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.
