Gardening Remotely

Posted on July 25, 2023 by pgbundil

By the time I get back home a week from now, I’d have been away 6 weeks and have never been gone from home and garden that long. Leaving the latter in the height of growing season was difficult. But, I was determined to not fret and worry and ruin my vacation in France and visit with my father in India. Taking time to rest and refresh and/or reconnect with family are very necessary to ones well-being after all.

I did of course occasionally wonder how the garden was faring but I’d stop from thinking further. Between the watering system set up to kick in if the soil in pots got too dry, the nephew coming around regularly to check on everything and take action as needed and, Ephraim, the person hired to do a weekly mowing to the handkerchief sized lawn, the garden was going to be okay. The weeds would have free reign but, they’d be dealt with eventually. Que sera sera.

However, while I went on to India, my husband returned home and this meant, I’d have my actual garden helper right where I wanted him to be. In the garden. When the man was not doing the work he is employed to do, he could tend to the garden right? Hallelujah.

Since his return a week ago, he’s reported on –

How the garden is looking – lush, green and wild. Since there was a fair amount of rain, all the plants were well hydrated. Many had quite a growth spurt.

What tasks were addressed – some cutting back, some staking, some digging up and tossing. Harvesting of leafy greens and micro-greens for culinary delights and dahlias for adorning the home, cleaning and tidying up edges, washing and refilling hummingbird feeders, reinstalling the window boxes that had been taken down to join the other pots so they could all benefit from the the watering system set up, clean the filtration system that recirculates the water for the vertical garden, take many photographs to send back to the absconding head gardener.

I’m so delighted with the photographs because I’d started missing the garden a lot. (Cooped up inside my father’s apartment because of the torrents of monsoon rains can make anyone long for the outdoors.) Asking how different plants were doing and receiving visual responses is really nice. The lotus project started this spring was top on my mind – the first couple of buds have emerged! The dahlias are beginning their show. The meadow is serving lots of insects with the cimicifuga, Joe Pye and milkweed in bloom. Asters in the front garden are poised to bloom soon. Squirrels are attacking the unripe apples as usual.

I’m also happy to get reports on the not so visible goings on. The birdhouses are still occupied and the chatter from them is non-stop. The garden is full of fragrances – in the front, the phlox are welcoming visitors and passersby with their clove -like perfume. On the side porch, it smells heady and romantic with the jasmines and gardenia blooming with abandon. And in the back terrace, the brugamansia are trumpeting loudly as their exotic fragrance lures humans and night pollinators alike. This is exactly how I want it to be.

Of course, I know much weeding awaits but for now, I’m kinda getting to appreciate this remote gardening thing.

All images taken by my assistant gardener –

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From Fire To Flood

Posted on July 18, 2023 by pgbundil

Pick a place on the globe. Any place. It will be facing some sort of unusual weather. That unusual weather is likely to become the new normal. Higher heat, less rain, too much rain – it doesn’t matter, conditions will change and so must our lifestyles.

I just spent a glorious month in Provence, France. This is perhaps one of my most loved places on earth. It is where I feel most at home as though my spirit has always belonged here. I love everything about Provence but most especially the craggy, rugged landscape. Blessed with sunshine almost 300 days of the year, it is dry and beautiful. The pace of life is slow, the wine is light, food delicious and the people are unpretentious. Yet, beneath that display of the good life, there is the threat of fire. Wildfires have always been known to occur but over the years they’ve become more frequent and wider spread. So too have heat waves. Just as we’re seeing in North America.

Most homes in this region do not have air-conditioning. There hasn’t really been much need of it – the well built stone houses keep the interiors comfortably cool. Ceiling fans or freestanding ones have been sufficient. Not any more.

To keep energy consumption within capacity, when one runs the laundry or dish-washing machines matters. We are encouraged to use the machines late afternoon or very early in the morning. Wood for outdoor grilling is a no-no. Gas grills are encouraged.

Gardening as we know it is a super luxury. To grow vegetables for food is understandable but for beauty and fun? That’s a privilege only a few can afford. Water is precious. Unless one is blessed with ones own natural water source, the cost can be prohibitive. Of course, it stands to reason that making a garden with the region’s hardy natives is best. Lavender, rosemary, olives, succulents, Spanish broom, chicory and others do very well and if I were to make a garden here, those are the plants I’d use. It might be a cliché but I believe if one thinks outside the design box, there are numerous ways to design gardens with easily found, native plants. Anywhere in the world. This is reality.

And then, we come to the Mumbai monsoon season – I’m here for a couple of weeks. Not the most ideal time to visit but since I visit my father a couple of times a year, my schedule demands that I must face the rains annually. It’s warm and muggy. Almost swampy. The fierce torrents can routinely cause floods and damage to vegetation, roads and structures. The high humidity leaves a film of moisture on everything. Air conditioning is a luxury for most folk. So the humidity with all the implications and consequences is simply accepted.

But the monsoons are critical for farmers. The timing and amount of rain is extremely important. Too early or too late, too much or too little will all mean failed crops. Which would result in a global food shortage. Nothing works in isolation.

Climate change is not a local problem and cannot be solved region by region. One country cannot ‘solve’ it by itself. It demands the world coming together. Cooperation, compassion and commitment from every single country is imperative. Each citizen of the world must also do their part. We are in this together and together, we can do something positive to save the earth and save ourselves.

The frequency and ferocity of fires and floods are warning signals we can no longer ignore.

Note: Just so it we don’t feel depressed about it all, here are images of sunflowers in Provence to remind us of what we’re trying to save. And then, lets get cracking on fighting the good fight.

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Growing Minds

Posted on July 11, 2023 by shobha

No matter where we find ourselves, gardeners are always gardeners. We notice plants that are minding their own business by the side of a street, rush to examine what’s pushing its way through walls of ancient ruins, insist on stopping the car on busy roads to see exactly what flowers are blooming in the wild, quiz farmers and produce vendors at the local market about the hows and whats of growing fruits and vegetables, cajole chefs to share recipes of unusual, out of the box presentations of vegetables ( a mille-feuille or Napoleon using thin layers of crisp eggplant instead of pastry anyone?), going out of the way to visit both famous as well as secret gardens. I’m guilty of all of the aforementioned traits – curiosity of the natural world sustains me endlessly. I know I’m not alone.

That said, here are some things I’ve noticed/learned/enjoyed on this current visit to Provence. Which is by the way, a place very close to my heart. I’ve been coming here for over 25 years and I’m still always experiencing new stuff. This region never ceases to inspire.

Provence is famous for its lavender. All those beautiful pictures of swathes of lavender are true. It really is stunning to see the fields and fields of this herb in bloom. I’ve known that the type that grows in lower altitude is widely used in household products (soaps, detergents and such) and the higher altitude lavender is the fine variety that is used in the perfume industry. The former is pollinated by insects like the honey bee while the latter is wind pollinated. There is also a hybrid type. Even small changes in altitude will influence the quality of any of the varieties.

Last week, I learned that despite France being the luxury perfume capital of the world, lavender is the only product that is truly French. Other flowers and industry components were and still are from former French colonies. Iris from Egypt for example. The region of Grasse, where the top perfume houses have their headquarters was simply selected because of its location – a port easily accessed from other parts of the world serving the perfume industry. One might see an occasional field of roses or some other flower in Grasse but that is hardly what is supplying the industry. Lavender however is a pure homegrown product and yet, its mostly treated like the stepchild of the business. Go figure.

This years olive harvest is being watched closely. Olives are wind pollinated. So when the small white flowers bloom, they depend quite literally on how the wind blows. This year, Provence received an usual amount of ill-timed rains which caused many olive trees to drop a good amount of the flowers. Consequently, it is expected that the harvest will be lower than usual. Quel domage.

I noticed for the first time how well jasmine grows in this region. While I’d been here before in lavender season which extends over a few weeks, I’d not had the pleasure until now to see and inhale the jasmines in bloom. Many home gardens have these plants scrambling up sides of the stones walls to make rather fetching images. Old walls of local stone softened by bright green vines tracing their way around makes for easy design solutions.

On a walk along a nondescript road in the middle of an old village, I noticed a tree bearing fruit amidst a random group of overgrown weeds and shrubs. It was not immediately clear what sort of fruiting tree I was looking at. Starting out yellow and then turning a pink-orange, these almost heart shaped fruits were larger than cherries but much smaller than plums. I picked a ripe fruit, a dried up drupe and a set of leaves and brought them back to the house. The PlantSnap app was no help at all. I still don’t exactly know what it is but on cutting the fruit, the pit looks to me that it is a type of plum. My research continues. Maybe like crab apples, this is a ‘crab plum’.

I’ve also been enjoying interesting creations where vegetables are being used in desserts. Chocolate and cream of artichoke hearts gateaux, popsicles of sugar snap and vanilla bean ice cream covered in a coating of white chocolate blended with peas. And lets not forget that mille-feuille of eggplant instead of pastry. I’ve had sweet horseradish sorbet accompanying a main course. A beet infused potato sliced so fine that it is transparent and somehow made crisp and flecked with blue petals of chicory accompanying an amuse-bouche. Every single one of these and other such dishes was truly delicious. And visually beautiful to boot. I’m now inspired to try my hand at coming up with my own unusual creations. If I succeed in ‘inventing’ even one dish, I’ll be rather chuffed!

And so it goes, the world is a great big classroom and a gardener is its eternal student.

Note: No apologies for the many lavender images! I simply cannot get enough!

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Jiving With July

Posted on July 4, 2023 by pgbundil

Ah July! It’s truly summer and the living is easy. Or, we wish it to be. Fourth of July festivities to kick off the month puts everyone in the mood to enjoy the season doesn’t it? Picnics, pool parties, concerts in the park, vacation travels, hosting house guests, entertaining friends in the garden, hanging out in hammocks, beach days, ice cream socials … the list of summer pleasures just goes on. I want to squeeze the season hard so as not to miss a single drop of all its enchantment.

But, in the midst of all the frolicking, garden chores await. In my case, as I’m still away, the tasks are piling up but I’m not going to dwell on them and get into a panic as to the state of my garden when I return. What will be, will be. For now, I’m making the most of my vacation. A relaxed and rested me will tackle the neglected garden in due course. Driven by guilt is one way to get things done but it never brings out the best in me. By the time I get home, I will be eager and ready to lavish the garden with much TLC. I do believe the garden will understand and appreciate that.

Here’s the July To-Do list –

1. Weed, weed, weed! Remember, pouring boiling water over bricks and other stonework will kill stubborn weeds growing in-between.

2. Deadhead often. Neatness matters.

3. Mulch, fertilize, water.

4. Mow regularly but keep the mower blade high.

5. Watch out for pests and/or disease. Use organic control.

6. Plant out vegetable seedlings for fall harvest.

7. Keep birdbaths filled with fresh, clean water.

8. Order fall bulbs

9. Take time to watch dragonflies by day and fireflies by night.

Happy Fourth!

Here are some things in Provence, France that are inspiring me –

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Travel Takes

Posted on June 27, 2023 by shobha

The best sort of travel is when one can take a proper break from routine to explore and soak in the surroundings, refresh the mind and fill the heart with a sense of awe and gratitude. That’s exactly what I’m doing here in Provence. I come here because its my happy place. All my senses are engaged and the joy I feel every time is pure bliss.

It is lavender season at the moment so this is when Provence shines at her brightest and looks her very best. Although, I’m told that the poppies gave strong competition till a few weeks ago. It has apparently been a particularly good year for them. They are well on their way out but what glimpses I’ve had of them, I can well imagine the stunning scenes I’ve just missed. Perhaps another year I’ll come in time for les coquelicot.

To see fields and fields of purple rows of lavender is nothing short of breathtaking. Up close, the thrum of bees purposefully making their rounds of the flowers is almost deafening. The butterflies add further color and movement while the birds compete in song. It is simply marvelous.

Lavender aside, there are other wildflowers in bloom. Geraniums, Spanish broom, chicory, scabiosa, verbascum, poppies, oxeye daisies and several others, some of which that I’m yet to identify are running riot in the meadows, hill sides, along the roads and even amongst some of the lavender. And since they’ve had more rain than usual, there is a green lushness I haven’t seen before. I’m smitten.

I’m able to see how these plants grow naturally, the sort of conditions they like best, the surprising color combinations we don’t typically try in our gardens ( sulfur yellow and pale pink?) – so much inspiration. Simple, common flowers doing a bang up job in beautifying the countryside.

The gardens in my temporary home are also looking lovely. The jasmine is in bloom and sends out a heady fragrance in the afternoon after the sun has warmed the air sufficiently. The small lavender ‘field’ is getting ready to burst into bloom – soon. I’ll have my very own purple haze to enjoy. It should look quite stunning against the soft, gray-green of the olive grove alongside.

And so it goes. Travel opens the mind – to take in new pleasures and often, learn from the old.

Here are some images from my wanderings in Provence –

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Out Of Sight But Not Out Of Minds

Posted on June 20, 2023 by mira vanchiswar

Is it just me or do other gardeners feel this way – going away for anything longer than a week is not easy. First, there’s the long list of chores that must be completed in preparing the garden to survive without its caregiver. Weeding, trimming, feeding, fussing, setting up some manner of watering system, a final mowing, imagining all manner of calamities that might occur and setting up measures to mitigate every single one of them. This last one includes drought, storm, high wind, hail, snow (in summer!), heat wave, deluge, locusts, apocalypse – anything could happen in ones absence. I really believe the gardener is certain of one thing – that she can undoubtedly prevent disaster if she’s present.

And so, before getting away last week, frenzied activity ensued in the garden. Extra diligent weeding, cutting back summer perennials so they would not only look neat but grow bushy and flower in abundance, deadheading, staking, feeding generously so the plants would not starve, setting up an elaborate watering system for anything in a pot. This set up waters at regular intervals, senses when it has or is raining and therefore will not turn itself on. Quite ingenious really. I’d like something similar that will not turn on my hunger pangs when my last meal was a mere two hours ago.

I’ve arranged for my nephew to come by regularly to check that everything is in order and there’s no system failure. Most importantly, he knows to clean and refill the hummingbird feeders – I’ve made a copious amount of the sugar water and stored it in the refrigerator. And the tiny lawn will be given a cursory mowing periodically just so it looks tended to. The plants in the ground must fend for themselves – they should be fine. They are a hardy, mostly native bunch. Short of really extreme weather, they will come through without my oversight quite happily. And yet, I’m always loathe to say goodbye.

I worry. I can’t help it.

There’s also the sadness of missing out on all the beautiful riot of flowers that will go unseen, unappreciated. I’ve asked aforementioned nephew to take a million photographs. Daily. It’s been a week and not a single image has been received. I’m clinging to the idea that no news is good news.

Herewith are photos I took just before I left last week:

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Ensemble!

Posted on June 13, 2023 by pgbundil

A garden is a performance art – the success of which is incumbent on the ensemble that makes it all happen. A cast of plants, gardener (s), soil, sunshine, clouds, rain, temperature, birds, bees, butterflies, worms and a host of other critters come together to create a garden. Each part is crucial and if even one member falters, the entire production is compromised. And, in the actual viewing or surveying of a garden at its best, no single character must stand out or dominate. Each complements the whole.

When a visitors experience a garden, they must feel inspired, comforted, and/or enthralled such that while different aspects or elements may strike a chord, provoke an emotion, recall a memory or, enlighten the mind, its the whole encounter that resonates.

This is true of almost every good experience. Often, when we say it was lovely or powerful, credit is given to something obvious. A flamboyant plant or a gregarious person but, we don’t think about the subtle elements that go into making it sublime overall.

This past week, a special event brought this truth to mind. It was the annual gala at Lyndhurst Mansion at Tarrytown, NY. Lyndhurst is described as a “majestic estate on the Hudson River with architectural tours, historical exhibits and, a relaxing landscape to explore”. Indeed, the grounds looked quite bucolic and their famous rose garden was enchantingly and abundantly in flower.

After three days of being blanketed in smoke from the Canadian wildfires, the air cleared, the sky was visible, the evening sun shone and the temperature remained very pleasant. All of which had the well attired guests in a most agreeable mood. We mingled and struck up conversations with new faces and some familiar ones, sipped wine and nibbled on an array of small bites which appeared in most timely fashion. One could not help but be in a good frame of mind.

‘Unlocking Lyndhurst’, the new exhibit was on preview for the guests. Learning the stories about the pieces beyond their aesthetic or historic significance was enlightening. It is a small but quite fascinating show.

And then, it was time for dinner. We found ourselves at a table of strangers who quickly became friends. Sharing much conversation and laughter, we enjoyed the meal, the live music and, the fund raising auction with a most entertaining auctioneer. All in all a wonderful evening.

But, that wasn’t all of it. It was how the space under a capacious tent felt- inviting and intimate but not crowded, the attentive wait staff and, the floral arrangements all around. Each table had a unique display that was simple ( a group of glass bowls each holding ferns or other greenery), creatively quirky ( branches of cherry tomatoes), elegant ( clematis vines gracefully climbing a support), charmingly wild (a mass of sweet peas and tiny bells of clematis), exotic (orchids) or sumptuous (lavishly filled urns near the stage). The floral works of art were the silent cast members of the ensemble that made the evening such a success. None shrieked ‘look at me’ or competed with another. Each arrangement held its own and together they contributed quiet beauty to the whole event. Kudos to floral designer and entrepreneur Sylvia of Cape Lily Flowers in Tarrytown, NY

Working harmoniously together is what its all about.

Note: If you live in the area, I encourage you to visit Lyndhurst Mansion. Better yet become a member and you’ll be privy to all sorts of events and exhibits. And the 67 acres of grounds with a fantastic view of the Hudson River will be available for your indulge all year round.

A few images from “unlocking Lyndhurst”:

Some of the flowers:

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POV

Posted on June 6, 2023 by pgbundil

This past Sunday and the Monday prior, groups of artists have come to paint in my garden. As I truly believe that gardens are best enjoyed when shared with others, it gives me enormous pleasure to see people enjoy my garden. When something that gives me comfort and inspiration does the same for others, we become connected at a deeper level I think. The shared experience fosters a bond for sure.

I’m always curious to understand how others experience and perceive anything I create. Be it a poem, a painting, a meal or my garden, receiving feedback is an important factor in my growth as an artist, poet, gardener or cook. Going a step further, its how I grow as a creative individual. But one doesn’t always get to know what others experience since not everyone feels compelled to share their thoughts. Of course, most folk readily say kind, complimentary things and only a few will offer honest, constructive criticism. How well I accept the latter depends naturally on who is speaking. A person who’s opinion I value or somebody who simply says something from ignorance or misguided intent – it makes a difference.

But when it comes to artists in my garden, what they choose to paint and their resultant works says it all. No words required. So many points of view and interpretations helps me see my garden anew each time. This is valuable as, for my part, I get to see my garden from different perspectives which then helps me develop or evolve certain areas further or maintain other spaces as it is for now. For certain, I learn much in seeingthe garden through the eyes of others and that gives me a deeper understanding of my own creative process. It’s also a testament to how successful (or not) my design efforts are. Those paintings are a bit like performance reports. I pay attention and then take from each what either helps me grow creatively or validates what I’ve done. What elements, plants or areas caught an artists attention informs me on whether my work with the design, shadows, shapes, colors, play of light, use of negative space have been noted and appreciated. Every now and then, I get to see something so familiar to me in a completely different manner. That’s big.

In any case, every artists’ work matters to me. Simply knowing they are in my garden by choice does my gardener and artist heart a world of good. I am humbled and deeply grateful.

Here are images from two different days of artists in the garden and their resulting works. It’s interesting to note where and what each decided to paint –

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And That’s A Wrap!

Posted on May 30, 2023 by pgbundil

I’m still enjoying the benefits of all the garden work done to get ready for Open Day. Apart from watering the pots (it has been rather dry), deadheading and routine weeding, it’s been sheer bliss to sit and enjoy the garden with family and friends. The cooler temperatures have given us a beautiful, long spring and I’m taking full advantage of it. If only days like these would last forever.

The Pleasantville Garden Club in conjunction with their local television station, have put out a short clip of my garden. Instead of writing more this week, I’m sharing the video link. Enjoy!

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Afterglow

Posted on May 23, 2023 by pgbundil

It rained. The days leading up to Open Day were idyllic. Dry, sunny and oh so comfortable. But wouldn’t you know it, on the big day, it rained. Cool and wet all day. From drizzle to downpour it took turns. But yet, they came – hardy, undaunted folk. Hallelujah.

The garden was ready – lush with greenery and bedecked in flowers. It truly came through for the visitors. I was in my element. To chat with other gardeners/garden lovers about all things garden is just immensely enjoyable. To share information, opinions and experiences is what I look forward to most on this day. The rain simply ceased to matter.

Would I have wished it to not rain? Absolutely. But here we were and we made the most it. There were repeat visitors which warmed my heart immensely. Friends who know my garden well came especially to support the Garden Conservancy, new neighbors arrived out of curiosity and eagerness to befriend and so many first time visitors came from near and far. One couple was visiting NYC from Australia – they took the train and came up just to see my garden. That blew me away.

That people come at all is something so gratifying and humbling. I garden because I love to do it. I experiment and learn as a scientist, satisfy my curiosity, design as an artist to create something I and my family can enjoy all year round. That others notice and appreciate my work is heartening. I am deeply grateful.

So this week, I’m just going to indulge in spending time in the garden and do no work at all. Really. Maybe water when the pots look thirsty but do nothing else. This time off is well earned don’t you think? Afterglow feels good.

Some pictures from Open Day –