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 !!!!

Summer whites are back again and fill the evening air with their delightful fragrance

The suns's heat didn't affect them, infact the first signs of warmth just brought them to this season's first bloom. All the fragrant flowers bloom during the summer-monsoon season blooming at intervals through out the summer monsoon season. But as I mentioned before, this summer's heat has been unique, intense, reaching unusually record breaking high temps, reaching 35-47 degrees Celsius. But the lovely summer whites have made the day. I felt sorry for the blossoms as they would wither away soon. The hot air filled evenings too, without a touch of breeze, yet the evening air was filled with their nostalgic fragrance as usual as if their perfume becoming stronger then the warm air that stood the test of time. These flowers each of them, jasmines, orange jasmines or the other white blossoms that you see here, most have their softness as appealing as their evening fragrance. And this truly is a gift of the tropical summer-monsoon season and simply an enchanting feeling that fills one's heart and soul. 

Entwining of Late Spring and Early Summer colours

The blending of spring and summer has been amazing this year, as spring was short and summer set in very fast. The air became warm, and the sun's brightness more bold. As the sun's heat and brightness peaked so did the colours, as if becoming bold, ripe and summery. The pleasant spring started to change to bright sunny and warm days. Unlike other years the shift was quick but atleast the flowers remained motivated and you can seen the winter-summer blend as the bougainvilleas became brighter and solid and the other flowers also blossomed bright and blended into the heat filled warm days. Thanks to the winter phlox as they transformed to the summer variety right away and sustained the summer's heat and the petals retained their bright colours that filled the short-stemmed plants and bloomed in their typical clusters of vivid, brilliant and intense hue. And the fushcia plumeria tree was like an umbrella, in full bloom. And the bunches yellow allamanda groups, were stark sun-bright. And the marigolds too continued with their gold, yellow tinge, cheerful and shining. 

Spring 2014

Although we waited for the spring this year it was very short, just came and went, and so I didn't get a chance to write about it.. May be a night or two felt the spring breeze, then it started to be getting warm, then warmer. Yet the spring colour burst was there and the red, fuschia, pink, all brought a colour-spray effect into nature. And I truly must share this with all my readers. So here it is, it is the burst of spring colours! The bougainvilleas are at their best, and the other flowers,  are also competing with lovely pink, purple and magenta shades, ofcourse not forgetting the yellow. Hope you enjoy them.