A thing of beauty is a joy forever

Jalandhar Cantt has a pearl of a green space in Jawahar Garden. Meandering here is akin to a walk in heaven frothed with nodding blooms, effusively greeting you as you move along.

Tribune correspondent Ajay Joshi and lensman Sarabjit Singh journeyed through the place, to capture the flowering of beauty, amid the procession of ‘king of seasons’ – The springtime

Marigold

From Mexican marigold to calendula and marsh, the garden has different varieties of marigold. The growth of the marigold depends on its type. Sometimes even the season plays an important role in the growth of different marigolds. They are used both as herb and decoration. With a little yellowish shade, white marigold plants can be easily cultivated, are widely adaptable to varying soils and climatic conditions and have a good flowering duration.

Barbina

The flowers are small to medium-sized and frequently borne on spikes. Barbina is favoured in pink, blue and violet colours, blue being the dominant. Cross pollination helps them take a larger space compared to other flowers. The barbina spikes of various colours give an elegant shape to a bouquet.

Dog flower

Dog flowers can be grown from cutting or from seeds. A dog flower plant needs 10-20 days to germinate. For perfect bloom, they can be sown indoors on the surface of the soil eight weeks before last frost. The gradual opening of the buds provides color for an extended period of time. They can be used in layers for decoration and can change the sight of any wall.

Pinji

The short-lived pinji flowers can catch every eyeball with their colourful shades. They are mostly used as flower view and give a spectacular view to any garden. People also prefer them to place these near the boundaries of their balconies or gardens. A large pot or container is usually preferred to facilitate their growth.

Gazania

Gazania is popularly known as treasure flower for its jewel bright blooms. They are available in different colours. People usually demand gazanias with orange and reddish shades. However, the blooms come in shades of rose, red, pink, bronze, gold and orange and are set off by the cool green foliage. From October to January, they can fill any space with amazing view.

Aster

Dozens of varieties of aster plants abound Jawahar garden. The colors are also diverse, ranging from white and pastel blues and pinks, to hybrids of deep scarlet and purple. It typically blooms between August-October. Most range from 1-4ft in height, with exceptions as tall as 5-6ft and some staying as small as six inches, the aster can cover a garden area very rapidly.

Petunia

Petunias are one of the most popular garden flowers for both borders and containers. They are prolific bloomers, and you can find them in just about every colour but blue tops the chart. Petunias have wide-shaped flowers and branching foliage that is hairy and sticky. Within the petunia genus, there is great variety: single and double blooms; spreaded and smooth petals, stripped and solid colours.

Sweet William

Considered a biennial flower, ‘sweet william’blooms during the second year of its growth. They give an astonishing view to windows, terrace, gardens, door edges and balconies. Their colourful white, pink, red and purple blooms make them a popular choice for flowerbeds and borders. Seeds can also be sown directly in the garden early in the season and takes two-three months to flower fully. These prefer full sun, but will tolerate light shade. The soil should be rich with nutrients. It is best if the soil is loose and well drained. However, don’t forget to maintain the soil so that it is moist to slightly dry. Relatively short-lived, they are also known as dianthus barbatus…can be grown from seeds, cuttings or plant divisions.

Kalanchoe

A member of succulent family, kalanchoe or ‘widow’s thrill’ blooms in spring summer and winter. However, it has fixed blooming months. Flower lovers are drawn to kalanchoe for its ease of care and interesting leaves, which bloom consistently throughout the year in response to daylight. Available in pretty shades like red, pink, yellow, and white, kalanchoe can be easily found at most grocery stores and nurseries.

Flower flake

These are generally grown around the borders in any garden. They require good quality moisture to bloom to their full capacity. Organic manure works wonders for their roots and flower growth. The flowers are known to have a special place reserved in a bouquet.

Delia or Dahlia

Dahlias are classified according to flower shape and petal arrangement. These need to be kept weed-free. Use organic mulch around the plants to prevent weeds and conserve moisture. The gardener at Jawahar garden said they bought the samplings of dahlia from Kolkata. As the climatic conditions here don’t suit them, they have to provide a plenty of water to the roots. Natives of Mexico and Central America, they make the surroundings beautiful. People also create artificial dahlia in the absence of right knowledge to grow it.