Spring blooms of dahlia, yellow jasmine and clerodendrum

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Larkspur, petunia and calendula flowers

It is Spring knocking at our doors here in zone 10. Here is what is blooming right now.

Larkspur botanic name delphinium consolida. Easy to grow from seed. The one i got required staking. I am also growing perennial variety of delphinium (perennial in hilly areas only and not in plains) delphinium elatum and grandiflora but not in bloom yet. Growing them in 10 inches clay pots.

Then comes calendula officinalis locally called Gul-e-Ashrafi one of the earliest spring bloomers along with dahlia.

And last but not least, the lime petunia.

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Blooms from Tulip flower show lahore

Tulip flower show was dull although flowers were so pretty i almost got lost. The beauty of blooms was just exceptional. I think the bulbs were pre-chilled. Most of them were darwin hybird tulips.
After seeing the beautiful flowers there, i changed my mind that they can not be grown in lahore. Now i will give tulips bulbs a try this fall. Although i prefer growing ornithogalum, oxalis, freesia and paperwhites but tulips has its own place in flowering bulbs. No wonder my next post will be about growing tulips in very mild winters like ours. Here are the tulips displayed at the flower show.

City of vacouver

Red Parade

Golden Parade

Purple Prince

Leen van der mark Tulip - similar to banja luka

This post is part of Garden Bloggers bloom day, a monthly event hosted by Carol of May Dreams Gardens.

Don't forget to visit http://www.tootsietime.com/ for this week's fertilizer friday.

This post is also part of Blooming Friday hosted by Katarina. So do visit her website http://rosorochris.blogspot.com/ for other blooming friday posts.

Tulip Flower show Lahore

First Tulip flower show is held in lahore at Royal Palm Golf and country club, Lahore on 9, 10, 11 February 2011. They are claiming to display 14,000 tulips there.

Greenworks is providing them the bulbs. Will share the pics with you although i do not like the idea of tulip flower show as tulips are not ideally suited to lahore climate. Probably species tulips have better chances of growing in lahore as compared to the modern hybrid tulips.

Tulips displayed in the flower show will include Parade tulips, Purple Prince, Banja Luka, Golden Parade, City of Vancouver and Lee Van Der Mark. More information can be acquired from these phone numbers. +92-300-8503884, +92-321-577535 for registration. tulipshow@greenworks.com.pk

LahoreGardening.com has always been advocating to grow and display native plants and those plants which are suited to climate of lahore. For more information on growing those flowering bulbs which are suited to hot climate like lahore, see the flowering bulbs section.

Dahlia Bloom

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Aloe Vera blooms

Flowers of Aloe vera. It's local name is Kawar Gandal. Shot in Model Town Park, Lahore. Famous for its medicinal properties, it also has culinary uses. There are many plants growing wild in lahore. Some of them are outside the barni garden in lahore near Governor house.

There are many other flowers blooming all around the world. To see them visit Today's flowers.

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Blooms of hibiscus and Cherry tomato

Hibiscus


Flower of Cherry tomato


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Dombeya Magic

Dombeya closeup






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Butterflies of Islamabad - Blue Pansy

My first series of butterflies and that is of those butterflies i captured in Islamabad, Pakistan. Other series will be butterflies of lahore, pakistan in which i will show you at least 10 butterflies which i captured in lahore.

The first one is blue pansy with scientific name Junonia orithya. It is native to Africa and south east Asia.

I captured it in Rose and Jasmine garden Islamabad. I did not find it in lahore. It was captured in early winter so chances are there it migrated from the upper hills areas. It is sun loving species and found mostly on dirt, grass and other open areas.


In Australia this butterfly is known as the Blue Argus. Although it is a common butterfly of Pakistan, i am yet to find it in lahore.
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Review of International Seeds suppliers - Thompson & Morgan

Earlier i posted a review of Chiltern Seeds UK. This is turn of Thompson and morgan. I m not sure though i have heard there is new management out there at Thompson and morgan and the standard of their quality and service is not as good as it use to be under previous management. Anyways, here is the review.

Pros: 
Promotions/Discounts: Probably this is the most alluring of all. After every few months they waive off P&P (Packing and Postage) which is around 4 pounds for international seeds delivery.They also announce a discount of 50% which is very handy. Special promotions are mostly at special occasions like Christmas.
Value seeds: There are many seeds packets which are sold at very low prices. These contain mostly the trial varieties or those varieties which do not sell hot.
3 for the price of 2: Choose any 3 seeds packets and pay for only 2. Price is fixed for all seeds packets in this category.
Voucher Codes: They use to send free 5 pounds voucher code with every printed catalog delivered. Although this does not happen often. Got a printed catalog this year but no free voucher code.

Cons: 
Poor germination rate: As compared to Chiltern Seeds UK, the germination rates of Thompson and morgan are quite low. No no wait, do not compare to anyone, germination rates are still not good enough. I bought lots of seeds packets this year. And quality was not which i expect from T&M.
Lack of variety: Very limited seeds. I can list hundreds of plant seeds which i expect T&M to have but they do not.

Please note that these are my personal experiences and other gardeners may have different point of view.

Rose and Jasmine Garden Islamabad

Rose and Jasmine garden is situated in Islamabad near Aabpara. It is one of the most famous gardens of Islamabad. There are other gardens in islamabad as well including botanic garden (in development), the CDA kachnar garden i.e. Bauhinia garden but not as famous. This garden is also famous for flower shows held in autumn and spring.

Rose and jasmine garden includes almost all types of roses including desi or local roses, climbing roses,tea rose, floribunda roses, miniature roses, fragrant roses etc. Despite all my efforts i could not find any jasmine blooms there. These shots are taken in last week of december. I hope you would enjoy:)













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Seeds shops and Plant nurseries of Islamabad/Rawalpindi

During my recent visit to islamabad, I visited many gardening resources including seeds shops and plant nurseries. Many thanks to expert gardener Tahir khan from Rawalpindi for helping me out.

Here are some of the best.

Seeds shops:
Rawalpindi: Awan seeds store, committee chowk. Phone #: +92 51 5537828
Islamabad: Only two shops which I found and these were both in F-8 Markaz.

1- Awan Garden Center: Probably they are the only one supplying flowering bulbs specially amaryllis belladonna, agapanthus and nerine lily in whole Islamabad. They also sell seeds of brychome swan river daisy, a fragrant spring annual not available in Lahore. Their variety of bulbs is very good.

Address: Shop # 12, Hashim Plaza, F-8 Markaz, Islamabad.

Phone: +92-51-2260454, Cell: 0300-5100975 Mr Saqib Awan

2- Green impex: They are right besides Awan garden centre. They are in whole sale supply of seeds and gardening accessories. Phone #: +92-51-2254540

3- Awan seeds Rawalpindi: They are in Rawalpindi. The also sell flowering bulbs. Their trademark is Rs 5 Ranunculus tuber which is so cheap because it is local production not imported one.

Plant Nurseries:
The best nurseries are in H-9 Islamabad. There is a whole lane called nurseries area. Some of the good nurseries I found are following:

1- Madina nursery: Islamabad branch of Madina nursery from Pattoki. They have huge variety of flowering and indoor plants. Phone #: +92-51-4446645, Cell: 0300-5024293 Yasin khan

2- Fateh Muhammad Nursery: One of the top nurseries of Islamabad. They are branch of famous Doctor nursery of pattoki. Phone #: +92-51-4442877, Cell: 0300-5131412 Mr Naveed Azhar

3- Makkah Nursery: Another good nursery of Islamabad. Phone #: +92-51-443193-2, Cell: 0300-8565965 Mr Iqbal

4- Green Land Nursery: Phone #: +92-51-4434850

5- Pattoki Nursery islamabad: Phone #: +92-51-4433748

Other good nurseries include Hamza nursery, Evergreen nursery, Bismillah nursery and Mardan Nursery etc.

There is another plants nursery which is in chak shahzad, Iqbal nursery. They have got good selection of american hybird day lilies and plants are reasonably priced as well. Contact # is Mr. Adil Iqbal, Cell # +92 300 5280880

Some of my next posts would be about Rose and Jasmine garden Islamabad and butterflies of islamabad

Annual Chrysanthemum show 2010

This year's Autumn Chrysanthemum flower show was held in Race Course Park Lahore. The show was not as vibrant as the last year. Few stalls, less space and not much activity was there. For last year's Chrysanthemum show click here













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Butterflies mating on my terrace garden

I found these butterflies mating in the leaves of my wisteria vine on my terrace. They remained there for almost whole day.






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Runner up in Dave's garden photo contest 2010

It is of immense pleasure to me to announce that i got the runner up position in the annual photo contest 2010 at dave's garden, the largest online community of gardeners around the world. The category was "Macro" and this picture of water lily got 54 points. You can click on the picture for full view.



Thanks to all who voted for my photo. Although voting and photos were anonymous so nobody knew whose picture this was. It was my first time participating in the event and it was a wonderful experience. I would participate next year as well and encourage all the readers to do so.

I could not participate in Carol's GBBD this month due to EID holidays but i hope this post would qualify for bloom day as it does contain a wonderful bloom and there is nothing else blooming in my garden right now apart from this waterlily. Don't forget to see other bloom posts on Carol's website May Dreams Gardens

Blooms of rain lily, hibiscus and night jasmine

Fall sowing is at peak right now. I am almost done with planting the bulbs except the hyacinths. Other spring flowering
annuals are sprouting as well. Only few flowers managed to continue their bloom in this month of november. The first is white
rain lily, zephyranthes candida.
 
The other flower in bloom is white ginger lily or butterfly ginger lily with botanic name Hedychium coronarium

Another plant which blooms in october and november with heavenly fragrance is  sad tree or night jasmine with botanic
name Nyctanthes arbortristis. Its flowers drop at night.

Here is the closer shot:

And last but not least this purple single flowered hibiscus.



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