EAST OR WEST HOME IS THE BEST

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

Thank you very much, I will be posting as I get organised.
This was basically SEE America trip of the family. In these 52 days we saw so much of USA that very few Americans will ever see in their life time.
I learnt a lot and will try to present what is relevant to gardening with a little Mirch Masalla.
No I have not brought any bulbs or plants, will explain why?
Arif

[khabbab]

I am very pleased to see you back Sir. We are anxious to hear the tale.

[Munir]

Does this adage(Re) hold good to gardening also ?

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

Does this adage(Re) hold good to gardening also ?

Even more.

[Munir]

Does this adage(Re) hold good to gardening also ?

Even more.

That is heartening.

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

My trip to USA, rather hectic was quite an experience especially for my family. I had visited USA in 1964 and again with my two sons and lady wife in 1973. AS is my nature I made it a point to see all that was worth seeing and to show it to my family as well.
This trip was the desire of my elder son Mansoors family and my sister in law and a friend of my eldest granddaughter, a group of eight, six ladies and two male members, with all the logistic problems of such a large group.
It took over a year of planning; the destinations and places to visit around each, the duration of stay at each destination which depended on places to be seen around it (within few hundred miles), booking of transport and hotels in advance from here Pakistan.

A day without a car in America is a day wasted; we were lucky, Awis provided us almost new 12 seat Chev/Ford wagons on arrival at the air port at each destination which was returned on departure at the Airport.

The destinations were; New York-4 days, flew to San Francisco 5 days, flew to Los Angeles 3 days, Sandiago California 2 days, Lass Vegas 5 days, flew to New Orleen/Maridian 6 days, flew to Orlando Florida 12 days, Palm beach, Miami/Key west 3 days, flew to Washington DC 10 days, Niagra falls 2 days.

Covering thousands of miles by road gave me an opportunity to look with specific interest the gardens of small and large houses (middle class and rich), the roadside plantation, the public parks and gardens maintained by entertainment and fun lands.

Gardening in USA can be put in three groups,
A, personal home gardens
B, public gardens
C, commercial growers

To be continued
Thanks
Arif

[jdashraf]

Sir, good start .. aah reminds me of my hundred days visit to USA in 2004.One difference though, i was alone with some local friends (actually did a course there).. ideal combination to visit places like Vegas (any thing which happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas) ...
One request, Sir please share your experience in chronological order, i mean, city by city. Lessons learnt, differences in approaches about gardening, etc .. Don't want to miss any thing ...
Thanking in advance, Sir.

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

Will try my best confined to gardening only
Arif

[jdashraf]

Will try my best confined to gardening only
Arif

Yes sir, "Gardening" only .....

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

AoA
Home gardens were the most disappointing irrespective of the size of the house or the class of owners.
Gardening basically is a hobby of middle class and requires time. Americans are like programmed robots they do not have enough time for a garden so the emphasis is on landscaping with permanent plants.
Those who love to have some flowers around buy 4-6 inch potted plants from super stores and plug them in their small flower beds. Perhaps we would be doing the same if we did not have the help of Malies. Except the Agapanthus which is seen everywhere the other bulbs were rather rare.
Except for the botanical gardens the public parks and road side plantation had few annuals but the presentation of annuals in pots and beds of public parks was superb, landscaping was admirable with flowering trees and bushes; the most common shrub all over America was Lagerstonium

To sum up, the basic difference from us is;
We use flood irrigation and they ONLY sprinklers, it may be a small bed of flowers or a LARGE (Acers) field of any crop.






The gardens and fields follow the contours of land and even in flat areas the gardens are undulating, which is pleasing to eyes.
Extensive use of Mulch, mostly it is shredded wood, red, brown or black. Only in Lass Vegas I saw broken bricks as mulch.
Superb container gardening.



Excellent landscaping, the selection of plants and their proper pruning are the magic.







To be continued
Thanks
Arif