#Sunday special

வீட்டுத் தோட்டம்

              It was in 1965 when my father was somewhere in Ladakh ,that we had the grihapraveasam of our house in Kodambakkam Pudur aka AshokNagar. Single storeyed , small house set in almost 3 grounds of land.

               When his leave was next sanctioned we were introduced to the joys of gardening. He left out a small footpath, a tennis court area and the rest of the land in front of the house was divided into 4  , one for each of us children then aged between 8 and 12. The back and sides were our mother’s domain. 

               We had keerai, avarai, beans, ladies finger etc. Healthy competition. Two coconut trees in the front. Our mother had a lot of flowering plants  December, kanakambaram , malli , one sweetest smelling rose and more varieties of vegetables .

               All this we enjoyed just for about 8 months . Then it was bye bye to Madras . 

              At Bikaner and Shillong we had the best gardens . 

             After a few more small town transfers  and more than a decade later  we returned to AshokNagar.

              Only those 2 coconut trees stand there . They are the dwarf variety . They have never yielded any nuts , say our neighbours. We have a surprise at the back of the house. 3 mango trees. We at once make proprietary claims.😁 

    

               Appa sets down to work on the garden. Men from the horticultural dept.have a decko at our coconut trees . They prescribe remedial measures. How wonderful and colourful it all looks. Again I am not to enjoy it .Within 8 months of settling here I am married off. 

               Coming on visits to my home , my parents would always be weighed down by their garden produce. 

               People walking on the street would stand to stare at the glorious colours. The industrialist down the street with his fleet of gardeners could never replicate what appa had achieved. 

            Well time goes on never waiting for anyone. With my mother and husband’s passing away. Appa goes into joint venture with a builder.

   

             Here I am again at my childhood home with my father albeit now an apartment. 

             The one condition appa had stipulated was ,that the garden or at least most parts of it not be  touched.

              Only the vilva tree remains. To make amends the builder has planted  a new garden . The almost meaningless variety. Then along the way we plant some more.

                 Anyway upto his passing , appa would get flowers , arugam pullu and vilva only from this garden.  Even this garden was attractive. People would look in and go. 

                Bananas, Seetha Palam, guavas , drumsticks and its keerai , I have had them .  For the cab drivers we are the bamboo house.  Rest under the shade of the canopy of trees. Talking , watching children play. 

 

                 Time for change again. My eldest  sister in law retires and returns home and takes on the mantel and appa’s legacy. 

               First it was manure from the corporation. Then our own compost pots. New plants. Getting work done by the watchman . 

                Me? When ever I get some cuttings or seed I pass it over to her. I have my table top  stamp size garden  on my balcony which takes up my time.😁,