These little Durva (Bermudagrass or Cynodon dactylon), Tulasi (Holy Basil or Ocimum tenuiflorum), Veelya (Betel or Piper betle) and Hulichikka (Creeping Wood Sorrel or Oxalis corniculata) plants are found smiling in my new balcony(?) garden yesterday i.e., on 8th January 2015. Enjoy few photographs of them.
Ah! Two months have passed since
we left Pune. My old plants of holy basil, Mangaluru jasmine and hibiscus are still in my native. They will come here only when our car comes to Bengaluru. Till then, I have these small plants with me. We don’t have private balcony for our new rented house in Bengaluru. But, luckily, there is a common balcony at the end of the corridor where my little plants are occupied.
ಗರಿಕೆ – Durva or Bermudagrass (Botanical Name – Cynodon dactylon)
Look at this Durva plant! I just fell for its tender leaves… It seems that I can start picking a few leaves daily. Did you know that eating
Durva or bermuda grass is good for health? ನಿನ್ನೆ ಈ ಕ್ಯಾಮೆರಾ ಕಣ್ಣಿಗೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿತ್ತು ಚಟ್ಟಿ ತುಂಬಿದ ತಿಳಿಹಸಿರು ಗರಿಕೆ ಚಿಗುರು… ದಿನಕ್ಕೆ ಒಂದೊಂದು ಕೊಡಿ ಕೀಳಲು ಶುರು ಮಾಡಬಹುದೇನೊ? ಮೊದಲು ಗಣಪನಿಗೆ ಇಟ್ಟು, ಮತ್ತೆ ಜಗಿಜಗಿದು ತಿನ್ನಲು! ಹಾ! ಗರಿಕೆಯ ತಂಬುಳಿಯ ನೆನಪಾಗುತ್ತಾ ಇದೆ, ಆದರೆ ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಬಳ್ಳಿ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಬೆಳೆಯುವ ತನಕ ಕಾಯಲೇ ಬೇಕು.
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| ಗರಿಕೆ – Durva or Bermudagrass (Botanical Name – Cynodon dactylon) |
ತುಳಸಿ – Holy basil or Tulsi (Botanical Name – Ocimum tenuiflorum)
Here is the holy basil plant… It hasn’t shown new leaf since I placed it in the pot. But, I was amazed looking at the number of roots that were growing outside the paper bag! ತುಳಸಿ ಗಿಡ ಎಷ್ಟು ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತೆ! ಮೊದಲು ಬೇರುಗಳನ್ನು ಧಾರಾಳ ಇಳಿಯಬಿಟ್ಟು, ಇನ್ನು ಸುರಕ್ಷಿತವೆಂದು ಅರಿಯದೆ ಹೊಸ ಎಲೆ ಮೇಲೆ ತೋರದೆನಿಸುತ್ತದೆ!
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| Holy basil or Tulsi (Botanical Name – Ocimum tenuiflorum) |
ವೀಳ್ಯದ ಬಳ್ಳಿ – Betel (Botanical Name – Piper betle)
Wow! The little betel plants are showing new leaves! Hmm, there are two betel plants. ನಾನು ಚಿಕ್ಕವಳಿದ್ದಾಗಿನಿಂದಲೇ ವೀಳ್ಯದೆಲೆ ಬಹಳ ಪ್ರೀತಿ ನನಗೆ. ವೀಳ್ಯದೆಲೆ ಹಲ್ಲಿನ ಆರೋಗ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ತುಂಬ ಒಳ್ಳೆಯದಂತೆ. ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ವೀಳ್ಯದೆಲೆ ತಿನ್ನುವುದರಿಂದ ದೇಹಕ್ಕೆ ಕ್ಯಾಲ್ಸಿಯಂ ದೊರಕುತ್ತದೆಂದು ತಿಳಿದ ಮೇಲೆ ಈ ಬಳ್ಳಿಯೂ ನನ್ನ ಬಳಿ ಸೇರಿತ್ತು.
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| ವೀಳ್ಯದ ಬಳ್ಳಿ or Betel (Botanical Name – Piper betle) |
ಹುಳಿಚಿಕ್ಕ – Creeping Wood Sorrel
And see these hulichikka plants… They were not brought. But, they appeared when I was watering the other plants. Mmm, I don’t have any problem with them. I am waiting for them to grow so that I can prepare delicious tambuli! ಹುಳಿಚಿಕ್ಕ ಬೀಜಗಳು ಮಣ್ಣಲ್ಲಿದ್ದವೆಂದು ತಿಳಿದದ್ದು ಅವು ಮೊಳಕೆಯೊಡೆದಾಗಲೆ! ಹುಳಿಚಿಕ್ಕ ನಾನು ಚಿಕ್ಕಂದಿನಲ್ಲಿ ತಂದಿದ್ದು, ಬಹುಶ: ಮಡಿಕೇರಿಯಿಂದ. ಅವು ಅಮ್ಮನ ಹೂಗಿಡಗಳ ಬುಡಗಳೆಡೆಯಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲ ಹಬ್ಬಿ ಬೀಜ ಪ್ರಸರಿಸಿ ಈಗ ಅಮ್ಮ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಗಿಡಗಳೆಡೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಟ್ಟಿ ನನ್ನತ್ತ ಬಂದಿವೆ!
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| Hulichikka or Creeping Wood Sorrel (Botanical Name – Oxalis corniculata) |
Thanks for sharing photos of these beautiful plants.
Thank you SG 🙂 I am happy that you like my little plants 🙂 TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Lovely pics, Sindhu.
Change is the law of nature. We have to adjust to so much. Hope you start feeling at home soon. May you get all your treasured possessions (when your truck arrives!) & be happy!
Your post shows how much you love your green-friends!
Smile!
Take care 🙂
Happy New Year to you & your family!
Thank you Anita for your sweeeeeeet words 🙂 Yes, change is unchangeable! It was fun organising the new house into home, it seems that we are here since long time… May be that is how we feel being at home! Yes, my plants are my treasured possessions! Waiting for them to be here!
Mmm, I love them soooo much!
You too TC & keep smiling 🙂
Such beautiful plants! Plants always soothe the soul.
Have a fabulous year ahead!
A nature's lover will always find place for it. You are like my mom. Beautiful photos.
Ha haa 😀 That's true… 🙂 Wow! Nice to know about your mom's love for nature! I would love to see her garden some day!
Thank you for visiting and liking the pictures… TC! Keep smiling 🙂
I second you Kiran 🙂 Those tiny plants are very close to my heart…
If I get to see plants and plants everywhere, then the year would be great for me 😀 Hope it happens! Thanks for your warm wishes, I wish you the same 🙂
TC! Keep smiling 🙂
He he. I like the use of Kannada, the Mangalore usage is so clear in it Sindhu :). I have always had a little affinity towards this usage, very poetic in its own way.
And the last plant, I remember it so vividly, we used to hunt for these as kids. Wash them a bit and nibble on them. The sour taste was a delight 🙂
Thank you Vinay 🙂 As per my knowledge, this Kannada style is used for writing by the majority (even Balagavi, Mandya and other styles are not so common in writing as this). We Mangalurians speak the same Kannada that is used in writing unlike super-express Bengaluru Kannada, probably that made you feel it as Mangaluru Kannada?
Wow! Happy to know your childhood memories about Hulichikka 🙂 Sweet memories!
TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Amazing collections you have…this is the first time I have seen beetel leaves in a pot. All these plants are the most sought ones in every households 🙂
Good variety you have.
The last one grows like weed in my pots. I didn't know they were edible.
Thank you for your lovely comment dear 🙂 So, now you know that wild plant is edible 🙂
TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Thank you Uma, happy to see you here 🙂 No no, I have only a few out of the big list I have! I am sad because, I cannot grow a mango tree, a jack fruit tree or a coconut tree…… (it's a long list and I don't want to torture them in the name of bonsai) in pots 🙁 It's my fate that I have to grow them in pots here 🙁 That's the main reason I miss my native and crave to settle in a village…
TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Very nice snaps..
Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely wonderful plants..!
PPS. I just read your reply to Uma.. When you plan that 'settle' visit gimme a call plz 😛
Yes, I too just can't bear the Bonsai thing !! Its abhoring and somehow seems cruel!
I have to google for hulichikka otherwise rest others I am proud to know 🙂
Yes Durva is considered auspicious specially, in reference to Lord Ganesha and is used in yajnas for sprinkling holy waters .. I'll go the the Durva link also to check .
With few more plants your balcony garden will sure look nice and beautiful .:)
PS – somehow I am not getting updates of your posts Sindhu … hence so late in commenting .. l thank you for your patience and love dear 🙂
Sindhu, you are such as humble soul. Like you I have such tendency of doing much more but the place we live and the time should also go well with our plans. Your love for plants is something I really admire in you. Hope your dream comes true!
Thanks for visiting me without fail – feels great 🙂