JUST STARTING. I HAVE ABOUT 15 HYDRANGEAS OF DIFFERENT KINDS INCLUDING THE OAK LEAF, AND THE TRAILING VARIETY THAT IS STILL SLOW TO GROW. AS YOU KNOW, THEY ARE SUMMER BLOOMERS.
This blog (created in March 2011 by Lucky) is about new entrants to the Colombo Medical Faculty of the University of Ceylon (as it was then known) in June 1962. There were a total of 166 in the batch (included 11 from Peradeniya). Please address all communications to: colmedgrads1962@gmail.com. Header image: Courtesy Prof. Rohan Jayasekara, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo (2011 - 2014). Please use the search bar using a keyword to access what interests you
Thanks! Keep posting them! At least this one, the hydrangea is one I do know, one has to, coming from Sri Lanka. More please! Zita
ReplyDeleteImpressive collection, Indra. At the last count I have only 7 different varieties!!!
ReplyDeleteThey are not in bloom as yet --- just about bud stage now.
Sorry I could not send you a picture of the Cornflower as the weather has ruined them all.
Good luck and post us more lovely photos.
Razaque
Indra, I sent you an e-mail about your hydrangeas, and also a photo of a flower growing in my garden. All my e-mails to you have been returned. Lucky suggested sending it to your wife's address, which I did, and hope you received it. Thanks for those lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteSriani Basnayake
iananda@verizon.net
DeleteIt is so heartening to see that members of our batch are indulging in a variety of hobbies. Some of us are retirees. A few are still working. Most of us, if not all, are now in our seventies and it is so important for us to keep ourselves occupied. It is to be noted that those of us who do so have been successful in staving off illnesses such as dementias etc.
ReplyDeleteI see that gardening is a hobby that the majority seem to be involved in. Although I am not a keen gardener, my wife is. I do enjoy looking at her plants morning and evening. I make it a point to give her all the encouragement. I do enjoy immensely, what my colleagues are doing out there. That includes gardening, photography, writing poetry and other literary stuff, music etc. etc.
As for me, all of you can see how I spend my time. Providing a Forum for you all to display your talents is just one such exercise.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLucky-As I've said many times before - the forum you've provided for us colleagues to keep in touch has been much appreciated- Thankyou.
ReplyDeleteI hope- while "looking at" your wife's plants b.d. you also talk to them (wife included) very tenderly! Best Wishes!
Zita-I think you may have misread a comment I wrote on 3rd June.
ReplyDeleteThe 2000 varieties of azaleas are not in my garden ,but in NZ!!
Thanks for the comment anyway-was nice to hear from you 'sans pain' and back to your very imaginative poetry-see you more-
So you now realise how far my knowledge of these things go! No wonder we are all thrilled to see you and others educating us on this lovely subject of the world of plants.
DeleteZita
Zita- Do Not worry-
DeleteThink of all the people whose vision you have restored to enjoy the beauties of nature-
Cheers-Rohini
Razaque- enjoyed your "blue collection".
ReplyDeleteThe corn flower was one I had not seen
Many thanks for sharing.Regards
Thanks Rohini,
DeleteAnother thing that want to share with you in particular are Wisteria creepers at the Auckland Domain. They are the the largest specimens I have seen. The trunk of it is larger than mine!!
Now, do not get excited... relax!!!
I mean it is bigger than my waistline and nothing else!!!.
Razaque-
DeleteThanks for the all-important clarification!!
I shall make it a point to see the Wisterias at the domain in spring/summer when they flower.
I had planned to have Wisteria in my garden(previous) but decided against it as I was informed that they can take upto 6 yrs to flower once planted,and can become quite woody and scraggy when not in flower.Hence,instead I had a few pink and white clematis,honeysuckle, and just one Campsis for climbers which produced a profusion of gorgeous bright orange trumpet shaped flowers on dark green elegant leaves which climbed right up to my upstair balcony to run along the floor!! That one plant gave me so many years of joy.
Unfortunately I havent taken any photos of my garden per se,but it has provided some beautiful backgrounds for random family photos.
I must say at this point that I can take credit for only a miniscule amount of physical work for this garden, which in total was about 2 hectares- I chose the plants,a landscape gardener did the hard pruning/reorganizing etc,
and my husband and my son did some of the digging when we picked up new plants unexpectedly!
I think we all enjoyed what it became.
Look forward to more of your collection.
Indra-Your photography is amazing -Loved the photos of the bird
ReplyDeletelet alone the flowers-Many thanks
Indra, Your hydrangeas seem to have generated a lot of comments! I have just returned from Vancouver, where the hydrangeas were at their peak. These were all over in people's front yards, in full bloom in the most amazing and unusual colors and varieties. Reds, pinks and magentas in addition to various shades of blue. My conclusion was that the damp, cool weather in Vancouver is the perfect climate for these beauties.
ReplyDeleteI did have a few hydrangeas in my previous house, but I don't have the responsibility of the yard upkeep anymore. Lucky is absolutely correct, one has to be engaged in enjoyable activities to stay healthy in retirement. Keep it up everyone!
Srianee, You are correct in your observation.You may recall in Sri Lanka the hydrangeas seem to do best & look fresh in the hill country. Hydrangeas seem to need plenty of water & therefore do not do that well in Colombo unless there is some shade.
ReplyDeleteI hope you took the opportunity to take the FERRY to VANCOUVER ISLAND & visit VICTORIA, which is an absolutely beautiful & clean city. A short drive from there is the world famous Buchart gardens a must if you get that far.
IA
My only interest in plants and flowers was the Botany we did for the University entrance. Pulimood and Joshua radiated wisdom. Everything seemed to grow so easily in SL. We have now downsized. When I lived in a house with a garden in the English countryside my wife maintained a lovely garden full of flowers and I only stepped out to cut the lawn and the hedge. I had a room with a view to enjoy and appreciate the hues and colours of the changing seasons. Now we live in a flat in London 3 minutes away from Regent's Park in view of the Lords Cricket grounds. I must say I do enjoy walking amidst the flowers and the lawns looked after so well by an army of gardeners. We now have no garden of our own except a fine communal garden at the rear. There are a few orchids that live on the window sill to brighten up our lives, looked after with great affection by my dear wife. Every morning when I wake up I look forward to my walk to the park to appreciate the elegance and beauty of its magical displays, ever changing and ever beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you for those great photos of flowers and foliage. Razaque, I saw a BBC program about a famous garden in Dundee. It was wonderful and reminded me of your great collection of plants which you have shared with us on this blog. To us living in the south, Scotland is next door to the North Pole which is not quite true. It has a fine climate with the warm air blown across by the gulf stream.