Gardens Around Me | Episode -1 | Ammamma’s Garden Tour (part -1)

Every time, I see a garden apart from mine, I still think that I am missing something. Whenever I walk through the gardens around me, I feel ecstatically happy more than a word could express. I am feeling glad, that I started this new series because I am enjoying more while working on these projects. This month, in this new series “GARDENS AROUND ME”,  we are going to explore a beautiful garden. Hope you have fun!

gardens around me
A Beautiful Tomato plant.

GARDENS AROUND ME

Visiting a GARDEN is more working than visiting a counsellor, as it will heal our mind and heart more than any therapy could.

In this episode, we are going to explore my granny’s garden. I call her as ammamma (mother’s mother.) This garden tour is more like a winter version. As I have already done a summer version last year, covering her garden and describing each plant in brief. If you are interested, the link is here. Click here to read – Ammamma’s May Garden.

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Firecracker flower

Episode – 1  Part – 1

Her name is MrsGOVINDAMMAL JAYAVELU. She is into gardening for more than 20 years. In her garden, she is growing more than 40 different plants. I am inspired by her, to do gardening. Since childhood, I enjoyed watching her watering the plants, pruning the branches and dried leaves, composting the kitchen waste and harvesting fresh produce each day. No wonder, how I fell in love with gardening.

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Govindammal Jayavelu.

This episode is split into three parts. Here, in this post (part 1), we are going to see a garden tour, covering the flowers, fruits, and vegetables in her garden.

In the upcoming post (part 2), we are going to visit her garden, covering the green leafy vegetables, medicinal/Ayurvedic plants, and croton varieties.

For PART 2 of this episode, please check out this post: Ammamma’s garden tour part-2.

In the last post (part 3), we had a tea time discussion about gardening with her. And the link to that post is here, Ammamma’s interview. Check it out as she shared some interesting tips with us!

GARDEN TOUR


To make, this garden visit easy, I categorized the plants into the following groups. Next time when you come back to this post for a particular plant, just click the group. You will be directed to the particular topic.

    1. FLOWERS
    2. FRUITS
    3. VEGETABLES 
  1. Without any further do, let’s start exploring.


Flowers

Let us start with flowers. Flowers are my most favorite plants in any garden. Not only me but everyone like flowers. They are easy to grow as well. Every gardener must have at least a simple flowering plant in their gardens because it helps us in many ways like

  • Pollination – an important process.
  • Adds colors to our garden
  • Provides pleasant smell
  • And much more.
gardens around me
Chrysanthemum harvested by my ammamma.

Most of the flowers are described in the earlier post. Kindly check the post to learn more about it.

Click this Link: Ammamma’s garden in mayfor more details.

HIBISCUS / SEMBARUTHI

In Tamil, this flower is called, “Sembaruthi” or “செம்பருத்தி“. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is called as “shoe flower” of Asia because these flowers are used to polish shoes and make it shine. The other names are the “Chinese rose”,” rose mallow”.

Hibiscus

This hibiscus has a variety of medicinal uses and grows well in tropical climates, which is native to East Asia.

ROSE

Almost everyone loves rose. In Tamil, it is called as “ரோஜா“. There are more than thousand varieties of roses available in markets. They are available in different colors and textures. They are used for different purpose like decoration, perfumes, in food preparations etc. It has some medicinal properties too.

Gardens around me
Red rose plant.

My ammamma is having a beautiful red garden rose. It grows very well in winters than in summers. The rose plants can be easily grown in gardens but need extra care and maintenance in summers.

JASMINE

They are called as “மல்லிகை” in Tamil. I have covered this plant in the previous post briefly. Click here to read more: Jasmine in her garden.

gardens around me
Jasmine in her garden. 

FIRECRACKER FLOWER / KANAGAMBARAM

If you are from the city side, then I bet u never know this flower. Because the next flower is “கனகாம்பரம்” “kanagambaram” in Tamil.  They are also called as “sun firecracker” flower. Its botanical name is Crossandra infundibuliformis.

ammammas garden
Firecracker or kanagambaram flower with its bud.

This flower has beautiful bright orange petals and has a pleasant smell. They are available in two different colors as Bright orange and yellow.

SAMANTHI / CHRYSANTHEMUM / MARIGOLD.

If you are following me on Instagram or Twitter, you know that I had a confusion in the name of the flower “சாமந்தி”/samanthi in English. Then I got cleared by a botanist via Instagram.

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Yellow samanthi / marigold.

What he says is, the flower samanthi belongs to two different families based on its color and structure. If the flower is in Yellow or red or yellow/red related colors, they are called, “Marigold”.

gardens around me
Purple samanthi / chrysanthemum.

If they are in purple, pink or any colors other than yellow or red, then they are called, “Chrysanthemums”. Also, if you have any theories other than that, do comment below. She has yellow, purple and unusual GREEN samanthi flowers.

THE UNUSUAL GREEN SAMANTHI.

I have never encountered a “GREEN” colored flower before. It is so astonishing to see a green variety of samanthi.

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Green samanthi.

These are the unusual green samanthi started flowering last winter in her garden. They are so beautiful. They are called “green marigold”.

gardens around me
Charming green flower.

If you know this plant already, do comment below. Also, let us know if you have seen any green colored or weird flowers before.

ALARI

The oleander plant or “அலரி” / alari is a beautiful soft textured flower. I have discussed this plant in the earlier post. Click here to read more: Alari fower in her garden.

gardens around me
The beautiful pink alari.

She has this plant in two shades. Pink or reddish shade and white colored flowers. Both look beautiful and mostly used for decoration.

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White colored alari flower.

PATTU ROSE / MOSS ROSE

This moss rose or pattu rose / “பட்டு ரோஸ்” plant is a low maintenance and a very easy to grow plant variety. They bear beautiful flowers mostly used for decoration.

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Moss rose or pattu rose.

A single plant of this pattu rose will bear different colored flowers.

MINIATURE NANDHIYAVATTAI FLOWER

This is the miniature variety of “நந்தியவட்டம்” / nandhiyavattam plant. They are also called as pinwheel flower, crape jasmine, East India Rosebay.

gardens around me
Miniature Nandhiyavattai flower.

These plants and its flowers have many medicinal properties. They are also used for decorations.

Here is the video version of this episode. Do watch it, if you like to watch a video rather than reading the blogs.

Fruits

Next to flowers let us see what are the fruits variety she is growing in her garden. Fruits plants and trees are needed some extra care in the beginning.

PINEAPPLE

She says that it was her first time to try growing a pineapple / “அன்னாசி” in her garden. Follow me on Instagram (@diarytale), so that I will keep you updated on this pineapple’s progress. 

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Pineapple. 

LEMON

In her early days of gardening, she used to have a big lemon / “எலுமிச்சை” tree in her garden. Now she is starting to grow lemon tree again. They grow very well in the season between summer and winter.

gardens around me
Lemon

We love to have juice from the freshly handpicked lemons from her garden. She also used to make fresh lemon pickles every year.

Vegetables

 

BRINJAL

கத்திரிக்காய்” / Brinjal is the “king of vegetables“. It is also called as Eggplant in various countries. It grows well in the tropical and subtropical climates.

gardens around me
Brinjal flower.

The hybrid varieties are prone to different pests and disease. So, brinjals require much attention and care.

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Fresh brinjals ready to harvest.

TOMATO

The Tomatoes / “தக்காளி” are easily grown and consumed by almost all over the world. There are numerous varieties of tomatoes are available.

gardens around me
Tomatoes in her garden.

These tomatoes grow well in the summers. Heirloom varieties can withstand disease and pests and are healthier too.

gardens around me
Tomato.

BEANS

பீன்ஸ்” Beans are also called as French beans, string beans, Snap Beans. Ammamma is having a bush bean variety. 

ammammas garden
Bush beans

Bush beans produce a lot of pods in the short period of time. They can be easily grown.

gardens around me
Pods of the beans plant.

RED ONIONS

Onions / “வெங்காயம்” needs well-drained soil to grow well. It also requires high nutrients.

Proper care must be taken for the successful growth and the harvest of the onions. It is also prone to many disease and pests.

POTATO

உருளைக்கிழங்கு” / Potato is a tuber. It is the world’s favorite vegetable consumed by almost everyone. 

gardens around me
Potatoes in her garden.

They grow well in the winter climates. Also, they require constant moisture.

TARO / Colocasia esculenta

சேப்பங்கிழங்கு” or taro or Corms or Colocasia esculenta is native to Southern India and South East Asia.

It is a root plant primarily grows well in the tropical or the warm climate.

For PART 2 of this episode, please check out this post: Ammamma’s garden tour part-2.

I hope you all liked this new episode of the brand new series. Do let me know in the comment section if you liked this post. If you have any questions regarding gardening, do write us below, in the comment or email us or you can also ask via any social media.

Follow me on social media. (links are given below, in case you needed!)

*P.S. Thanks for those who showed continuous support via subscriptions & in social media.

Have a good day!

 

Gardens Around Me | Episode -1 | Ammamma’s Garden Tour (part -1)

8 thoughts on “Gardens Around Me | Episode -1 | Ammamma’s Garden Tour (part -1)

    1. Yes Swathi, She became an inspiration to many of us who starts gardening for the first time in their life.

  1. Nice photography…. a blog like I had been never seen good job…..😊😊best of luck for upcoming posts….. U can also tell these things in YouTube also some will be familiar with hearing than reading……

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