As I walked out of my home early one morning the other day, my sight fell on a strip of pink all along the garden. It was one pretty spectacle.
And a rare one at that. For more reasons than one.
Living along the beach strip our aspirations at gardening are restricted by the limited soil fertility. Also being a humid tropical area with lots of rainfall for most part of the year most flowering plants like Rose, Gladiolus etc. that prefer spring and fall do not grow very well. Even if they do, they bloom only during the very short season and for most part of the year the garden remains green, but barren.
Using plants like the common yellow cosmos or Ixora or the West Indian Jasmine that thrive well in these parts can be an option provided one can safely ensure that no part of the garden will be water logged during the monsoons. Most often this is not possible as large parts of the area are low lying. With the sand/loam costing a bomb elevating land without scorching one's hands is never an option.
Also, the coastal waters are a little too brackish to a plant's taste. Under such circumstances having an entire garden in full bloom through out the year is simply out of question.
So we decided to convert our irregular visitors into visitors who demand to stay.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Luckily we had the crazy and colorful idea to line up our garden with rain lilies! They grow easily and thrive well even in the rains. The best part? They burst into full bloom during the rainy season and we got out our little wish granted at no cost at all.
More about RAIN LILIES
They come in different colors but basically all of them belong to the genus Zephyranthes. You may choose a color/species of your liking. But do try casting a wider net on the look out for which species grows best in your particular area.
The species I have used is called Zephyranthes rosea and is a real simple beauty.
There are others like Z. candida (white), Z. citrina (yellow) and Z. drummondii (white) from which you can chose (whichever grows in your area.).
HOW YOU CAN KEEP YOUR GARDEN IN FULL BLOOM?
1. Choose the species of your choice or whichever grows best in your area. The species decides the color that will dominate your garden. In southern India Z. rosea (pink) is more common while the northern parts have Z. citrina (yellow) mostly.
2. After you have chosen the species it is time to sow them.
Rain lilies propagate using bulbs. Though they are named lilies they are not actually Lilly bulbs. They belong to the Amaryllis family and yet have an edge over the others of their kind. They are easier to grow and bloom more frequently. Dig a small hole and just drop the bulbs into them. Cover them up and make firm.
Water them daily if it is the dry season. If you are planting the bulbs during the rains, well and good as then the monsoon can take care of them by itself. Usually bulbs transplanted this time bloom from their very first shower on . But mostly it depends on the age of the bulbs you are using.
3. You may sow the bulbs in a pattern all along the garden. I say all along the garden because it helps create the desired effect of having a flowers throughout your garden patch.
After the controlled planting that I used initially I have come to realize that letting them amok is a better way to keep it pretty. It also gives you additional bulbs to be used in the next season or to recreate a new pattern each year.
Tips
1. You may want to have a pattern in mind though before you let them take over your garden. Otherwise all you will manage to do is give your dream garden an unkempt look. But if rustic is how you like it, then sure go for it.
2. You may like to want to use more than one color. Try to mix and match different species in different patterns to create a riot of colors. But keep in mind that different species will not bloom the same day or season.
3. When mix-matching different timed species you may arrange them in tandem patterns. This way even when one type isn't blooming you can ensure that if the other does it will be in a complementary pattern.
4. Water adequately during the drier days.
5. Let them amok This generates bulbs for the next planting season.
6. Prune their tops in a level fashion a couple of weeks before the first shower. This not only gives a lush look but generates the flower stalks faster.
If you are from the rainier tropical parts,landscaping with rain lilies is are perhaps your best chance at having fully bloomed gardens throughout the year.
Now that you know the trick have a welcoming sight every morning this season!
No comments:
Post a Comment