Flowers - moi?

 Flowers: I never longed for a bunch, actually I rather not pluck them..  but always enjoyed seeing them sprout in the spring amongst the dead leaves as I resumed my walks. When winter’s cold ebbs, they peak through the debris left from the fall, the mulching leaves and brush. In the last 2 years, I see myself paying closer attention to flowers than I did prior to the pandemic. Below are a few instances of note….may be a pattern!

So I am thinking :  with the pandemic dictating our lives, there is nostalgia and longing to visit the familiar and to create an ambience and environment we unconsciously miss. I thus indulge in this simple pleasure… learning about the plants I grew up with, surrounding myself with them? how long is this interest going to last ? 

If you read this tell me what new thing interested you during the pandemic that is not really your thing to do…or may be it was .. just not till now..

·   Dead Man’s flower - The official name is Catharanthus roseus, also known as Tiny Periwinkle - Usha Malari or Shavam Naari (dead body – stink) in Malayalam – always thought it was not used to do any worship, but I was wrong, according to my Mom, it is used for worship of Lord Shiva!

·  I was walking in the yard, omicron in full swing, my grown daughter by my side.  Inspired by the flowers in the garden, I started to sing an old popular Malayalam song “Thechi, Mandaram, Thulasi” which she is familiar with .. here was my chance to enlighten her... to point out all 3 varieties..I was delighted and she was duly surprised at the meaning and the actual flowers!  

·  My cousin was on a quest to find all varieties of Shankupushpam: Butterfly pea. I was only aware of a single dark blue color. She educated me on atleast 3, with additional cross breeds … go figure! Maybe I will follow suit and get myself a butterfly pea plant.

·  Last summer, I was fascinated with hibiscus. Since I can only grow them inside due to the cold climate, I was excited to find the hardy variety (rose mallow) for winter weather and they are perennials to boot! I plan to plant in my garden this spring.

·  I mentioned jasmine to my daughter and a plant was delivered as a surprise, but it wasn’t really jasmine, just a look alike – ha ha… ! no flowers and the one that did bloom didn’t look like it or smell.. may be a distant cousin. (btw, this picture is not jasmine or the plant i received - any guesses?)

P.S. kitchen garden was popular amongst a few folks - taking pride in the organic crops!!!