The summer-monsoon colours in and out of the rooftop

The summer comes, each year, with its heat waves, and nature decides how it wants to paint its canvas. Then of course the norwester winds, called "the Kalbaishaki jhor", as they may become cyclonic, they bring the downpours, which may become torrential and strong and then much later on we have the true onset of monsoons. This year, we have been having much more rains from the norwesters before the summer set in and the monsoons arrived. Good for us, as the summer temp haven't been able to hit us that bad, with in between rains from the dark gray-black moisture laden clouds brought in by the strong norwester winds. So much said, the colours of summer-monsoon season are drapjng the city just now, and I can't resist capturing the moments of joy. They are bright fiery, red-orange and bright sun yellow, from the "Radha-Krishnachura" and the flambouyant gold yellow from the "Shorno jhuri" which hangs so elegantly from its tree. And the fiery orange red shades against the green appear as if painted from an artists brush strokes. 

This year some how my roof top garden "Lilies", were stunning too, white, red, pink and in all varieties of shapes and colour they appeared after each pouring of the norwesterly rains. The shapes and shades are unique, as if nature has fine tuned the shades with fine-line- strokes in the pink and white liles. And they do have a fine fresh fragrance. 

Also have a look at the 'tropical birds of paradise', some hanging and slowly opening up their shapes and shades of red and and yellow, and the orange ones sharp stiff, like the true bird's beak, poised, neatly. Have a look and hope you enjoy!!! 

Chrysanthemums adorn the tropical winter gardens

This year I got delayed in planting the seedling and thought the garden looked very empty in December 2014. We had a spell of winter chill, days of no sunlight, in fact we did have even days of persistant heavy fog. So the seedlngs planted didn't seem to grow or thought they didn't have the energy to bloom. After that spell, I gave up. Suddenly, the weather came to our favour, the temperature started rising, and we started getting some sunlight. Then, after that as we crossed over to 2015, suddenly we had this colour burst of “MUMs”. As if suddenly everything woke up. And Wow, look at their spectacular colours and varieties we got this year!! The yellow curly ones, very charismatic, and then alot more yellows in all sizes, then we have the

pink shaded ones, paper-like, then we have the regular white and pink, large variety stuffed with petals and the regular maroon, rows of them. Finally, it was so satisfying. The again to add to the colour of the garden we have the roosteri-cap flowers, all in percing bright colours, yellow, magenta, orange and red!! Now, we wait for the Dahlias to showcase their colours!!  

Pre-winter shades of slight purple to soft mauve

The pre-winter mild sun was shining. Winter was not around just yet. As soothing as the air was, in the corner of our empty tiny roof-top garden shades of a sweet soft mauve was peeping. This was just late November. It was the first burst of flowers in the garden which through out the post monsoon season was regaining its strength and trying to get back to set the get going for the winter. Most seasonal seedlings had and were just being planted for the tropical winter, which along with spring are the most bright colour-filled phases of the garden year. We wait for the winter air to slowly set in as the warmth-humidIty of the summer monsoon transforms to the more cooler end of the temp scales. As if opening the doors for the garden colours, this soothing mauve climber, like bunches of winter plumerias arrives each year at this time to fill their climbing bush. And what a pleasure and joy it is to just watch them. And to truly capture some of its pleasure, we cannot miss to take

a bunch home to make their places in delicate glass vases. Similar is the orange scented

shrub which usually gets fllled around this time. The jasmines open up from their buds after nightfall to slowly drop off by early hours of the morning as five-petal, white flowers with tiny orange stalks, to

adorn the ground with delicate flowers forming a carpet on the dew laden ground. Amazing is the

sight! The jasmine’s fine scent is found in its orange stub. Also, when we looked around, as if to practice before their major bloom, their spray of spring colours, the bougainvilleas are getting ready. They are now just lightly draped with small bunces of  colours as if asking us to wait to see their true burst in a month's time or so, that's when their pigment factories will put the maximum thrust and burst into their spectacular shades !!!!