Over the years, so many friends have gifted me plants and all are growing and flourishing in Hoskote. The white Ixora is one among dozens of other plants which were gifted by a Mr Shetty whose resort in Chickmangalur, I had to write about and visited. It blooms happily in the farm among other flowering plants and every plant reminds me of the giver.
Michelle Correas Chinese Violets!
A lady who lived in our building and I became great friends. Infact when we go to Goa we go straight to their home in Siolim for a high tea in their huge, brand new villa. Michelle Correa was never a great gardener but after moving to Goa has transformed her barren garden space into a lush tropical paradise. Like any other avid gardener, I carry from my garden for her and she swaps hers with me. Amazing how well her garden is doing and how to my last word she has made a compost pit which feeds her beautiful garden. Ofcourse Michelle made a grander and huger pit than our small, insignificant one and I am amazed at the variety and beauty of the plants in her garden.
Woodapples growing in Hoskote
I love woodapples from childhood and mentioned it to my friend Valsam. The next thing I knew she brought me grafts from a nursery in Calcutta and I put them down. This year it flowered heavily and last Sunday I saw tiny baby fruit to my utter joy. Valsam lives vicariously through my photos and is so happy that I take good care of the trees.
Sweet tamarind from Bangkok
I would travel regularly for work shops on pollution in Bangkok and I had fallen in love with the sweet Thai tamarind which they sold in 1kg bags. My colleagues from the Erasmus Mundus who worked with the Bangkok Post, introduced me to the tamarind, and I germinated the seeds and when they were around 2 feet tall, I planted them in Hoskote. Imagine my utter and complete joy when the first crop which the trees bore were EXACTLY like their parent tamarind which I had eaten! This year I got a huge, huge crop as the previous caretaker was selling it to the apartments around. Now I share with Steve, save for the big boys in the fridge, share with friends especially priest friends in Goa.
Lichies have fruited after a decade or more!
My friend and fellow gardener, Clement Silva, fell in love with the Hayes road garden when Dad and Mum were alive. He ordered lichie saplings from Calcutta one of which was planted in Hayes and one in Hoskote. With fruit that I had bought from the market I germinated a few more and have around six in the farm. Clements tree has fruited this year. It has lifted our heart as I was so desperate I bought a Longon tree from Amazon and planted it in the farm hoping these cousins of Lichies would fruit. So now yet another tree gifted by a friend grows and fruits in the farm.
Avocados fruiting in the farm after a decade too!
And Dads avocado saplings that he grew in buckets are fruiting this year. They just grew and grew to tree height like we had in Hayes road. This year with the cold snap over the winter, many trees and plants are flowering and fruiting and I feel so happy to look at the trees and remember all the generous givers. Once the farm passes, sadly that memory will also pass because I'm sure paying me that huge amount the buyer plans to build villas and make a killing.
