Garden Diaries: August (The Magical Monsoon)

“And at last it comes. You hear a patter…you see a leaf here and there bob and blink about you; you feel a spot on your face, on your hand. And then the gracious rain comes, gathering its forces—steady, close, abundant. Lean out of window, and watch, and listen. How delicious!...........the verandah beneath losing its scattered spots in a sheet of luminous wet; and, never pausing, the close, heavy, soft-rushing noise…”

~ John Richard Vernon, “The Beauty of Rain,” 1863

Finally, the Rain-Gods were happy. The city was blessed with beautiful rains, turning my garden into a riot of green shades. The flowers are damaged with incessant rain and wind and the weeds are everywhere. I wanted to work on my lawn grass before the rain starts but as many good things in life, it was delayed and well, now I will rush. There are some uneven patches which I would like to mend and the gaps in hedges which can be easily filled during rainy season.  With more rains came the millipedes and the problem of waterlogging in plant-beds. There was so much work in the garden to just clean and de-weed.

Adenium in Rain

Rains is a lovely period for a garden. You can grow almost all possible perennials and creepers. Rangoon creeper and Heart-leaved moonseed (Giloy) sprang to life with the touch of raindrops. The leaves have filled the bamboo fencing with our neighbouring house. The evergreen plants like money-plant and crotons are showing new leaves and rain lilies are the pride of the garden.

This weather made me lazy and for many days I did not even think about the vegetable beds. Finally we get an expert for treatment of soil and hope that by end of August, the kitchen garden will be ready to grow seasonal vegetables.

"Weather means more when you have a garden. There's nothing like listening to a shower and thinking how it is soaking in around your green beans."

                                                              -Marcelene Cox

August turned out to be an interesting month for the birds. We are witnessing a baby boom in the garden as there are nests and eggs all around. The young ones of doves, pigeons, bulbuls are now learning the ways of the world from their elders and the baby peacock is all grown up. The pair of peacock and peahen frequent our garden almost every other day.  And the new adult peacock one day literally knocked on our glass door . It turned out it was charmed by its own reflection in the glass and perhaps wanted to touch the 'other' bird . It persistently knocked on the door and made a very fascinating sight . 

Knock Knock- Peacock 

The other day I saw a pair of Greater Coucal roaming in the lawns. The news of the month however,  is that on last Sunday morning, in the rain soaked garden, I was finally able to click the resident Kingfisher . And while my delight was still new, the very next day,  a full contingent of Kingfisher family, with four cute baby birds in tow,  was found frolicking in my garden . 

Oriental White Breasted Kingfisher

Monsoon sky is a sight to relish. Evening sky showcase so many hues of red and orange and then it turns into the deepest shade of blue-black. With the patterns of clouds changing every moment , I can sit and watch the sky for hours . Even in the nighttime , clouds play with the moon and stars and create amazing nightscapes. The only thing missing so far is a rainbow .  

Evening sky after rains 

I am not sure whether this is already the time to sow winter annuals' seeds or wait till the best of rains are over. Reason says it should be latter. My gardeners suggest that it is already time for early annuals like salvia and marigold to go for sowing . Chrysanthemum plants saved from last year are already up for their first round of pinching . I am also determined to try some new flowers in the upcoming winters. 
 Other than this and the need for always cleaning the garden beds , it is just the magic of monsoon all around . And when it rains, one can just savor the delight of it, preferably with the fritters of your choice. 

Monsoon and the display of green 

As wisely said – 

For after all, the best thing one can do

When it is raining, is to let it rain.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Tales of a Wayside Inn, 1863