In the glory of neem tree..

Neem (Azadirachta indica) is a major tree of India.........and its medicinal value dates back to Ayurvedic Era......

For its medicinal value, it takes a pride of place in most backyards, including ours........

In spring the mild breeze came through its canopy...may be because, spring season  brings many viral infections...and the bitter air is supposed to kill the disease-causing agents...

And the blossoms were used in recipes..

As a kid I would jump in mud puddles and get lesions in the rainy season...that's when my mother would boil some leaves and wash the wounds.....I never needed to take any antibiotics...

This memory makes me emotional, for the love of mothers...

And the plant bore oval fruits...which birds thronged to gorge on...

Now, when I go home..........hear the koels singing hidden in its foliage.......

The orchid Vanda tessellata in India .....

This orchid Vanda tessellata is the only wildly-growing epiphyte I have seen in Odisha, india.....

One of the keystone plant species of central India Madhuca indica often harbors it.........

Though the orchid flowers, I have never seen the blooms...

Learnt them this orchid has medicinal value as well (venom destroying etc.)...for its alkaloid, glucoside, tannins....

As antibiotics are falling ineffective and our drugs arsenal is depleting, potential of this orchid can be investigated....

Remembering our gardens and orchards in Sundargarh.....

I have taken a liking for gardening......though I live in an apartment and have a little patio..

Container garden is my only option.....that suits me fine...

I am a researcher....and gardening is supposed to be my relaxation...

So, how did I developed this passion?...........from my parents and family in Odisha, India...

In our hometown Sundargarh, we had a decent-sized front yard and backyard.......

My father had the wisdom to develop those space into a lush garden, rather than building houses to lease them and earn a few thousands bucks extra......

If I would start mentioning the variety of plants the space had over the years, it will be a lengthy post........

Yet, I  have to, as a respect to the person who gave us so much joys by his decision.......

Mango, papaya, orange, sweet lime, grape fruit, lemon, jujube, date palm, custard apple, litchi, pomegranate, hog-plum, coconut, guava, papaya, grapes, jamun, jackfruit.....also rare fruit plants like rose apple, longan........

It's the hog-plum...

(In the shade of an orange tree...its the day my now-husband, then-boyfriend had come to meet my parents)..
Rose apple....an exotic tree for that climate...

And those fruit plants have multiple varieties too........like seeded, unseeded, sweet, sour etc...

And among vegetables.....pumpkin, bitter gourd, beans, carrot, colocasia, brinjal, amaranth, okra, mint, chilli etc.........some curry leaves tree, moringa, bauhinia, gooseberry tree....

Among flowers, rose, hibiscus, jasmine, night jasmine, plumeria, chenille plant, marigold, cosmos, dahlia, chrysanthemum.....crotons....

(In front of the jasmine...)

Here is a shot of the gorgeous cepals of mussaenda .......blooming in our backyard...

Years of soil erosion, aging of the trees, shadows of the big trees, depleting water level has led to loss of many of these trees....the garden is not in its glory anymore...

Unfortunately, that time was prior to digital camera and phone era....so, not much records are there...

But, the sweet memories are precious...if I start writing it will a novel..I might write one some day..

How can you forget, how people of neighboring villages would come drawn by the spectacular flowers and fruits..... they would ask for raw pomegranates  for diarrhea treatment of their children....community feasts will take bunch of curry leaves...

#Gardening is a pure joy....do plant  a few, if you have got space....more than it time and passion...

Holy basil, the sacred Lamiaceae plant......

Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) from Lamiaceae (mint family) is a sacred plant for Hindus...no surprise, all households have at least one plant, where they worship, light the lamps..

We have seen our mother and elders water the plants everyday, after morning bath..

The offerings to the deities included these leaves..

Also, it has many medicinal values...as many of this member like mint, rosemary, sage,oregano, thyme, lavender, marjoram, hyssop, perilla, savory have ....

I remember, whenever I complained tootache as a child, my mother would suggest to wrap some salt in a basil leaf put between the jaws for few minutes...

What a mild, side effect-free medication! 

Calotropis tree.......

Calotropis or milkweed tree (Calotropis procera)........

It grows wild in abandoned places in India, including Odisha, my native area....

It has dual attributes....

The latex is known to be a poison...can blind a person...mythological evidences exist..

These flowers are used in worshiping Lord Shiva...like many thing venomous associated with this Himalaya-dwelling God....

However, modern science is proving that the latex has therapeutic role...

People may find hard to understand how a poison can be medicine...but, as a biomedical researcher I don't have an issue understanding it.......its all about protease - protease inhibitor mechanism...
However, no one should consume it for therapeutic purpose...as the raw latex can kill!

Mango opulence in India.........

Mango...its botanical name Mangifera indica indicates its origin in India.........
A variety of delicious varieties thrive here...
This bunch was hanging from a giant tree in a neighbor's yard...

And this one in another neighbors's....laden with zillions of ripe mangoes....a parrot was feeding...
Soon monsoon arrived...accompanying wind and heavy rain dropped most of them....

A domestic help collected the scattered fruits in a wicker basket and brought to our place...
What a sensory delight they were!!
For a moment I forgot the summer drudgery...

Passion flower in our yard.........

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a woody liana.......the purple blooms are stunning...
The fruits of some  species are regarded as delicious exotic fruit.......
These blooms gracing our yard attracts a variety of butterflies...

A feral cat loves taking nap on the roof beside this leafy vine...