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The Cassia Fistula’s Naked!

The Cassia Fistula is Naked

The Cassia Fistula‘s almost naked now, which means that it soon will sport chandaliers of yellow flower clumps to be followed by long and hard seed pods.

It sheds a couple of months later in Bahrain than it does in other parts of the world, its native south east asia mostly.

It looks like we’re going to be blessed with seeing its full glory this year. Some flower pods are already forming. Can’t wait to take some pictures.

However, its deciduous nature creates a lot of work for us as you can imagine

The Maldivian Plumerias Have Taken

Garden Design, Gardening

plumeria-maldives - click for larger view

My wife and I spent a fantastic and relaxing short holiday in Velassaru, one of the Maldivian Heavenly atolls. The plants on that atolls were very similar to what we have here in Bahrain: plumerias, palms and other heat tolerant plants. I particularly fell in love with two plumerias, and the elephant ear plant.

I resolved to have them! And I knew it never hurts to ask. So I did, and got rewarded with two cuttings; one for the red-striped plumeria with it’s gorgeous red stripe underneath each petal (similar to the one on the bottom right) and another, as you see on the top left. The gardener there was generous enough to give me two young elephant ear plants from his nursery. I was a very happy camper indeed!

We packed the cuttings and plants well and brought them home with us. As I love plumerias and already have several of them in our garden, I initially didn’t have a good enough place for the new guests. I thought on it some more and then decided that the pool deck was an ideal place for them, especially as the area by the pump changing rooms was relatively bear, it being paved over and not having any shade in that area, they might well provide that focal point that was so far missing. Some digging was needed. So off I went to the construction equipment rental shop and got a small jackhammer and thank goodness I did, as the cement underneath those tiles was six inches deep. It took two guys most of the morning to complete the job. It was a hard slog, but in the end, the task was complete and we planted the two “sticks” in their places.

Nothing happened since they were planted in December 2011 and until late April 2012 there was no sign of life, other than the cuttings themselves continuing being green, which maintained the hope. Then at the end of April and all of a sudden, I noticed new growth! Finally, they had taken and are pushing through. As you can see from the pictures, both sport healthy leaves now and we’re all looking forward to welcome their first gorgeous flowers.

Expect some pictures, hopefully soon!

Vandalism

Gardening, General

I am gutted.

You know I spent quite some time designing, building and planting my xeriscaped border outside my house as a contribution to my neighborhood, country and environment. Unfortunately, some vandals – most probably kids who go to the school opposite my house – continue to wreak havoc in it by willfully damaging the plants.

Here are just some of the heart-wrenching results of their labors:

and these taken yesterday:

The question I have is why? Why do they have to do this? They throw rocks at the lovely plants and just walk away. What do they actually get out of it? And what can I do to prevent them from doing this?

The Revived Caper

Gallery, Gardening

I bought this caper several years ago from one of the Bahrain International Garden Shows, I think it was the 2006 or thereabouts. I left it in a medium-sized pot and it did well for a while. But like with everything else, time caught up with it and I thought it had died and being lazy (with a copious measure of hope) left it there.

I confess that after a while I gave it no further mind but fully remember its majesty when it did flower in its younger years. I further confess that as the cats started using the planter by the front door as a latrine – abhorrent beings they are – I resolved to move the plant and plonk it in the position it occupies now in order to prevent those infernal felines from doing their business there. My success in that department was good, but imagine the amplification of that feeling once I saw that the dry twig actually sprouted some very healthy looking leaves!

Now, just this morning, I notice this lovely flower – a day or so old and past its prime to be sure – yet, it serves as an excellent indication of the health of this lovely plant, especially when taken with the second bud to grace it too.

I am rather happy that the Caper has not only survived, but out of necessity, also found what seems to be its perfect place in my garden.

I so look forward to it thriving for some time to come.

Through the eyes of a lens

Gallery, Garden Design

It’s really strange that when you observe a garden, or any other space for that matter, and you are used to that particular view, you not only get to take it for granted but your mind disappears some detail and you never really appreciate it. However, I found that if you do frame it through the camera and take a picture, more often than not you would be pleasantly (or otherwise!) surprised. It’s almost as if the two-dimensional view – especially if done well – would make you see it for what it actually is, in all of it’s glory.

Consider this for instance. It’s a view I pass several times a day without giving it much thought. In fact, I didn’t think it as “lovely” as it obviously appears here:

Isn’t this a picture fit for a gardening magazine?

Looking at it now and noticing the beauty of the “tear drop” in the middle; the depth that the Ixora on the left leads to the lovely purple Datura flowers and then onto the bed of Calendulas and onward to the rose bushes below the French windows. Then we notice the gorgeous framing offered by the two plumerias, going through to the two Cassia Fistulas and then at the very back, at the wall, we see the passion fruit climber in the middle and the plentiful flowering of the Oleander is just.. well, beautiful!

And then just imagine this space a few weeks from now once the plumerias are fully clothed and the fistulas have shed theirs leaves and replaced them with new growth, and you will be once again pleasantly surprised.

All of this in the arid climate of Bahrain? Yes, indeed it is. As I’ve said in the previous article you can indeed grow just about anything in this lovely country, but for a short while until the scorching sun put an end to this particular enjoyment and forcibly transfer your attention to the most heat tolerant plants; namely the palms, plumerias and the cacti.

But let’s not dwell on that. Here. Enjoy this view as well, taken a minutes of the one above and is what is available opposite. The one on top I call the Southern Garden; while the one you see below, obviously, is the Front, or even Northern garden.

I do love my garden!

Have a pleasant day.

Microclimates

Gallery, Gardening

One would be forgiven to think that in a garden as small as mine that distinct climates exist in its different parts. I know the pictures make it look big, but trust me on this, it’s less than 700 square meters in total area. The garden is divided in three parts; here, you see the Southern part of the garden and it has traditionally been the warmer part. This is due to the neighbour’s high perimeter wall and its sheltered nature too.

Here, the warm-climate loving plants thrive. The two plumerias you see here framing the path grew from almost mere sticks to be the giants they are today. And it is only six or so years since I planted the two Cassia Fistulas you see in the background. The ixoras particularly like this part of the garden, as do the passion fruit climber in the background. The rest, well, they’re annuals of all sorts, the one you see behind the ixora is the lovely purple variety of datura.

Forgive the length of the grass in this picture. It is done on purpose as I have recently sanded and re-seeded the whole lawn with bermuda grass seed and it’s coming along quite nicely. I’ve cut the grass once about ten days ago and don’t want to disturb the young shoots again for another few days. The lawn was quite tired after eight years and was about to give up, which required this drastic intervention. I’m glad that the bermuda grass is taking hold now and I hope that it will bring back the lawn to its full former glory.

How are you keeping your lawn pristine and lush in Bahrain? Do you have any particular tricks you employ to keep it good? I’d love to hear from you.

Have a lovely May Day holiday.

The Xeriscaped Border is Complete!

Garden Design, Gardening

Have a look at this beauty! We’ve just finished this new border this afternoon. I moved almost all the agaves and cactii from the cluster by the pool into this new brilliant arrangement, even if I say so myself

I’m looking forward for them to mature in place and hope all visitors to our neighborhood enjoy my xeriscaped garden border.

The Witch’s Cauldron

Gallery, Gardening

It’s flourishing this year, thanks for my wife’s choice of filling it to the brim with red chrysanthemums

And here’s a close-up of those gorgeous mums:

If you wish, click the picture above for an original size which you can use as your desktop background, or flip it 90 degrees and use it as a background for your iPhone.

A panorama of my garden this morning

Gallery

Welcome to my refuge. My sanctuary.

Stock take

Gardening

600 Allisum (white, pink, purple)
200 Geraniums (white, red)
300 petunias
100 marigolds
20 chrysanthemums
75 calendulas
100 stock (white, purple)
10 rose bushes (sultani)
10 jasmine bushes (full)
2 variegated hibiscus bushes
25 flowers, can’t remember there names at the moment!
25 colius

Did I paint a picture in your head yet?