From South Africa with love ...

Scientific name: Pelagonium x hortorum

The beautiful garden common geraniums are indigenous to South Africa and then were a delight to the gardens of European countries. It further spread across the globe with many more hybrids being produced by gardeners with improved floral varieties. The succulent leaves are alternate and palmately lobbed or pinnate. The plants are used for bedding, borders and also maintained in containers. Bears 4 to 5 inch diameter flower clusters with many small florets arranged in a hemi-sphere. The prolific flowers range in colours from white, magenta, orange or even double colours by forming vibrant margins around the petals. While i was working in Bangalore, my friend introduced me to this plant and presented me some cuttings and had three varieties in my garden. Recently on my visit to the Uncle and Aunt in Mysore, i had a happy feeling seeing many garden varieties in their home. I took this photograph in the cloudy evening of 4th September 2011, as light was falling rapidly. 

Sheltering you ...

Scientific name: Fuchsia corymbiflora

Vine Fuchsia comes from Peru, which grows like a vine and has hanging clusters of long tubular flowers. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects. Propagation is done through seeds. This photograph was taken from the Botanical Garden of Ooty on 27th April 2011, while I was on a pleasure trip with my family, along with some relatives.

Calm and composed ...

Scientific name: Vinca minor

The lesser periwinkle is native to central and southern Europe. The plant is also known as small periwinkle or common periwinckle. It is a trailing perennial ever green herb with creeping stems. The leaves are opposite, 2-4.5 cm long, glossy dark green with a leathery texture and an entire margin. The solitary blue to violet flowers rise from leaf axils, with a five lobbed corolla. The plant is used in the ethano-medicine. It is considered as an astringent, as a remedy for nervous disorders and in healing high blood pressure. The flower has called my attention due to its calm and solitary appearance. I shot this photograph on 30th November 2010 evening in the Sims Park, Coonoor.

Beading your way ...

Scientific name: Canna indica

This plant is also known as Indian shot and is native to Caribbean and tropical America. This popular ornamental plant grows upto to 1.5 m. The flowers are red, orange, yellow or variegated and easily steals the attention, due to the virbrant colours. The seeds are black, spherical and resembles shotgun pellets and hence the name, Indian shot. The perfectly round hard shells have surprised my daughter, just when i opened the pods. The seeds are used in natural jewelry as beads. The plant is very common in Mysore. I usually see it on my way to my work and also on my walking tracks. This photograph was taken on August 28th, 2011 from a house in front of my Institute. 

Brushing your imaginations ...

Scientific name: Callistemon viminalis

The bottle brush is a shrub or small tree. It is native to the states of New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. They are a gardeners delight for the floral beauty and used in landscaping. The flower spikes are made up of a number of individual flowers. The pollen of the flower is found on the top of a long stalk, which gives the flower spike its colour and distinctive bottle brush shape. I have observed this plant in many home gardens in Trivandrum, my native place. This photograph i took while on a trip to Coonoor in the evening of 3rd December, 2010.

A cup of ...?

Scientific name: Argemone mexicana

The Mexican prickly poppy is a prickly, hairless, branching herb with yellow juice and showy yellow flowers. It is an invasive weed from American continents. The yellow flowers occur at the end of the branches. The plant is toxic to animals and cattle. It has got many medicinal values. According to Ayurveda, it is diuretic. While searching plants for my research work, i was attracted by the beauty of this plant and collected this one for experiments on silkworm. This photograph was taken on 25th August, 2011 near my home in Mysore. 

Rocketing the visual treat ...

Scientific name: Consolida ajacis

Larkspur or rocket larkspur is a fascinating plant group with colourful blooms from white to blue to violet. This tall growing flower blooms in the spring. Native to Eurasia, it has spread across the continents and thrives well in cooler climate. The vibrant colour feast is a sight to watch, especially during flower shows. I took this photo on 3rd December, 2010 at Coonoor while attending a Conference. Just outside the conference hall,  it was calling me from a flower bed.