Crinum, giant potato tree and spider lily

It is a pleasure to be part of Garden bloggers bloom day once again. Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting this wonderful event every month. These are all thumbnail images and you can click on each one to view full image.

The first bloom, and because fragrance is my first preference, is crinum lily. They are growing wild in the Lawrence gardens. They bloom in july-October here in lahore. wonderful fragrance.

With botanical name crinum latifolium and common name milk and wine lily they are easiest of perennial bulbs to grow. Two colors are common. The white one below and there is another one bicolor, pink and white crinum.

Another crinum having very interesting buds is Crinum asiaticum with common names spider lily, grand crinum lily. It has the largest bulbs i have ever seen. the fragrance is not very sweet and flowers not very showy but buds are worth capturing.

This is some unknown flower to me blooming profusely in lawrence gardens lahore. any help with the ID will be appreciated.

This is giant potato tree with botanical name Solanum macranthum . Like many other solanum plants, the color of flower changes and you will find many colors blooms on same plant at once. Flowers are very mildly fragrant. A close relative is Solanum seaforthianum with common name italian jasmine, more fragrant than this one, and which i intend to grow from seed very soon.

And last but not least, here comes murraya exotica orange jasmine. The fragrance is divine and unbeatable. Blooming on my terrace in a large clay pot. They bloom extensively in monsoon rains.

Canna,chandni, plumeria, lanatan and crinum in flower

It is still summer here and late summer blossoms are burst into bloom. October is harbinger of fall planting but still heat is not allowing to sow winter seeds. We are waiting for just one rain to subside the heat wave, Still no clouds. Lets us have a look at some flowers nature presents to us.

Crinum lily is a perennial here and a typical late summer bloomer. It is propagated by bulbs and they are buried till neck in the soil. Foliage is evergreen. It is slightly fragrant. It is known by its common name Milk and Wine lily.









White crinum is not common as compared to the pink one. I shot it at a roadside near my home.









Tabernaemontana with local name "Chandni" is also a beautiful perennial grown not only as house plant but growing wild in many areas. Unfortunately it is not fragrant. But i have heard there are some fragrant ones, not yet i have come across.










What a beautiful planter with vinca flowers. This is also planted outside a home not far away where i live.










Pink plumeria, locally called "Champa". Another local name is "Gul-e-Cheen". It is a fragrant bush/tree. Easily grown in pots. It does not tolerate frosts. I am growing it in a 12 inches clay pot and it does not hesitate blooming in 90F heat. A typical tropical plant. In june, i forgot to protect it from midday sun and got some of its leaves burnt. It comes in another color, white with yellow center. A must for a fragrant garden. Needs lots of water and fertilizer.










Wild sunflower. Lahore is full of these self sowing sunflowers. They need full sun to bloom. It is not cultivated as house plant. Drought tolerant as well. Another species "teddy bear" is grown as summer annual, which is dwarf one and grown as house plant.









Lantana camara is another tough perennial which blooms almost whole year except in winter months. Needs lots of root space, grows wild as well as house plant. Another species Lantana montevidensis (trailing lantana)
which is not very common is very attractive to butterflies and ideal for hanging baskets, bears blue flowers.










Hollyhock. Locally called "Gul-e-Khaira". Now i am surprised seeing this one blooming in full sun in summer. I always though it to be a spring annual. Well it is perennial in our climate, if protected from midday sun in summer and good drainage is provided in monsoon rains. We have yet to see the double variety here but this year we are hopeful the double variety will be available commercially. I have been gifted some seeds of double Apple Blossom from a fellow gardener in UK. Will try as soon as weather cools down.







This is interesting. I was hoping i got a natural biological control for these white insects but i was wrong. Being a strict organic gardener, i washed them away with water.








Canna, indian shot. This is one of another heat tolerant perennials in lahore. Also grows wild, while some dwarf species, not commons though, are grown in as house plants. I was gifted some mixed seeds of canna dominic republic and they have sprouted. Yet to see the blooms.



























Now i do not grow much veggies but i could not resist shooting this squash in the courtyard of my in laws. I have also given them seeds of lettuce iceberg this year. hope will grow good as well.

















This is some wild flower growing in our country side. Lovely blooms. Blooms whole summer.