And The Award For Best Performance Goes To …

Posted on March 17, 2026 by shobha

the snowdrops! Emerging from a harsh winter ( I’m aware it’s not done yet!), starved for sightings of new and joyous growth, the clumps of shimmering snowdrops are glorious. I give props to the lemon-drop yellow winter aconites scattered like jewels as well. These ephemerals might be diminutive in stature but their parts are mighty in this moment. There are no small parts in a good garden. While some plants have their shining moments, it does not happen in isolation. A supporting cast is always responsible for it.

A garden at its best is a production of fine actors, great casting, creative design by way of color, texture, form and function, clever scripting that plays out seamlessly through the seasons, a dedicated director, producer and the set design, lighting etc., crews, background actors and stand-ins – a true ensemble presentation. Every element and detail matters equally. Admittedly, the humble gardener wears many hats.

As the gardener, I take my responsibilities very seriously. I want the gardening to be interesting and deliberate in creating something authentic that must take its place in the larger landscape without apology, It cannot overshadow or be overshadowed because it too is but a member of a production at a much grander scale. Just like a brilliant film, play, book, opera, ballet or symphony, I want my garden to entertain, educate, tell a fine story of life, love, loss and laughter. Timeless yet unique. It must speak to all. Then and only then will I know that I have played my part well.

That said, when I’m given praise for my garden looking beautiful, I feel quite the fraud. In the larger scheme of things, I play a small part. My efforts are mostly by the seat of my pants laced liberally with hope. When matters turn out as well or better than envisioned, I’m happily surprised. The garden looks good despite me. I’m beyond grateful for that.

What’s doing in the garden right now –

Inside the new greenhouse — The new greenhouse

[do_widget “Blog Subscriptions (Jetpack)”]

Spring Up!

Posted on March 10, 2026 by shobha

A thaw is underway! Since last Friday, temperatures have been rising and so has my spirit. It’s 67 degrees as I write this article. Sunny and simply gorgeous. Patches of winter weary earth are visible; the dull green has never looked more pleasing to my eyes. Behold! Snowdrops are shyly, silently, ringing their sweet bells. The birds are filling the air with all manner of song – they too are just as ecstatic no doubt. The winter must have been so hard on the wildlife.

We’re being cautioned that the temperatures will be dropping to the 40’s by Thursday which is of course more in keeping with where it ought to be. I’m fine with that. I don’t want to hurry up spring but this little taste of what will be served in a month is positively delicious.

In fact, I’m burning up with garden fever because the snow melt is a not so subtle wake up call to get ready for the season. Once all the snow has disappeared a gardener will have to hit the soil running digging. And cleaning up, clearing, pruning, planting and yes, even weeding. I’m ordering up the new plants I will be planting this year, the sharpened tools are waiting for action, an inventory of pots, seeds and other supplies has been done/replenished, chores are being scheduled and I’m giddy with the excitement of getting my hands in the soil once again.

So fair warning if one has been dragging their feet on the to-do list in preparing for spring. Don’t waste any more time. Snap out of the winter stupor and get cracking. See how the snowdrops were properly ready to shine? They didn’t know the snow was going to melt two days ago but had been doing due diligence and anticipating exactly this possibility. Carpe Diem they say!

Don’t forget – My Open Garden Day is May 9!

[do_widget “Blog Subscriptions (Jetpack)”]

March Tidings

Posted on March 3, 2026 by shobha

March

A petulant child

Tossing stormy days

Beaming sunny rays

Till Spring arrives to play

– Shobha Vanchiswar

Things To Do In March–

Cut some forsythia and pussy willow branches for indoor forcing. Place in water and keep in a cool place until the buds are swollen. Then move them to a location where they can be viewed as the blooms burst forth. A lovely prelude to spring.
As snow melts, start clean up process. Twigs and other debris can be removed. Protect the still wet areas of grass and beds by first placing cardboard or wood planks and stepping on those instead. They help distribute the weight better.
Later in the month, remove protective burlap and/or plastic wrappings and wind breaks.
Get tools sharpened. This includes the mower blades.
Commence indoor seed sowing. Begin with the early, cool weather crops. Read seed packet instructions and calculate dates for planting out.
Order plants that will be required for the garden as soon as the ground has warmed up. Let your local nursery know your needs – they will inform you know when shipments arrive.
As soon as possible, once snow is all gone and soil has thawed, spread compost on all the beds including the vegetable plot.
Finish pruning fruit trees, grape vines and roses early in the month.
Take an inventory and stock up on whatever is lacking. Soil, gloves, mulch, tools, water crystals, grass seed, pots, hoses etc.,
Survey the garden and see what needs replacing, repairing or painting. Schedule and do the needful.
Start bringing out or uncovering outdoor furniture. It’ll soon be time to linger outdoors!
Get Open Days directory from Garden Conservancy – www.gardenconservancy.org. Mark your calendars to visit beautiful gardens in your area. Come to my Open Day on May 9 between 10 am and 4 pm. I’m looking forward to seeing you!

Since we’re still under a couple of feet of snow, I’m sharing my watercolors of my garden in winter –

[do_widget “Blog Subscriptions (Jetpack)”]

Property Values

Posted on February 24, 2026 by shobha

Our resilience is being tested this winter. Super cold temperatures, a massive snow storm in January, a dangerous 24 hour blizzard that ended yesterday and still more snow expected mid-week. The garden is under about 4 feet of snow with snowdrifts so high that they beckon like hills waiting to be conquered. It all looks quite intimidatingly stunning.

My garden, my constant companion, seems to have gone AWOL. Leaving me quite bereft. It’s just been too long a separation. When I’m not moping around feeling sorry for myself, I’ve made great headway in whipping the house into shape. The excuses I typically make to avoid the big clean out, pare down and organizing projects do not hold up when there’s no demand for my attention in the garden. Having had the kitchen completely renovated this past Fall and added a small lean-to greenhouse, I’ve been more motivated to tackle the other spaces. From attic to basement, there’s been extensive purging, culling, simplifying and organizing. In working through the tasks, I’ve been made aware of the elements that are considered “property enhancing”. The stuff that adds value to the property – keep in mind this matters only when one is going to sell the house. I am not selling but that hasn’t stopped folks from bringing it to my attention. Frankly, my focus has been on making the home beautiful, functional, efficient and comfortable and more suited to how we live now. The cost of a property is not the same as its value.

However, it’s got me to consider how we add value to the property with our gardens. At a surface level, a garden that is pretty (stunning even) is a bonus. But, if it is perceived as high maintenance or catering to a very specific trend, then the price of the property is not raised. Oftentimes, the opposite can be true. Again, we cannot, must not create gardens with resale in mind. After all, gardens are impermanent and can evolve and/or change quickly. A new gardener can transform it any which way they want.

What merits we bring to the garden is what we ourselves value in our lives. Clean air, clean water, vegetation and wildlife that inherently belong to the area thriving and supporting each other, demand gardening practices that create a healthy, bio-diverse environment for human and non-human life, a space for children to explore, learn and play ( ditto for adults!). A garden where our love of land and life is apparent, a space so joyful that it raises our spirits, so fruitful that it nourishes our bodies and, most importantly, prepares us to be resilient in this time of climate change and unpredictable conditions. In being so, it demonstrates clearly to the next custodian that this space is one to cherish, protect and enjoy. And they can as well pass it on to their successor.

That is how we add true value to our properties.

Images of the garden smothered in snow book-ended by the tulips warming my heart –

[do_widget “Blog Subscriptions (Jetpack)”]

Slow Gardening

Posted on February 18, 2026 by shobha

There’s an upside to the brutal winter we’re experiencing. With the snow sitting heavy and the winds blowing the temperatures even lower, I am compelled to be measured with my to-do activities. This forced restraint has given me the luxury of time. Time to reflect. Time to observe. Time to consciously plan. We have become so used to fast-forward living that even in gardening the demand for haste and instant gratification has pervaded. I have all too often caught myself rushing through chores, getting impatient and wanting things to happen quickly. This, despite my resolve to be more present, patient. Like a majority of us, I keep losing my way on the true path to mindfulness.

This winter has firmly sat me down, removed all opportunity to make haste and instead, suggested that I take the opportunity to examine not just my gardening life but life in general. And so I have complied. I’ve been giving much thought to what I value and how I want to move forward in alignment with those values. To that end, I know definitively that I want to be fully present to the many opportunities that come my way. They aren’t necessarily new ones; they exist already. But what is required is my full attention with whatever project/task I undertake. No multi-tasking, no short cuts. I want to savor the process. It really is about taking in the scenery while moving towards the destination.

I remember an expression I came across in a book on Buddhist philosophy. I wish I could remember the title. But the line that has stayed with me is – ‘wash the dishes to wash the dishes’. What that meant was to be completely engaged with whatever one was doing. In this case, to pay mind to the temperature of the water, the smell of the detergent, the soap suds, to consider the food held by the dishes, the pleasure of eating the food, drying the freshly cleaned plates and pans and putting them away till the next time. The essence was that being present reveals the abundance of simple gifts that we are blessed with all the time. It allows one to live in a state of gratitude.

And so it goes for my time in the garden. To pay mind to all the sights, smells, sounds and feels in the garden. Appreciate the birdsong – it is not simply background music. With time, distinguish the different voices in the chorus. Take in the macro as well as the micro beauty with complete focus. Identify all the aromas that saturate the air. Familiarize oneself with the textures and tastes. Earth provides us so much all day, every day. I want to be here for it all. I don’t want to be on auto-pilot as I plant, weed, prune, water and accomplish all the myriad gardening jobs.

Because, at the end of the day, I need to know that I participated as a member of the natural world. Not as an outsider.

Note: What’s keeping me in bliss indoors –

[do_widget “Blog Subscriptions (Jetpack)”]

The Gardener’s Covenant

Posted on February 10, 2026 by shobha

Gardening is a privilege. Even a luxury if you will. It implies that one has the space, the time and, depending on the type of garden, the money. While gardening is essential to my well-being, it does not escape my mind that it is not true the other way. In truth, more often than not, nature is better off without human intervention. Therefore, the real honor of having, creating and tending a garden is the responsibility. It is the granting of the custodianship of a plot of land so it supports and nurtures plants and all the wildlife that mutually depend upon each other to grow and thrive. That is not an insignificant charge. A garden demands to be taken seriously.

By gardening, I am overseeing not just this habitat but the surrounding ecosystems as well. How I garden matters. My choices impact the health of the environment at large. The plants I select to grow must attract the correct pollinators because after all, that relationship has evolved over millennia. Those plants must take to not just my little plot but the geographical location of which it is a part. That means the weather, the climate, the soil are all critical for optimal growth. It is why we must choose plants native to where we live. The native insect pollinators will show up accordingly to do their jobs. And in this natural environment, all life will flourish. It’s that elementary.

The tools I use – gas, electric or manual mowers, do I blow leaves (again, electric or gas) or rake by hand, hand clippers or electric powered, it all matters. Air and noise pollution are important factors to consider – I do not want to increase either.

Similarly, I choose organic practices and products. I judiciously use water even whilst I collect rain water. Make compost, maintain very little lawn which is full of non-grass plants. All of which requires greater vigilance, in some cases more elbow grease as well but, the overall satisfaction of doing my part to the best of my ability is immeasurable. To view my garden teeming with life and beauty is well worth the effort for sure. And that is the highest privilege and reward of gardening.

A sacred covenant certainly.

Some images from the current Orchid Show at the NYBG. Do go for some horticultural fun and cheer – we certainly need that right now. The final photo shows the orchids that came home with me –

[do_widget “Blog Subscriptions (Jetpack)”]

February (Nothing?) Doing

Posted on February 3, 2026 by shobha

February (Nothing?) Doing

With about 2 feet of snow deposited on us last week, I can only assume the garden is in cozy slumber under it. It’s been so crazy cold that not a creature is stirring. Including myself. Except for trudging forth to the greenhouse to check on how the residents are getting on, there doesn’t seem like there’s much else to do. Or is there?

February’s To-Do List –

(Much of the items in the January list are applicable here. Do check that list)

Stay on top of effects of snow and storms. Take quick action.
Keep bird feeders full. Whenever possible provide water.
Get garden plans and designs ready.
Check garden supplies. Does the hose need repair or replacing? Is there enough soil, organic fertilizer, twine, stakes etc.,? Make a list and do what is needed.
Towards the end of the month (assuming the snow has melted sufficiently to allow access), prune roses, wisteria, grape vines and fruit trees.
Cut back ivy on walls and fences before birds start nesting. Brightly colored stems of Salix and Cornus should be cut back to about 6 to 10 inches from ground. This will encourage brighter color next spring. Again, if there’s still too much snow on the ground to do this task this month, get to it as soon as you can.
Prepare for seed sowing. Get seed flats clean and ready. Check if there’s enough seed growing medium.
Order seeds. Once seeds arrive, write labels and clip to each pocket. This saves time later when there is so much else to do.
If there is not much snow, cut back old leaves on Hellebores. New growth and flowers will be emerging. Cut back other perennials that were skipped in autumn.
Attend to indoor plants.
The New York Botanical Garden’s annual orchid show opens this month. Do reserve your tickets and go! It’ll banish winter blues and get you motivated.
Renew ( or join) your membership to the Garden Conservancy. Place your order for the Open Days directory. Once you receive it you can start scheduling visits to beautiful gardens near and far. Inspiration is only a garden visit away!

A little trivia – Freezing rain and partial thaws create a thin layer of ice that fuses with soil, leaves, twigs and such to create a glassy coating that reflects and refracts in the sunlight. Resembling enameled jewelry, this icy marvel is called ‘ammil’– an Old English word for enamel. What a charming word,

[do_widget “Blog Subscriptions (Jetpack)”]

Just January

Posted on January 5, 2026 by shobha

January carries the weight of our collective hopes, resolves and promises. We expect this month to set us up to be and do better. That’s a lot of pressure to put on it!

On my part, I’m planning on spend some time this month honestly examining my performance as a gardener this past year, what worked and what did not, and how I want to move forward this year. We expect so much from our gardens that it behooves us to regularly question our intentions and goals. As I’ve stated often, my abiding tenet is To do no harm. I am privileged to be the custodian of a tiny part of this precious and beautiful Earth and I take the responsibility very seriously. Particularly right now when we are confronting climate change and so many environmental crises.

Rest assured I will be sharing my thoughts and plans in the months ahead. I hope you too will return the favor. After all, we are in this together and together we can make powerful, positive things happen.

Lest one things there isn’t any other work to do this month, here is the list –

Things To Do In January

Survey the garden after every storm or snowfall. If any damage such as broken branches or torn off protection has occurred, try to fix it as soon as possible. Likewise, large icicles hanging from roof edges pose a threat to plants below: shield the plants if the icicles cannot be removed.
Take down holiday decorations. Before disposing off the Christmas tree, cut branches to spread as mulch on flower beds.
Keep bird feeders full. Whenever possible, keep water available for the birds.
Inspect stored tubers, corms and bulbs for signs of mold and rot. Get rid of any that don’t look healthy.
This is a good time to examine the ‘bones’ of the garden. Make notes of what needs developing, changing or improving.
Make icy paths safe by sprinkling sand or grit. Avoid salt and/or toxic de-icing products.
If ground is wet/soggy, take care to protect the sodden areas by not walking on it too much. Better yet, protect it by putting down a temporary path of wood planks.
Take an inventory of garden tools. Get them repaired, replaced or sharpened.
Gather up seed and plant catalogs. Start planning for the coming season.
Begin forcing the bulbs kept cool since late fall. Time to start an indoor spring!
Keep an eye on indoor plants ( in the house or greenhouse). Inspect carefully for signs of pests or disease. Act right away if either is detected. Organic practices only please.
Still on indoor plants: water as needed, rotate for uniform light exposure, fertilize every two to four weeks. Remove dead or yellowing leaves.
Enjoy the respite offered by this cold month.

I’m traveling to India next week as I have to do the necessaries regarding my father’s personal effects and estate. I know it’ll be a time fraught with emotions and memories so I will not be posting anything till February. I so look forward to reconnecting with you.

Here are 12 images (in reverse order) from each month of 2025. 11 from my garden and 1 from vacation –

[do_widget “Blog Subscriptions (Jetpack)”]

Looking Forward

Posted on December 30, 2025 by shobha

In 2 days we bid farewell to 2025. In doing so, we look back to the year that was and look ahead to the year we hope it will be. As I examine 2025 from a gardener’s perspective, it is apparent that the garden experienced 2 distinct periods of attention.

For the first 6 months it got by with the bare minimum of care. Thanks to work done the Fall of 2024, the Spring did not suffer too much. The bulbs rallied splendidly and my negligence was somewhat obscured. But neglect I did. Albeit with good reason. The year had started with the untimely loss of 2 dear friends and through the winter my grief distracted me from the routine planning and preparing for the start of the growing season. And then, as I slowly began getting into the rhythm of vernal duties, my beloved father passed away. That hit hard. While I found solace in the garden, doing the necessary work was all I could muster. None of the plans I’d considered months earlier were accomplished. My heart just wasn’t in it.

Then, sometime in July, as I walked around the garden, quite unconsciously, I started making mental notes about things I thought needed improvement, required drastic changes or, more of the same. I returned indoors inspired and excited to get cracking. Suddenly, lists were made, research initiated, plans drawn up – the gardening juices were once again flowing in my veins. Hallelujah.

I’ve spent the rest of the year happily busy and excited in the garden in a manner that reminded me why I love gardening so much. Life in the garden teaches hope, patience, acceptance, understanding, cooperation, coexistence, resilience and forgiveness.

I’m immensely grateful for the lessons.

I am deeply aware of the privilege of having this plot of earth to tend and protect. It is not lost on me that the garden reciprocates in exactly the same way. We encourage each other to keep showing up and we grow together. That’s what life is all about.

Wishing each and everyone of you a very happy, healthy 2026.

[do_widget “Blog Subscriptions (Jetpack)”]

Season’s Greetings One And All!

Posted on December 22, 2025 by shobha

I’m taking the week off to enjoy friends, family and festivities. I hope you will be doing the same. Wishing everyone a warm, joyous week.

[do_widget “Blog Subscriptions (Jetpack)”]

Seeds of Design

by Shobha Vanchiswar

And The Award For Best Performance Goes To …

Like this:

Spring Up!

Like this:

March Tidings

Like this:

Property Values

Like this:

Slow Gardening

Like this:

The Gardener’s Covenant

Like this:

February (Nothing?) Doing

Like this:

Just January

Like this:

Looking Forward

Like this:

Season’s Greetings One And All!

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: