HOLLYHOCK

Hollyhock is a short lived perennial garden plant that grows very easily. Its flowers are double and around four inch in size. Blooms start from base of each stems and move upward. So the stems are seen covered with full of flowers.

Hollyhock prefers well drained rich soil. It grows up to 5 to 7 feet high and flowers well in sunlit area. It can be grown as bed, border or corner plants.

Holly hock is propagated by seeds. Seedlings can be planted at a spacing of 3×1.5 feet. Stake the plants if needed. It grows almost all type of soil.

Regular weeding, manuring and watering in summer are necessary for better growth and flowering. Timely pruning keep the plant attractive with continues flowering habit.

ENGLISH DAISY

English daisy is a member of the ASTER family, growing spread. The scientific name of this perennial is Bellis perennis. It has ray like flowers surrounding a disc. Flowers are in white, pink or rose-red on 4-6” stems from a rosette of basal leaves. Normally flowers are 1-2inches in diameter; in newer varieties they are larger. Hybrids having double color flowers are also available.

English daisy can be grown very easily in our garden. It prefers sunny area in cool region and semi shade area in warm region with soil of rich organic matter. It is propagated by seeds or division. Seeds can be sawn directly or in containers. For speedy growth divisions are better.

English daisies can be used as best ground covers, border plants or container plants.

Regular watering, weeding and manuring induce blooming of English daisies. Most flowers appear in spring and early summer repeating again in the fall, but in cool and coastal climates they may bloom all year.

VIOLA TRICOLOR-Beautiful Butterfly flowers

In my recent visit to Kashmir, I could see some well maintained beautiful gardens there. Of these, Shalimar, Nishat and JNM Botanical gardens were seen given prime importance for growing a tricolor flower plant. On close watching, it is understood that these are Viola Tricolor in full blooms. I liked these flowers very much because of its yellow predominant multiple colors, which is more attractive. This was yellow shade Viola tricolor. I hope that you would also like it.

Viola Tricolor, also known as Wild Pansy, Heartsease, Johny-jump-up and Love-in-idleness is grown for its long season of pansy flowers. It is also available in shades of purple, blue, and white.

Viola Tricolor is propagated by seeds. It can be directly sawn or transplanting. A layer of organic manure may be applied before sowing/planting.  No need of much care for it. It is better to grow on beds, borders and containers. It prefers full sun and well drained fertile soil.

For better growth and keep blooming, regular weeding and manuring is necessary.  

TULIP-A Kashmir Beauty

Don’t you know `Tulip’? It’s a bulb plant having showy flowers, grown in cold weather, a native of Turkey and Himalayan foot hills. In India it is grown in large numbers well in Kashmir, the paradise of flowers.

Tulip is one of the flower plants that can be grown easily and successfully in gardens. This doesn’t mean that Tulip can be grown anywhere. Why wouldn’t   grow everywhere? The answer is really quite simple. We all know that the conditions especially weather in places like Eastern Turkey and Himalayan foot hills, the natives of Tulip, are entirely different from other parts of glob.

Let us see how to grow and maintain Tulip, in brief. Bulbs are used for planting Tulip. It prefers well drained and airy soil. Disease free bulbs can be planted in 6 to 8 inch depth on raised beds at spacing of 8×12 inches. Watering and fertilizing is necessary for growing Tulips well

Do you know the largest Tulip garden in Asian continent? Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden formerly known as Model Floriculture centre, Srinagar is the largest garden. It spread over an area of about 15 hectors. It is situated on the foot hills of Zabarwan hills with an overview of picturesque world famous Dal Lake. The garden will be open for public in March-April.

In last April, exactly on 17^th, I got chance for seeing the Asia`s biggest Tulip garden. The myriad view of Tulip flowers was unforgettable and not explainable. More than 80 varieties of Tulips were in bloom.

Here, let me share some more photos of the garden. I hope you would enjoy the same.

DIANTHUS

Dianthus is an annual flowering plant which can be grown in our garden very easily. Its small flowers are beautiful and attractive. It comes in various colors i.e., red, pink, purple, white etc. Most varieties bloom continuously during summer except extreme heat.

Dianthus does not need much attention. It can be grown in beds, containers or hanging baskets.

Dianthus is propagated by seeds. Seeds can be sown directly in garden or in raised beds/containers for transplanting. If you prefer flower bed, transplant seedlings of two or three leaves at a spacing of 20x20cm in beds.

Dianthus grows and blooms well in full sun and well drained rich soil. As basal manure a layer of Neem cake may be applied at the time of planting.

Watering at least twice or thrice in a week is necessary during dry period. Keep the bed always weed free for better growth and blooming.

Remove spent blooms to induce fresh blooms and keep good appearance.

ROSE-Queen of flowers

Rose is known as queen of flowers .It is a perennial plant that belongs to the family Rosaceae .There are more than 100 species in Rose. Today Many hybrids are available for growing. Flowers vary in size and shape and are usually large and showy according to species and hybrids. Some are soft and fragrant. Avon, Mister Lincoln, Red ensign, Sugandha, Lemon spice, Double Delight etc. are some of the fragrant hybrids. Varieties having flowers of almost all colors are available for planting.

Sunlit area is vital for growing Roses. In shady area Rose doesn’t produce flowers as we expect. It prefers well drained and fertile soil.

Rose is usually propagated by stem cuttings. Budding, grafting and layering are common in Rose. Hybridization is followed for introducing new promising varieties. Today, many best hybrids are available for planting.  It is better to use pots for planting, if there is no sufficient area in our garden. A potting mixture of equal quantity of river sand, soil and dried cowdung powder is ideal for growing Roses. Some bone meal can also be added with the mixture.

For safe guarding Rose plants from pests and diseases, special attention is necessary. Destruction of pests noticed and removal of disease infected branches should be done in time to time. Spraying plant protection chemicals can also be done, if necessary.

Pruning, manuring and watering should be done in time for better and constant flowering. Pruning is an important aspect in growing Roses. Regular removal of spent-away branches is vital to induce flowering. 

Italian DAHLIAS in Thrissur, INDIA?

You know Italian Dahlia? Actually I don’t know much about it. But I know that the flowers of Italian dahlia might be beautiful and attractive. Based on this notion I visited a ‘flower show` organized in Thrissur to see ‘Italians’.

As expected, the flowers, especially of Dahlias, shown in the ‘SHOW’ are eye catching. I could see flowers in different shape, size (2 to 12 inches) and colors include orange, pink, purple, red, scarlet, yellow, and white. Some flowers were striped or tipped with a different color. There were single and double flowering plants.

Dahlias were the main attraction of the flower show. Some splendorous Dahlia flowers shown in the exhibition are given below.

HIBISCUS

Hibiscus is a garden shrub that can be grown very easily .As other ornamental plants, It doesn’t need much attention. Being a native of china, Hibiscus is also called China rose. In south India it is known as Chembarathi. It produces colorful trumpet shaped flowers over a long season.

Hibiscus can be grown as shrub or hedge plants. The traditional varieties of Hibiscus is not attractive whereas hybrid varieties have large flashy flowers in varied colors from pure white to deep red with single or double row petals. About 300 hybrid varieties are available in the world today.

Hibiscus is generally propagated by stem cuttings .Grafts and layers are also used for planting. For propagating hybrids grafts are better. Select sunny area for planting. Rooted cuttings or grafts are planted in pits. Cattle manure or compost may be applied as basal manure. Regular irrigation is required during summer.

Regular manuring and pruning is inevitable to maintain the Hibiscus beautiful. Pruning induce flowering and keep the plant bushy. Cow dung slurry can be used once in a month as manure.

SINGAPORE ORCHIDS – flowers of heaven

During my recent visit in Singapore, I got an opportunity to see the National orchid garden of the country. The garden is located on the highest hill in the Singapore Botanical gardens laying on 1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259659.

The distinctive feature of the National Orchid Garden is its design concept which presents the display of plants in four separate colour zones over most of its areas: the “spring” zone with its prevailing colors of bright and lively shades of gold, yellow and creams; the “summer” zone with its major tones of strong reds and pinks; the “autumn” zone of matured shades; and the “winter” zone of whites and cool blues.

The garden is maintained well and so beautiful. We can see more than 600 species and hybrids of orchids with flowers in different size, shape and colors. Those who love Orchids must visit the garden. As I like orchids very much, I took photos of blooming beauties as much as I could. Some of them are splendorous and attractive. These are given  for you. 

ORCHIDS- blooming beauties

Orchids belong to the family Orchidaceae. Orchids are noted for their beautiful and long lasting flowers in different shape, size and colors. Orchids have long been a symbol of love and beauty.

More than 30000 species and a lakh of hybrids are available in orchids. The ideal location for growing orchid is open conditions, under appropriate level of shade. The Orchid plants produce aerial roots, which absorb water and nutrients from the atmosphere. A humid and warm atmosphere is congenial for the growth of most of the tropical orchids.

Orchids are propagated by vegetative means. Stem cuttings are used for planting monopodial orchids.( Monopodial orchids are grown vertical and without branches. They have aerial roots.) Terminal cuttings with one or two aerial roots are better for planting. Sympodial orchids (having a horizontal growth, producing pseudobulbs in clusters, no aerial roots) are propagated by separation of pseodobulbs. Terminal cuttings of monopodial orchids are planted loosely on old coconut husks. Sympodial orchids are grown on benches above ground level or suspended from above. Slotted wooden baskets filled with small pieces of old coconut husks or partially burnt charcoal is good for growing Orchids. Mud pots or other containers can also be used for planting.

Monopodial orchids grown on ground can be given cowdung slurry once in a month as manure. For commercial production fertilizer mixture of NPK 3:1:1 during vegetative period and 1:2:2 during flowering period may be applied.

Harvest spikes when the buds except two or three are open.