The Polka dot plant ...

I bought myself some new plants ... the 'Polka Dot Plants'(Hypoestes phyllostachya) ... I am in love... they are simply beautiful ... the splash of color and how fast they grow... I am trying to read up all I can ... about these beauties...and I am so excited to share it with all the readers.

The H. phyllostachya ... belongs to the Family... Acanthceae. It is believed to be a native of Madagascar. Normally, you can expect it to grow to a hight of 30 inches ... but you can also find smaller varieties(hybrids I guess).

The polka dot plant ...is an ornamental plant ... it makes a great house plant ... and enjoys indirect sunlight... making it a great choice for shade gardens. Though bright indirect sunlight is ideal ... it is said to tolerate some bit of sun as well. The lovely burst of colored leaves ...can bring cheer where flowers may find difficulty growing. Faint memories remind me of my father using them as a hedge and as borders around flower beds.
Normally these plants are bushy ...but you may find your plant to grow longer stems and spread out leaves...making it look gangly... all you need to do it keep pinching it back.Though as the plant matures over time you will need to replace it... it looses its bushiness , as the maturer stems begin to show more. The polka dots ... also give out lilac flowers which grow on long shoots or racemes...they may be cute ... though not as spectacular as the leaves.Flowering will probably be seen in summer months.
You may find some of these cultivars in your local nurseries...
-‘Carmina’ has bright red splotches on the leaves.
-‘Confetti’ series plants are smaller (8 inches) but more vigorous growers than other cultivars, so they fill in more quickly in the landscape. The five separate colors include white, pink, red, carmine rose and burgundy red; they are often offered together as a mix.
-‘Pink Brocade’ is mottled with pink spots.
-‘Pink Dot’ has attractive pink spots.
-‘Purpuriana’ has purplish leaves.
-‘Splash’ series has large blotches of contrasting color in pink, red, rose or white.
-‘Wit’ offers marbled white leaves.
(I found this information about different cultivars from a paper by Susan Mahr,University of Wisconsin,...thanks Susan)

Watering -Spraying or misting... brings out the best in color of the leaves if the sunlight is right. When watering the soil do allow some bit of drying (not completely) before your next watering.

Pests and Diseases - the Hypoestes... is considered quite a hardy plant... but can get powdery mild dew and root rot. As for pests look out for aphids ... mealy bugs.

Propagating - Seeds and cuttings (cuttings can also root in water or the traditional way of planting them in soil).

Huzoor Palace... Porbandar...India

You'll be forgiven ...in believing ,I am taking you on a tour of a European palace... It is infact... a beautiful Indian treasure...a palace by the Arabian Sea.The Huzoor palace of Porbandar,Gujrat.I had a memorable tour of this palace.Its beauty completely bowled me over.And the neglect that it lies in today ... makes me nostalgic about a by gone era ... when Natwarsinhji , the then ruler of Porbandar built it. As a designer ... I hold in high regard the people who created this beautiful piece of design and architecture. As an Indian I am very proud...to share with all my readers ...another piece of our great design heritge...

...a pink dining room ... I fell in love with the damask table cloth...and the art deco chairs were very pretty in pink. Now who says pink is for barbie dolls and little girls ... there was a definite air of class in this dining room...

... the blue music room ... its here that the Maharani , played her piano and her husband played his violin ... like most of the rooms in the palace (barring a few exceptions) ... the architectual detailing is ornate and traditional European style,while the furniture very Art Deco...

... details of moulding ... cornices and elegant use of blue... (in the blue music room) ...

... an ornate chandelier ...made of onyx ( I think so ...it was difficult to make out ...with the height and the aging) and the brass hardware looked ... lovely with the green patina of tarnish over the years...

... I just loved these chairs in one of the passages ... infact the passage looked so beautiful with these chairs...

...a pair of these ivory tusks mounted on pedestals are pure grandeour ... age and neglect surely has not affected them. Behind the these tusks ... screening the lobby area from the passage are traditional Indian screens...

... on one of the sofas I saw this fascinating upholstery ... it looked aged and uncared for ...but still beautiful...

... the view of the sunroom ...I can just spend my whole life here...soooo calm ...serene..the antique furniture in white ... the centre of the room has a marble fountain ... the Corinthian pillars ...and art deco light fittings ... unbelieveable that two styles so strikingly different ... compliement each other ,so well ...

... there are no fans or airconditioning needed in the entire palace ...here in this snap you see a view of the open plan of the rooms...the sunroom done up in different shades of white ..cream...beige... with openings to adjacent rooms... a little view of the blue themed ... card and bridge room...

... I love this room...can't have enough of it...

... details of the art deco chandelier with ornate traditional moulding on the ceiling ...

... another view of the sunroom ... displayed all over the palace is a great collection of paintings ... both European and Indian ...potraits of the royal family... priceless pieces.Here you can see the room opening on to the other side to another room ...

... a closer view of the pillared arches opening the sun room to the adjacent peach room...

... I loved this view of the terrace through the dusty doors ... I can so easily close my eye and imagine the beautiful evenings of entertaining that the terrace my have seen ... while a cool sea breeze flowed through ...

... one of the many paintings adorning the walls ...

...details of the skirting level in the sunroom ... an eclectic mix of Mughal and European botanical motifs...

... an embossed glass panel door ... I couldn't get the best image of it ... but ,I had to take this snap to remember the design details...

...the view from the peach color room ... looking towards the cream sunroom ...

...the oval library ... loaded with not just priceless antique books ... but also beauitful pieces of furniture ... the art deco style...ever so subtly co-existing with the ornate window and wall finishes ...

... one of the corners of the library ... show the details of the colors used on the walls ... I love the tone on tone effect ... which carries on into the ceiling...

... a curious looking book in the library... 'Loyal ( mind you not Royal...) Rulers and Leaders of The East'...

... another speciman of art deco style ... beautiful and elegent ... even in age and tattered upholstery... which was appeared to be a very modern design and not traditional ...

... one of the very many Indian art works ... this I think is a Pichwai...of the nathdwara school...

... heading back from the library ...towards the sunroom ... I could not help but click this...

... botanical motif details on the ceiling of the peach room ... and ofcourse the tone on tone effect ...I really found that very interesting...

... a snap shot of the blue room ... all ready for a game of bridge or cards ...

...the drawing room...I would definately love to entertain here... the sofas are upholstered in a beautiful blue and purple fabric... the walls are adorned with fine art and family portraits ... the wall sconces look like old torches ... the two round pieces on the wall ...are like trophies ... made of deer horns ...

... tucked away in a dark corner was this most interesting table ...agin a sad shot... but I had to put ths to show you the details of its base...

... four sea serpents with intertwined coils ... form the base of this magnificant piece...

... these very art deco style chairs ...were curiously upholstered in damask ... makes me wonder if they are a recent upholstery job ...

... a crystal wall sconce...it has a missing shade ... inspite of which it was an interesting piece...

... a side cainet in the general dining room ...

I can go on and on about the little I saw of this beautiful ... beautiful ... beautiful ... palace ...but my camera gave way on me ... I don't even want to tell what more I could have shared ... well ...

Hydrangea leaves...a green affair

My hydranges just got their annual pruning ... and I couldn't get myself to throw the lovely leaves. So here they are ... on a silver platter. All by themselves, they are a beautiful arrangement...that I felt no need to add flowers.

Indian silver filigree work ... a soap dish idea

It takes away the mundane look of that soap on your bathroom counter. A traditional ... Indian silver filigree work ... leaf platter.Far more adorable than the store bought,matter-of-fact...soap dishes.It is very practical at the same time.Does not let soap water accumulate...and every day use doesn't really bother the silver.Shine it up once in a while...or just enjoy the patina as it ages.

Chinese Orange

A visit to Delhi …was when I discovered this beautiful plant laden with bright tiny oranges. A few years later, when I myself moved to Gurgaon is when I got my first Chinese orange plant. You can never miss them…they fruit so prolifically .The site of a potted plant so laden with fruits is …well very tempting. In a limited space…urban set up …I’d call it my fruit garden.
The Chinese orange is also called the ‘Calamondin’… or the miniature orange. I tried to read up about its origins and what I discovered was that it is believed by some that the Calamondin could be a hybrid of lime and mandarin, or lime and kumquat, or kumquat and mandarin.
It is a citrus fruit plant…and like all in its family it is as an outdoor plant. And prefers a sunny spot. Growing a Calamondin or the Chinese orange is not difficult…it is quite a no fuss plant. You need to let the top soil dry out before you water it again…but definitely don’t let the leaves wilt. Yes, it is expressive too …
The Chinese orange has beautiful white blossoms and they are as fragrant as other citrus blooms. The fruit is deep green in color when young and turns a bright orange as it ripens. The flowering and fruiting process goes on all year round. The new blooms stop a little before all the fruits start to change color.
A ripe Chinese orange is a very acidic and tart…with tiny seeds inside.
I love harvesting my ‘little garden’…it is almost ritualistic…it is best to snip the fruit with a pair of scissors…rather then to try and snap them off the branches. This way the plant it not disturbed …and if you pull by hand it does not always snap away complete…so you may end up with some split oranges…reducing their table life. The fruit can be used to make an amazingly tasty marmalade...and you have to believe me ...because I have made many new friends with just a bottle of the marmalade,sent across...(If you'd like the recipe...do e-mail me...I can send it over...while I still am working to put it up as a post)…its peel can be used as a fragrant rind in baking or cooking.You can just put them in a bowl…they look beautiful all by themselves.
Caring for your Chinese orange
In warm Indian climate, the Chinese orange thrives well …but for a few points to look out. Over watering…will make its leaves turn yellow. It will be healthy being fed regularly…though not too often.Approximately... once in 2 weeks.Being a citrus plant it needs soil rich incalcium …your local nursery can guide you about a feed for the citrus plants.
(P.S - Do check out the Chinese orange marmalade recipe ... in the recipe section.. .posted Feb.16th,2009)

Old Indian Spice Box

Long before the coming of canisters...we in India had the spice box...every region having its own version.They still hold that charm and air of mystery around them.I remember my mother using her spices out of a 'masala-dani'...I cherish my own spice box.Gifted to me by my co-sister...when she moved out of Cochin.
They are usually crafted out of a single piece of wood...with a wooden pin holding the lid shut.The craftsmanship does not involve any metal hardware.The lid opens around a pivot ... similar as the holding pin.You can see the artistic expression not just on the carved outside body but inside as well.Each slot having been cut out of the single wooden piece.
I love to store my aromatic spices in thebox ... cardamom ... cinnamon ... cinnamon sticks ... cloves and nutmeg.If your spices are fresh the spice box will definitely tell ...I can distinctly make out when the box is opened in the kitchen ... the aroma travels.The wood also absorbs the fragrance of the spices,making it easy to tell if it is a geniunly old used spice box or just made to look like one.
No matter what style of kitchen ...if you are to store your Indian spices, a spice box looks beautiful .

... Wishing all my viewers and readers ...

A VERY HAPPY NEWYEAR

...hope this year has lots for me to share with you and for you to enjoy all that we share...