Bringing in the wild

Even roses were once upon a time found growing in the wild. Every flower that we see that has attained status were all once upon a time found in jungles and in the wild. Sadly though, some have yet to get the recognition they deserve.

A stanza from the poem 'Elegy in the Country Church Yard' by Thomas Gray comes to mind
   

“Full many a gem of the purest ray serene
The dark unfathomed caves of the ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen
And wastes  its sweetness in  the desert air"

Efforts should be made to recognise them and brought in. They are beautiful needing very little maintenance. Here are some that have a pride of place in my garden.

                                             Tiger Claw

   

                                              Black eyed Susan

             

                                       Railway Creeper
And many more.

Bring in the wild and have an extra ordinary garden.

Terrace Lawn

Some basics need to be taken into account before planning on a lawn on the terrace.

- The concrete slab should be able to take the load

-  There should be no leakage. 

Any engineer should be able to throw some light on the suitability of having a lawn on one's terrace. 

To take care of leakage a thick Rexine  sheet should be spread and a 2" layer of sand and brick pieces should be laid. After boxing the area with bricks a 7" layer of good soil should be spread  (in the proportion of 3:1:1 where one is sand and manure and 3 any good soil). Care should be taken that no water gets logged for which a couple of outlets should be provided. It is expect that the concrete slab has a slope that enables the excess water to drain out. 

Bermuda grass is considered most suitable as it does not need mowing. An annual raking will do away with replanting. 

A few pots of  flowering plants will complete the look 

Landscaping

Landscaping is nothing but creating a setting that gives the garden a natural look.

Creating nature where it does not exist. A barren piece of land could well be converted in to a piece of art with a bit of imagination.

It is not necessary that one should own acres of land. Even a few square feet can be designed with all the features that define a landscape.  Meandering paths

that add decor to a garden as well as making strolling easy is considered one of the main features of a landscaped garden.

It is necessary that the highs and lows of the terrain are maintained too.

A water body which could be a waterfall, a cascade or even a pond gives a garden the right touch to elevate it to a class level.

A few artifcats thrown around will give the garden an artistic  look.

In doing all this a bit of the owner's personality should also be reflected in the whole concept.

Planning a home garden

It's every gardener's dream to have a colourful garden throughout the year. In having such dreams the gardener cannot go about searching for exotic flowers as that will simply not work.

One should go for something that is easily grown and it likes the environment where it grows We owe that much to the flora for giving us such happiness. Trying to grow Tulips that grow with ease in Amsterdam would be a mistake.

There is also yet another point that one needs to be kept in mind and that is the seasons. What grows in winter will not grow in summer and vice versa.

Crotons may be ordinary plants but they add colour throughout the year when nothing else blooms.

A combination of the seasonal, perennial and annuals would be the right choice.

Before venturing therefore a bit of study on what grows easily and when is highly recommended.

- Farmhouse

The thought of having a farm house gives one the impression of having a place to get away from the hectic pace that one faces day in and day out.  Most farm owners do not actually relish what lies  there but spend  time partying which is the last thing one should be doing there. A farmhouse is a place to give vent to one's longing for nature. If not doing the work oneself, directing the gardeners how best one can improve the environment around could be the ideal way to spend one's time at a farmhouse.
As they say change of work is rest. This is the ideal situation to have this kind of a scenario.

A peaceful environment with birds chirping and with the swaying of the trees in the gentle breeze could be a place for spending a few minutes doing yoga and meditation. Rather than spending time in gyms yoga can replace this activity gaining more than losing.

If you have plans to set up a farm house this should be your objectives to set up one.

Introduction

What we see in the world today are more concrete jungles than the good old jungles that ruled the roost. With population increasing at a galloping rate it has become necessary to maul down forests and put up high rise buildings as residential complexes. This is a necessity but every tree cut down can be replaced by planting more. It does not take much space to add to the greenery that is lost on account of the concrete jungles that have been created. There is no activity greater than gardening. It is packed with goodness. Creating an interest in gardening has several benefits including the kind of peace one gets looking at the results of one's efforts.

Every bit counts. Whether one  lives on a farm, a house or even a flat there is scope for everyone to do their bit.

It is more a necessity than a mere hobby to be enjoyed. The world is desperate to get back its original state - flora and fauna in all its glory. Rather than spend time in gyms a work out in the garden can provide the kind of exercise one needs to keep one in trim.