrying a picture of " Sweet Potato Wine" which is so lush green and spreads rapidly to provide ground cover, and also excellent for hanging baskets and Window Boxes. I feel sorry that few exploit this local plant available in plenty to adorn the gardens during the otherwise bleak season for gardening in Delhi i e., from July till November.I am also adding a picture of a "Pilkhan" tree from my Bonsai collection. Unfortunately the picture is vertical! Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Till then wishing you all happy Ganesh Chaturthi which is about to end and and the Holy month of Ramadan which began about a week ago!

Happy Janmashtami & Independence day

Hi All,

Yesterday was JANMASHTAMI.It's Independence Day today. Janmashtami continues to be observed with great fervour throughout the northern, western and eastern parts of the country, but Independence Day is losing some of it's sheen and enthusiasm. No " Prabhat Pheris" or flag hoistings, 'Laddus' distribution in schools and colleges. This is natural: those who fought for Independence are either no more or are fading away; Independent India which seemed a distant dream then, is now a fait accompli.The youth of the country which constitutes the bulk of the population is clearly and undestandably disappointed with the poilitical and bureacratic leadership over various issues- enempoyment, lack of education and health sevices as also infrasture development and CORRUPTION being the key ones.The general mood is , however, upbeat and the pace of development all round is picking up.The world is looking upon the Indian Democracy with admiration and our neighbours with awe and bewilderment.

Childhood memories of Janmashatami are fresh with preparations of a variety of sugary sweets made with dry fruits, especially " Chiraunji", "Makhana'. " Gola", " Post or "Khus Khus" and even " Gum" of the edible variety. There was lots of " Charnamrit or Panchamrit" made out of, milk, curds, Ghee, honey, Ganga Jal , Tulsi and Chiraunji alonwith " Kasaar" which was Atta fried in Desi Ghee mixed with sugar, 'Shakar Paras' etc.At midnight, Lord Krishna was given birth amidst a lot of fan fare including blowing of Conch Shells, and ringing of bells, behind a curtain, curiously out of a Cucumber! I am still to figure out the rationale behind this ritual.The " Jhankis" were decorated in every Hindu home and " Mohalla" with forests, water falls, rivers and animals being hand crafted by the ladies and children. My father took a lot of ineterest in this as we watched in facination his creations of mud houses, water ponds and forests with scenes of Lord Krishna's birth in Mathura.

How can any topical blog be complete without a word about H1 N1 or 'Swine Flu' which has been declared to have acquired epidemic proporions, affecting a number of countries across continents. As long as there were no fatal casualties, the people in India took it in their stride. But about 10 days back, as deaths began to be reported from a few cities like, Pune, Bangalore, Ahmedabad , Mumbai and Delhi, the media started ringing panic bells! The lack of preparedness of the Govt. hospitals and health authorities made headline news over teh innumerable the TV news channels and even the national dailes leading to a scare , especially among parents of school going children. The Indian mass media has again come into sharp focus for its irresponsible coverage of national events. Factual reports and dos and don'ts are welcome but not the ones predicting mass casualties among children. In the US and Canada which are much worse affected, while the mediacl labs and researchers are working over time to discover vaccines, no school or college was closed down.

I ahve added pictures of Janmashtami Puja being perormed at our home by Antara our 2 1/2 year old grand daughter, and, of course, a couple of pictures of the flowers in our garden taken on Janmashtami.

Lord Indra seems to smile over Delhi agin with good rains being experienced in the past couple of days. The mercury has dipped and hope of a good vegetables and Ravi crop revived.

I end with prayers for more rains in the northern parts of the country.

Love you all

I Blog Again

Hi All,


Have finally managed to get rid of my lethargy & enertia to start blogging again.

Delhi has experienced perhaps the hottest and driest summer in living memory. After the smart showers which caused flooding and traffic snarls last week, there has been no rain, though dark clouds have been gathering intermittently. The notoriously incorrect Met ofice daily predictions of rains and thunderstorms have ben proved wrong for almost one whole week.But the overall monsoon scenario has improved with the south, west and the east getting copius rains. The north inluding Delhi and its neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana,and westerm UP being very deficit. Let us pray to Lord Indra to bring us more rains and soon.

My extended tenure of three years with the Govt.ended on July 10. Do I find myself at a loose end after 40 yers of hectic work scedule? No.Now I can now plan my day ahead, spend more time with family and friends> No grappling with files, and meetings. Both processes of the Govt.with no beginning or end which seem to last forever! Thank God, I don't have to face either again.

The mango season has been mixed.There were just a few good Dussehris and Langras and now the juicy and sweet Chausas, my favourite, have made their appearance, reminding us that the season of the King of Fruits will soon be over.

How can the Desi Maali's blog be complete without gardening.This is perhaps the leanest season in Delhi for growing flowers and vegetables.Only the muticolored Portulacas which open in the mornings and close in the afternoons, yellow Gillardias,Balsoms ( an apology for the more handsome original Impatience) the purple but dry Gomphrenias, the crimson Amaranthus and bright red Cockscomb can be seen in home gardens.The Sweet Potato Wine os Shakarkandi Bel,is an excellent lush green ground cover which I have used in my home garden. And, of course, the mauve, pink and white blooms of Crepe Myrtles or "Saawanis"( Lagaestromia Indica) on bushes adorn the parks and roud abouts of Lutyens Delhi. The Delhi Gymkhana boasts of a very large variety of these.

I am adding a few pictures of the monsoon blooms in my home garden taken this morning for your viewing pleasure.

But this is the time to start sowing your Chryanthemums by planting cuttings or by root separation from plants saved from the last season. They will herald the long winter annuals season in Delhi, beginning November.

Happy " Rakshabandhan" which falls on August 5 . Unfortunately, tying of Rakhees by sisters in our family is taboo. But the good old Pandit used to come along and do the honours on the day, also carrying away the return gifts meant for the sisters in his Jhola!!

Love you all

Desi Maali

Winter Vanishes- Spring Bids Adieu- Summer is Almost Here

Hello All,

The four day sojourn in Goa last weekend was a relaxed affair.Lots of Goan cuisine, mainly fresh catch from the sea, sleep, and generally " Sushegaad" (leisurely- a Portuguese word) which describes Goa's ambiance. The annual "Carnival" pageantry in Panjim added colour.A gentle 7 hr cruise on a " Catamaran' well stacked with food and drinks was another high point of the holiday.

There is truly no other place in India like Goa with breathtakingly beautiful vast stretches of golden( Salcete) and silver ( Bardez)sans beaches south to north. Over the years, these have been dotted with shacks serving possibly the best in Goan and Continental cuisine mainly to cater to the hoards of tourists hanging out to catch the sun, surf and laze under the shades. The amazing variety of dishes are very pocket friendly, even by Indian standards.What is more intriguing is that none of them seem to have the well equipped kitchens and cellars/ pantries as back up.But you order your drinks and in about 30 mins the mouth watering dishes start being served.

It is not the same Goa where we had spent three of our happiest years, over thirty years ago, when there were no 5 Star hotels- just two 3 Stars- one in Panjim ( Mandovi) and another in Vasco ( Lapaz)and just one North Indian restaurant in Panjim( Good Food / Shere Punjab).But happily, the quintessential Goan spirit remains in tact.

"Basant Ritu" or Indian spring marked by strong winds, and strangely,leaves falling off from evergreen trees like Neem greeted us on our return to Delhi.During school,this was referred to by us as the "Exams Warning Winds" reminding the less serious students like me to get focused on the books as exams were knocking on the doors.Simultaneously, the winter woollens were being washed and dried to be be kept in steel trunks for eight long months with dried Neem leaves to act as insecticides, till Diwali.Preparations began for making the traditional Holi sweets and savouries like, Gujiyas, Papads, Samosas, which were a treat for the kids.We would eagerly await Maa's permission to start devouring them no sooner these were out of the Kadhai ( deep frying pans).i would specially devour the "Keema Samosas" with home made coriander Chutney. What a contrast from the spring season in the western hemisphere which is a long awaited event after the long and harsh winter.

In the years gone by, Holi was celebrated with gay abandon when young and old, rich and poor all hugged each other , smeared Gulal and sprinked Coloured water among neighbours . Our mixed Christian and Muslim neighbourhood in Meerut also joined in. The festival has lost much of it's charm now and degenerated into excessive drinking of "Bhang" ( a drink made of Milk, almond paste, rose petals, ground with Cannabis India leaves) and alcohol and hooliganism on the roads, giving a tough time to the local police. I recall that during my ASP days in Gauhati before the day was over, the city Police Station lock ups were full with inebriated revellers creating nuisance at public places.

The winter annuals in the Delhi parks, round- abouts and home gardens are are at their peak. But as the temperatures continue to mount,and the sun becomes stronger by the day, the blooms have started wilting. Today, I went and bought packets of seeds for the summer variety of flowers- Kochia, Portulacas, Zinnias, Gomphrenias, Gillardia, Amaranthus and Cosmos. Have sown them in mixture of Soil Light, sand and manure in seed pans. Will await the seedlings to come up before planting them in beds cleared of the wither annuals.Carrying a few pictures of the wither annual blooms in pots and beds in my home garden.

Let me see how many of my blog readers are able to guess the correct names of the varieties. Pl give it try and I shall reward the one who knows all the names correctly.

That's it for now till my next blog.

Happy Holi to all.

Desi Maali

I am Back at Last

Hi Folks,

It's been really long since I posted a blog. First, we were overtaken by the visit of our kids in December- Jan, which was lovely. Then the pace at work picked up . A few among my Blog readers( they aren't many) reminded me over email and phone. So here I am again. And it does feel good.

I think Delhi has witnessed one of the mildest winters, which followed one of the wettest summers in many, many years . The way it started warming towards end January, it seemed that the cold weather had disappeared altogether.However, following a brief rainy and cloudy spell early Feb,the nip in the air has thankfully returned. It won't last very long though, as all Delhiites know.

The winter annuals have begun to bloom. The Chrysanthemum's ( called Mums in the US)having bid adieu, the Calendulas, Dahlias, Marigolds, Pansies, Nustrutiums, Cinenarias, Stocks, Primulas have begun spreading their cheer with their glorious variety of colors and hues. I have named only the varieties that are in bloom in my home garden, though I am sure many more are adorning other gardens. A lot depends on how early or late in autumnn these are planted. Carrying a few sample pictures of these from my own garden for your viewing pleasure.

It is also the peak time in Delhi for hosting garden lunches, bar- be -cues . As the days become warmer, the lunches shall give way to outdoor dinners, while the evening cool breeze lasts, leading inevitably to only dinners indoors in AC comfort starting April.

The Wedding Season, which continues to follow the Hindu calender for auspcious months/ dates/times ,and periods when weddings just can not take place, has also descended. It me amazes me how, despite rapid westernization and modernization of the affluent and middle classes in India, we are clinging to such beliefs! Is it the centuries-old shackle-hold of Pandits over Hindu society, or superstitions, or do cosmic conditions really impact life? It certainly impacts plant and animal life .So why not humans?

As to auspicious times and dates for weddings, I was informed today by a dear friend that his wife is unrelenting to change the " auspicipus" timing for their son's wedding from 3 AM in end April! Feel sorry for the young couple, though, while admiring their regard for traditions and parents.

Saw
"Billoo Barber" today. I give it just 2 stars out of 5. No story , poor music and direction and make it a movie very well worth passing by. It left me with an impression that SRK and his wife have put it together to try to boost his stardom, which they know is not going to last very long.

While on movies, how can I end without my comments on " Slum Dog Millionaire" which has been released in India after a cosiderable gap after the US, and possibly the rest of the western world, where it took audiences by storm. This is not surprising, since I feel (after having read " Q & A" on which it is based and watched the movie) that it caters mainly to western audiences. Ok here is my own take on the movie, which every one believes will bag a number of Oscars soon:-

• The book is better than the movie.
• The movie focusses entirely on our country's underbelly- forced begging accompanied by blindings, prostitution and other forms of child abuse, slums, and criminal sub culture.
• Not that it does not exist, like in other parts of the world.
• But it totally ignores the positives in Indian society like the fellow citizens willingness to help out others .
• This may be fascinating stuff for the developed world, but not for those of us who have seen it from closer quarters.
• Even Rehman's music in this movie ,which has recieved much media hype, is uninspiring. And quite frankly, a rehash of his earlier scores for a number of Indian movies.
• ARR is capable of much better.

I would like to end by thanking the Almighty for having given me more than my rightful share of happiness and well being.For the lovely family that I have.
And wishing all those who believe, not only in becoming richer, but also better human beings, the best in ther lives.

Desi Maali