Go for adventurous vegetables and rainbow flowers

Exhibits at the Lalbagh flower show had style, beauty and utility value

WELCOME SIGHT: A 'kalasha' of flowers at the Lalbagh Glass House. - PHOTO: SAMPATH KUMAR G.P.

THE LALBAGH flower show in January is one classroom of colour and scent that the naughtiest child will not run away from. It teaches the most "garden-clueless" person, who does not know the difference between compost and caladiums or between succulents and spider plants, a lot of valuable lessons as he walks through a carnival of plants.

This year's show was richer because its special features included some adventurous vegetables that tried to imitate flowers and succeeded too — as proven by the ornamental cabbages that enchanted visitors in the Indo- American Hybrid Society's stall.

Costing Rs. 50, they seemed to be painted blue, silver, pink, mauve, yellow and orange! They last only for three months. But you cannot reproduce them like you can take a cutting of begonias or spider plants from your neighbour and get a free new plant. Nor can the purple-pin-blue-silver cabbages be eaten! But many buyers were tempted to pick them up. The seeds can be bought for Rs. 35, however.

Easy on the pocket

But if you cannot eat ornamental cabbages, the Lalbagh horticulture section made up for it with green cabbages (also very showy) which you could pick up for Rs. 10 or even buy the seeds. And they are edible. Call Lalbagh on Ph: 26576733.

One stall had ferns that looked like they were made from plastic, costing Rs. 100. Perhaps the least noticed Cinderella of the show was the unusual slate blue and grey-coloured ivy in the Raj Bhavan's collection. It was twined richly around a tall wire mesh.

Beyond it was a stunning carpet of bougainvillaea parading the colours of the rainbow. Pink and white, yellow and orange, purple and cream, they glittered in the light. Reminding gardeners that they are the easiest flowers to grow. Forget all about them as they faithfully fill up your walls and corners with rainbow hues. They are available at the Lalbagh plant section.

The hanging plants at the Indo-American showroom were lovely, priced at Rs. 100, but visitors who bought them did not get a carry bag with them and ended up walking all the way to the gates holding them uncomfortably in their hands.

A seller from Shimoga had the best collection of Rex Begonias - silver white, pink, silver, white, green-silver and many more — priced affordably at Rs. 30 and also sold in plastic bags which made them easy to carry.

For the novice gardener, there were all the easiest plants to start with. Pepperomias, Rex Begonias shimmering with their silver colours, ivy in a hanging pot, bougainvillaea, chrysanthemums, fittonias, and succulents that are such friendly plants to learn gardening with. You stick them in the soil and they grow for you! If you want to learn about bonsais and how to grow them, contact the Bonsai Garden on Ph: 26573317. You can try out a Bonsai workshop and take home your first handiwork.

And if you want to start growing your very own herbal garden, contact the Medplan Conservatory Society on Ph: 28565873. email: medplan@frlht.org.in

The Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, recognised as a centre of excellence in medicinal plants & traditional knowledge by the Union Ministry of Environment & Forests, can also be contacted at the Lalbagh Nursery, Ph: 26576733. You can know more about curative, preventive and health-giving plants.

If you want to try out interesting, healthy teas for controlling various illnesses and pick up aloe vera juice, shampoo, herbal bath powders etc., you can get them at Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan, Ph: 22223146 on Silver Jubilee Park Road, Ph: 26623050 in Basavangudi, Ph: 22262950 on Queens Road and Ph: 26610615 in Shankarpuram. The firm dealing in these goods also sells aloe vera plants for Rs. 15 each. At the University of Agricultural Sciences you can pick up aloe vera for Rs. 5. Ph: 55315598.

Gardeners and farmers who want to use biopesticides for dealing with pests in roses, carnations, cabbage, cauliflowers etc. should check out the newer items such as pongamia soap and neem soap offered by the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR). Ph: 28466420/421/422. email: director@iihr.ernet.in.

Three stalls at Lalbagh were selling delicious, healthy amla products. They had been invited by the Government to promote the use of amla in sweetmeats, pickles, juices, jams, jellies and other treats. Amla juice and other amla products can be bought in Bangalore from Shakti Arogya Yatra, ph: 26507758, 56997199.

So, the novice gardener might have learnt at least that compost is humus, the rich, dark and crumbly soil that you can make from kitchen wastes, leaves, etc; and that the Spider Plant is what your cat loves to eat, costs little and produces several baby plants which you can gift to a friend.

Ornamental cabbages were on show.
Pepperomias, Rex Begonias, ivy, bougainvillaea, chrysanthemums, fittonias were the other attractions.
For growing herbal garden, contact Medplan Conservatory Society on Ph: 28565873.
The Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, which promotes medicinal plants, can be contacted on Ph: 26576733.
New biopesticides are available with the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR). Ph: 28466420.

DAKSHA HATHI

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu