Things That Bang

Bangalore comes to life during the monsoon season. For nature lovers this is the best time not only enjoy walks around the parks but also dig into the fertile red soil of the land. The soil spills forth its generous nature and greenery abounds. My neglected garden has come to life. Plants that were barely straggling, bearing heat, their leaves sunburned healed and returned to their glory thanks to the famous Bangalore downpours.

This is the best time for gardening is when the soil yields and the weather is no longer blistering hot and the best time to get in tune with nature is either early morning or late afternoon. Gardening can also be a good way of exercising. I bought over ten plants on the way back from Mysore and they required planting. So I grabbed a spade and got to work yesterday evening

I struggled with the heavy sack of potting mixes, grabbed my containers, my rickety wooden stool to park my butt on and got to work. It took me over two hours and still there were more plants and even two small trees that required planting. I heaved and wondered if all the toiling was really worth it and then I looked at the greenery and the flowers.

Beyond my little home lies a land stripped of all greenery. There is only dirt and construction. On entering the Lamba residence one is welcomed by the site of greenery. Trees, plants and lots of flowers lift the visitor's spirits. But it all takes effort and without a gardener the toiling is therapeutic and yet tiring

Gardening has become more than a hobby for me. It is an obsession. I want to visit more nurseries than my usual ones and look for exotic plants. In fact I have a long list of plants that I want but are not available. Living in a city like Bangalore where a family even managed to grow strawberries can easily be a gardener's paradise if one is willing to put in a wee bit of effort and time.

We have other visitors too. A resident rat snake is a regular, and I've encountered him sunning himself on the cool granite at our doorstep. The carcass of a lizard was found yesterday.