Drive away the darkness from
your garden
| After all the efforts that have gone into landscaping the garden, you
are still groping in the dark to find your way around the pots and
shrubs. It is time for some expert advice on lighting up the premises,
writes T. NANDAKUMAR. |
Photo: S. Mahinsha
NEW ENTRANTS: One of the latest garden lighting fixtures to enter the market
is the solar-powered stake light.
It is a nice evening, a fresh breeze stirring the leaves and
cooling the air. As dusk settles in, you reach for the cane chair to sit back
and take in the beauty of the garden. But by the time you make it to the freshly
manicured lawn, it is already too dark.
The garage lights are off to the other side while the canopy
of the small tree blocks the light from the lamps near the gate. After all the
efforts that have gone into landscaping the garden, you are still groping in the
dark to find your way around the pots and shrubs. You suddenly realise that your
garden is not the ideal place to spend the time after dark. It is time for some
expert advice on lighting up the premises.
Landscape lighting is not just putting up a few lights at
random. It requires a good understanding of the dynamics of illuminating the
various elements that make up a garden, including green spaces, architectural
features and water elements.
Key
elements
According to landscape architect G. Viswanathan, garden
lighting has two key elements - functional and aesthetic. The functional aspect
involves illumination of footpaths and open spaces. "More than highlighting
beauty, functional or utility lighting is used to ensure security and guide
visitors around. In big parks and gardens attached to campuses, lights are
strategically placed to highlight paths and other elements," explains Mr.
Viswanathan.
Aesthetic lighting on the other hand focuses on bringing out
the visual beauty of a landscaped ground. "By configuring lights of various
kinds, different elements like trees, lawn, potted plants, sculptures and water
features such as dancing fountain, cascade or pond can be visually projected.
For example, a flowering tree can be dynamically enhanced by using a light from
below to highlight its profile. Mercury vapour lamps which provide cool
moonlight are preferable for gardens," says Mr. Viswanathan.
Wide
variety
Several types of landscape lights are available in the
market. These include post top lanterns or pole lights mounted on long stems,
par lights which are used to focus a beam on statues and other hardscape
elements, mini floodlights, stepper lights to be installed on stairs and bollard
lights that can also act as signages in a public park. Up and down lights and
dome lights can be used to impart a special effect to a landscaped garden.
Bollard lights are the most popular. Standing just two to
three feet from the ground, they come in different colours and shapes. Some of
the latest versions also have built-in speakers that can provide music. In large
public parks with a network of footpaths leading in different locations, bollard
lights in different colours are installed to guide visitors and prevent them
from straying. Laser lights and fibre optic lights are also used to illuminate
large landscaped grounds and water features. But they are prohibitively costly.
The latest
One of the latest garden lighting fixtures to enter the
market is the solar-powered stake light which uses a small matchbox-size
photovoltaic panel on the top to charge the compact flourescent lamp housed in a
glass case. The fixture can be taken out and driven into soft ground or the lawn
to illuminate the surroundings.
"Being a standalone fixture, the stake light can be
installed anywhere in the garden. The solar charging feature is a major
attraction for environment-conscious citizens," says B.R. Sreekumar of
Perfect Agri Management Corporation, stockists for a range of garden lights and
equipment. The stake lights are imported and cost upwards of Rs.1,000 each.
Sturdier
Garden lights have to be sturdier than their interior
versions to withstand continuous exposure to the elements. The connectors,
fittings and bulbs all have to be heavy duty, waterproof and weatherproof. They
have to be durable and equipped with insulation to prevent the ingress of dust,
solid objects and moisture. Underwater fittings used to illuminate ponds,
fountains and cascades are built for continuous submersion.
"Properly done outdoor lighting can enhance the beauty
and charm of the garden or driveway and at the same time provide night time
safety," says N. Krishnaswamy of the city-based Ananthapuri Electrical
Engineers and Consultants.
Lamp compartments used in outdoor lighting fixtures are made
of injection-moulded acrylic with anodised aluminium for louvres and lampshades.
Courtesy: Property
Plus, The Hindu
********************************************************
Go green in summer too
| Who said plants will wilt and wither in the searing heat? Just give
them a helping hand. And see how they flourish |
Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.
POTTED AND PRETTY: Season is no bar for a `healthy'.
Nothing like coming back from work to a healthy and well
nurtured garden!
The urge to relax in the midst of plants, with refreshing
breeze caressing you, only grows stronger in the summer since the concrete
jungle around you radiates so much heat.
Be it an independent house with open space or apartments, a
green corner makes a lot of difference -- soothing frayed nerves and easing
stress.
But is not maintaining a garden or keeping the potted plants
fresh, green and blooming in summer a daunting task?
Not at all, says M.M.Hussain, Managing Director of Plants
Land, a noted nursery in Somajiguda in Hyderabad, if one follows basic dos and
don'ts of plant care in summer.
Conducive
conditions
Contrary to common perception, plants do extremely well in
summer if conducive conditions are provided, he affirms.
A look at his nursery in his residence confirms this. So read
on for the tips on plant care in summer.
Summer ensures faster growth of plants with sufficient
watering and humidity. It is good to bring outdoor plants in containers together
preferably on ground.
Placing the potted plants together on the soil keeps the
ground wet for a longer time providing the micro-climate.
Those collectors' items and delicate plants can be protected
from excessive he1at exposure by putting a shady net across or even a thin gunny
clothin months of April and May.
Soil
conditions
The soil in which the plants grow has to be porous, humus and
loose always and more so in summer.
The top layer has to be removed and mixed with 50 per cent
good soft red soil, 50 per cent of natural manure, consisting of either leaf
mould or cow dung or horse manure to give texture to soil. Also add a little
vermicompost and coco peat. The process can be repeated once in four to six
months.
Leaf mould from decaying leaves can be made at home. It
provides excellent nutrients to the plant.
Mix all the components thoroughly and put it back into the
pot.
Porous soil holds the moisture for a long time and feeds the
plant for long.
However, Mr. Hussain cautions against water logging as it
will rot the root system. Greenish algae on the top layer are an indication of
root decay.
Mulching the soil once in 15 days is essential to prevent top
soil from becoming a dry cake due to heat.
Watering
Watering can be done once/twice a day when plants show signs
of wilting. It is better to avoid mid-day watering if possible.
Avoid chemical fertilisers in summer for a little excess dose
can kill the plant.
If necessary, a minute percentage in liquid form after
thorough watering of plant can be given.
Soaked oil cakes can be fed in the form of solution to potted
or ground plants. Sprinkling the same over lawns would also help.
Re-potting is to be avoided during summer.
But if done, keep the re-potted plant in a cool and shady
place for 15 to 20 days to let it settle and take roots properly.
M.L. MELLY MAITREYI
Courtesy: Property Plus, The Hindu
********************************************
Pests take a summer
vacation!
Having learnt that summer is indeed good for robust growth of
plants last week, soak in this good news too -- that this is also the time when
you need not worry too much about pests. Read on for some gardening tips from M.M.
Hussain, expert and Managing Director of Plants Land, a reputed nursery in
Somajiguda.
Indoor
plants
For indoors, diffenbachia, aglonimas, aria palms,
philodendrons, ferns, schefflera, bracios, species of phycus, spathyphyllums are
good but avoid anthuriums and orchids as they need extra care in summer.
Outdoor
ones
Best flowering shrubs are bougainvillea, petunias, vincas.
Bougainvillea once settled, the less it is watered, more colourful it will be.
It can be grown in pots or like climber, shrub, hedge or left hanging from top.
Exora species like jatrophas, `alamanda', plumbago, pentas,
cassia biflora, beloperone, malphigias and night queen are ideal for summer. So
is Lantanas, which is available in 10 to 12 colours. `Nandivardhanam' too
flourishes throughout the year.
Gerbera, petunia and vincas do not like water-logging and so
summer is the best period for them. Xerophytes (cacti and succulents) which
require less water and other thorny plants like roses are good for summer as
thorns reduce water evaporation. Other summer plants are neriums, `parijatam',
russelias, a semi-cascading shrub in red and yellow, cashiafistula, temple tree,
plumaria trees, adenium (Desert rose), Mr. Hussain says.
Plants with colourful flowers need ample sunlight to look
striking. When plants show signs of wilting, they can be moved to shady areas.
Soil should be conditioned for retention of moisture. Soaked
oil cakes can be fed in the form of solution for potted or ground plants.
The solution can also be sprinkled over lawns. Lawns also
will be at their best in summer due to extra light. They need to be watered well
and using sprinklers is the best way .
Pest
management
Basic thing is to keep the surroundings of container plants,
pits, beds clean and hygienic. Plants like hibiscus and rose are to be sprayed
once in 10 to 12 days whether or not affected by pest or disease, with fungicide
in mild dose. Procure insecticide from standard companies.
Certain plants are susceptible to millibug (white spongy
sucking pests) as in crotons, hibiscus, akaliphas. An insecticide can be sprayed
at initial stages to curb the pest. If the problem is severe, plant need to be
pruned and the stems rinsed with cotton dipped in insecticide. The insecticide
must be sprayed once a week for three to four weeks. Neem oil also serve as an
organic pesticide in the initial stages.
Vacation
woes
Another point is how to take care of plants when the family
goes on a vacation. Mr. Hussain says one can fill big trays with water and place
the pot in it.
Through capillary action of roots, water would slowly be
absorbed by the plant. One can also use gels which can hold 200 times of water
and can be released slowly to the plant.
Mr.Kurdukar of Agri and Horticulture Society, Public Gardens
says that evaporation losses can be prevented by placing a layer of vermicompost
in the pot.
Similarly pebbles too can be used to form a layer on soil to
check evaporation losses. In flats, a five-litre barrel can be placed at a
height and small outlets be provided for the water to pass through pipes placed
in the pots.
M.L. MELLY MAITREYI
Courtesy: Property Plus, The Hindu
********************************************************
How green is your dream
garden?
| A small garden in your courtyard will do wonders to your dream home as
well as your psyche. But you have to put your heart into maintaining it
nicely, writes Shyama Rajagopal. |
– Photo: H. Vibhu
Soothing: A green lawn adds to the charm of the house.
A small garden is the dream of every household. It took some
time for this trend to set in, since the idea of a garden was limited to just
having a hibiscus tree or a chethi or some foliage in the front yard with
a mussanda tree at the gate. Earlier, there were only a few houses which
had a full-fledged garden, some seasonal flowers and a carpet of inviting green
grass. But over time, the idea of having a garden has slowly caught on.
Latest trend
A lawn in front of the house is one of the latest trends in housekeeping that
has caught the fancy of many. Even those living in houses with a small front
yard believe in getting it spruced up with greenery. For those living in flats
too, this dream of a green patch is making many builders go in for technology
that makes a sky garden possible. In apartment complexes too, there is an
attempt to provide a green touch in whatever little space that is available.
Where does one go to get a lawn done? Well, to begin with, one can make
enquiries at any of the local nurseries that are doing well. Most of them have
gardeners who take up some work on their behalf. Professional help too can be
had from these nurseries. Most of the nursery owners would be in touch with
landscaping artists, who can provide some guidance in this regard. A general
interest in gardening may help people pursue their objective of having a good
garden.
Those who have no experience in gardening may find it a little difficult in
the beginning to get the right kind of flowers in the right season and may end
up spending a lot of money in doing up a garden that may not look very flowery,
if that is what they had intended to do.
Learn the tricks
One has to learn some of the tricks in gardening, in nutrient management and
also in pruning the plants at the right time to get the desired results. It may
be attention to these little details that result in a good garden, and your
garden may look a bit dreary otherwise. Of course, it is left to one’s choice
to have a garden full of different varieties of foliage or a flowery one.
With many exotic plants available in nurseries, one may be a little overawed.
But, they may soon lose their lustre as soon as they get into your flower pot.
With every plant needing different treatment, one needs to be familiar with how
they can be nurtured and that generally takes time. Better still, follow the
guidance of a horticulturist or read up some articles on garden care.
Kochi is home to a growing number of garden workers who come from eastern
India in search of work.
Indrajit, who has been here for the last six years, is earning quite a lot
with his contract jobs doing lawns and gardens. “I manage to get new work from
the houses that I maintain on a regular basis and also from the nursery from
where I buy plants for my clients,” he said. His parents and siblings followed
him here and have now created an occupation for themselves in gardening.
He provides an estimate with a computer-aided drawing for clients who seek a
professional job. Some give a full contract, which includes procuring soil, sand
and grass for the lawn, which may cost about Rs.13 a square foot. It may come
down to Rs.8 a sq. ft. if the client takes care of the soil and sand. While it
may take about three months for the grass to assume a carpet form, some would
like to have it done immediately. This may cost more, up to Rs.45 a sq. ft. for
the lawn to be completed in a carpet form. This involves much more labour and
having a larger quantity of grass, he said.
Grass variety
It would definitely be appropriate to decide on the kind of grass that would
make up a good lawn, or rather, suit your house. A shady courtyard makes it
difficult for one to have a carpet lawn with Mexican or Korean grass, which is
the preferred grass for lawns. It looks better than any other kind of grass
because of the thin blades, said P.A. Jacob Varghese, horticulturist. However,
it requires more maintenance with regular watering and exposure to direct
sunlight for about six hours, he added. In shady areas, one should go for grass
with slightly larger-sized blades called buffalo grass. Dwarf varieties of this
grass are available for lawns, said Prof. Jacob. It is a grass that can be
handled a little roughly too. Walking on it would not damage it, while the
Mexican grass lawn may be damaged when it is trodden upon. There are other wild
grass varieties too, which can be used for lawns, but proper maintenance would
be required, he added. Removing the weeds from the lawn is important. There are
also some weedicides available that can be used judiciously in the garden, he
said.
A flower bed can be maintained with some free flowering plants like miniature
ixora or lantana or a hedge can be created with duranda, which has bright green
leaves, said Prof. Jacob. Miniature nandiarvattom is also available.
Bouga invillas flower more with prudent pruning and control of the water
content, while some other plants like hibiscus may not require such frequent
pruning.
There are certain plants that would do well if they have a flower bed rather
than a pot. Some might do well in a deep pot, while some might grow well in wide
but shallow pots. These are some of the techniques and tips that one can pick up
from here and there.
Courtesy:
Property Plus, The Hindu
********************************************************
What gives lily ponds the
charm
| Though they go by the name lily ponds, these can well be the sanctum
of other water plants like lotus. |
Photo: T. Singaravelou
Nature’s way: Lily ponds help bring down temperature.
This exquisite facet of nature has allured many an artist and
thinker. For instance, Claude Monet, among the greatest of the European masters,
could never have enough of it – of lily ponds, which he celebrated in several
of his brilliant paintings. And understandably so. Luckily, it is easy enough to
create a lily pond, both indoors and outdoors.
Laying the pond
Though they generally go by the name ‘lily ponds’, these ponds can
equally well be the sanctum of other water plants like the lotus. In fact, there
are about six kinds of aquatic plants that can be raised in a pond, such as
water violets and water hyacinths. If you plan to create a natural pond in your
garden, fashion its depth between 18 and 24 inches. While lilies take root in
the soil of natural ponds,so do they need deeper water to thrive. On the
positive side, they are very hardy and have a long blooming season. As for
indoor ponds, they need a minimum depth of two feet and a diameter of three to
five metres. "You don’t need to add manure to the water. Good water is
all that these plants need. Metro water we get is okay, but check to ensure that
it is not heavily chlorinated. You can start off with just a few bulbs of lilies
or lotuses. They multiply very quickly.
Maintenance
Watch out for the mosquitoes! Stagnant water encourages breeding of mosquito
larvae, so the trick is to move water by connecting it to a cascade powered by
submersible motor pump. A half Hp pump will serve the purpose. The other option
is to change the water as often as required. To cut down on evaporation in
ponds, spray a water-oil mixture which will spread on the water surface and act
as a barrier to evaporation, Navneeth advises.
Ponds also collect moss, which has to be cleaned up. To bypass this, drain
the water and scrub the surface clean with bleaching powder once every three
months in the case of ponds with an artificial base. In ponds with a mud base,
the aeration is more, and you can filter off the moss. This apart, maintaining
lily plants, or other pond plants is relatively hassle free. In fact, these
plants absorb the floating organic matter and keep the pond clean.
If your pond seems to be getting dirty too often, you could perhaps
incorporate a moving water fixture in it, such as a waterfall or a water
guzzler; the action of moving water sets in force natural filtration, or add
pond fish which will feed on the organic matter. If the pond looks unmanageably
dirty, use biological filters. Floating plants like the water hyacinth need more
attention as they grow faster and become water weeds. To add to the zen
ambience, if your pond is an outdoor fixture, give it a border of rockery.
The aura of pond plants
Well, the lotus and the lily are inspiring plants, and well kept ones can
spread an aura of peace and (intellectual) reflection in the atmosphere. Scented
varieties of lilies emanate a subtle fragrance into the atmosphere. As for the
practical benefits, pond plants help reduce the algae growth in water and add
oxygen to the garden pond. Ponds attract birds. And of course, they bring down
the temperature of the place, not to mention the soothing of frayed nerves.
HEMA VIJAY
Courtesy:
Property Plus, The Hindu
