It is a nice bright day with greenery all around and nothing much to do in the garden.
When I started gardening in earnest after retirement from the service, about 26 years ago, I became a COLLECTOR.
As a first step I bought books on gardening and flowers and I started collecting whatever I liked in the books.
It took me some time to realise that what was presented in the books was the plants grown in their ideal environment, which I could not provide.
I gave up many, but remained obsessed with others which to mind, I should be able to grow well but was not.
As the time passed, I learnt a lot about the general and specific individual requirement of plants I liked to grow.
I reconciled that an amature natural environment gardener should only grow what he can easily manage.
I also learnt that in addition to the macro environment, there is a micro environment in each garden (full sun, partial shifting shade, morning sun only, midday, evening or combination,shade having bright light and dark shade, windy/non windy,high/low humidity areas), plant your plants giving them the best micro environment you can.
Now the old man is a tired/retired gardener, I take an early (before sunrise) round of my garden, assess all that is required to be done, sit in my garden chair and have all jobs executed by my helper (substitute of a batman) my handy man who looks after all my personal needs.
Now I ask myself, do I need this plant or can it be replaced by another plant having better utility and so have discarded many I also have it plants and gifts I accepted out of modesty.
For example, it took me a long time to grow Gardenia Florida to my satisfaction, but now I am thinking of removing all except one and replace them with dwarf Merva,YOU TELL ME THE REASON WHY?
Arif
