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My Dream Garden Anand K Bhatt "I was born in 1944 in Lalooland. Did M.A. in Economics (Allahabad University) and later, on a sabbatical, did M.A. in Development Economics from Sussex University (U.K.). After putting in 34 years in the Indian Administrative Service, I put in my papers in 2003 when I was Additional Secretary to Govt. of India (working as Chairman, Forward Markets Commission, Govt. of India). Since 2003 I am Administrative Member in the Mumbai Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal which is a body to look into the grievances of central government employees. I belonged to Madya Pradesh cadre which is full of forests and wild life. I developed a keen interest in forests, trees and plants, both wild and ornamental. I was Divisional Commissioner in Bastar (now in Chhattisgarh) which has the largest area under forests in entire Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. I occasionally do some birdwatching as a hobby and like to read novels. I do try to write occasionally on anything which comes to my mind."

My mother belonged to a landowning class. My father later in life started living in a village where he was killed by a small time dacoit. I was an only child, and so I was compelled to sell off whatever land I inherited. I am not ashamed to admit that I did not create an alternative asset and blew off the money, though I still feel I did not waste it. Well, it is a different story and entirely out of context.

Nobody can stop you from dreaming. In my young days I dreamed of having a 10-acre mango orchard. I had selected the various cultivars also which I would plant. Dasheri, chausa, amrapali the cross of neelam which fruits every year, a few plants of baramasi which fruits twice a year, some plants of hapus purely on an experimental basis. I had realised that it is the soil which is congenial to a particular variety and it cannot be grown everywhere. And that is why there are specialised varieties for different places. I also thought of various tree varieties to serve as wind breaker for my dream orchard, and zeroed in on sisu (dalbergia sissoo). I had a fond wish of going to Lucknow and Malihabad, spending a few weeks and learning the tricks of the trade. Then I sensibly realised that it was not possible within my means. I reluctantly gave up dreaming about that mango orchard of mine. Then I started dreaming of a one acre garden which will be decorative, feast to the eye and which even though wild and not needing much care will be good to live in the centre, and watch every tree grow, flower, and seed.

At this late stage in life when I have crossed 60, and do not have a long life to look forward to, I know that will remain a dream only which I cannot achieve. Anyway, nothing can stop me from dreaming, and here is the concept for those who are at the right stage in life with the right means as well. In this article let us confine ourselves to beautiful trees. First, selection of trees will depend on the place where you have that one acre. And here let me add that I really envy the coastal area in India. Hot and humid is good for fertility whether for animals or for plant kingdom. In Mumbai you see so many trees which show off so proudly but which would be spindly failures if you try to export them to hot and dry climate of central India. In my service days I was transferred from Bastar to Gwalior. We carried some indoor plants which grew so well in the verandah in Bastar. I was transferred in the heat of summer, and in Gwalior I saw all those plants singed and burnt away. Not to say of the hill myena who could survive only for a few months in the heat of central India. Please don't report me to Manekaji. It was long ago. So let me concentrate on that part of India that is central India which is hot and dry, gets about 25" of rainfall and is essentially rocky with patches of fertile soil which need only water to give a bountiful crop.

But first advice to everybody who wants to develop a medium sized garden maybe in a farmhouse, to use a more fashionable term. You make a round of the area where you have the land and see which trees grow, flower and fruit well. You probably have to see the entire cycle of seasons to decide on the trees, plants and the seasonal flowers. Nothing like going for tried and tested varieties. North western part has long winter and the beautiful show of winter seasonal flowers which you seen in places like Delhi and Chandigarh will not be there in a place where the winter is short.

My first choice in the long list of trees is Bauhinia blakeana. A medium-sized tree with lovely large purple-coloured flowers. Flowers profusely between autumn and spring. The next in the line is Mexican silk cotton tree, which flowers at the time you will not see any other tree bloom. This is a widely used small tree in Delhi. The third tree is plumeria. In Mumbai I have seen the maximum number of varieties of this short statured tree: with white, white with cream centre, yellow, yellow and red bicolour, and red flowers. The white variety has beautiful foliage, and and I have seen it grow healthily even in Gwalior with hot and dry weather. Those having small gardens, please stop here.

I have always longed to see some portion of boundary screened by ashok (Polyalthia longifolia pendula), planted at 1 metre interval. I read somewhere that after they attain certain height, if they are cut from the top they maintain that height. Don't ask me how to do it. I can think of only the long ladders used by municipal people to change fused street lights. The trees are stately and evergreen.

After that very special list there are so many claimants: Yellow tabebeia of which you could see abudance on the roads of Bangalore. There is a purple variety which blooms very well in a slightly humid weather. My only complaint is that it flowers for a very short duration. Gul mohur is so impressive in coastal climate, but it can show good results in the central part of the country as well. It is a quick-growing tree, not very lasting and some people suggest it alternating with Indian laburnum (amaltas) in long avenues. If you are for foliage only, then nothing to beat saptaparni (alstonia) and putranjiva. Ficus benjamina cannot tolerate hot winds, but it can be grown in a slightly sheltered position. And lagersrtoemia is so hardy, both tree and bush varieties. They are in three colours-white, purple and pink. I have a weakness for the bright pink variety. One more tree I will add is cassia, mainly two varieties:cassia nodosa and c.lancasteri. It is a treat to see c.nodosa flower in spring and c.lancasteri just after that. If there is a place where a creeper can be shown to good effect, plant pyrostegia venusta. It is worth waiting for the entire year to see the bloom during winter. Remove the old and thin shoots after flowering. And along the boundary wall nothing to beat bougainvillas. Now we have any number of varieties and colours: white, pink, purple, tamarind, red, single as well as double.

Among the scented varieties, there is the range of jasmines: mogra or bela in bush, and juhi and chameli in creepers. Do not forget to prune mogra in January-February. It is necessary fro their flowering during summer. Harsingar (Nyctanthes-small tree) and Raat-ki-rani (cestrum nocturnum-bush) are other sweet-scented varieties. All the trees and shrubs give out their best when planted in a group. Among the showy bushes and plants I have seen impressive results of pentas, plumbago and verbena (seasonal which goes on to summer). A few plants of vinca rosea are welcome addition. Now they have got hybrid varieties which are more showy, but nothing to beat the original varieties in white and mauve which flower in every season and is a perennial, though it is healthier to change the plants in a few years.

If you see the trees which were grown in the olden days you find that they have long life so that once they grow up they hardly need any care. Ficus varieties (peepul, bargad, gullar), Maulshri (with scented flowers), seeded mango, silk cotton, neem, palash. And they were shady. Stately kadamba is associated with Krishna and his flute-playing. Maulshri is slow-growing and it is in old institutions that they show their good results- Allahabad university has a few, and in the Parliament House I once saw it being planted (for the generation of Rahul's offsprings). Ornamental bushes I suggest three: acalypha, and for shady areas coleus and crotons (codiaeum).

I am including in the list only those varieties which once grown need little or some care, and not the constant care that an exotic plant requires. And in glass house or well-cared for situations there are many exotic varieties which can be grown. In Durg I saw somebody covering one of his walls in a shady location with ivy which he watered everyday. In Mumbai ficus benjamina needs shelter from the sea winds, and in Gwalior from the hot winds and scorching summer sun.

And lastly, save yourself from the temptation of overcrowding. You can't have everything, and so severely curtail the number. One less is better than one too many.

Happy gardening.

Photo Credits:

Ambika Bhatt

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