Sun-tolerant Flowering plants in North Indian summer garden, Lucknow Photo Journal
Portulaca, Zinia, Gazania, Ageratum, Globe Amaranth, Sunflower, Woodrose, Spider lily, Ball lily, Day lily, Hawain Ginger lily, Glardia, Bela (Jasmine), Sadabahar (periwinkle), Yellow Bhringaraj, and local white and pink roses that thrive by cuttings, are life-savers in my summer garden. These flowering plants keep the bees and sunbirds busy in my rooftop garden :)
Oleander, Tecoma, Bougainvillea, Kaner bushes and a Chinese orange in pots provide shade and colour. Indian sorrel growing in the shade of all the above plants in pots is my ploy against the sun drying the potted plants. Indian sorrel or Changeri gives pretty pink flowers and keeps the sun from drying out the top soil :)
I see flowering trees on the roadsides: Gulmohar, Amaltas, Jacaranda from summer to the monsoon rainy season. Spring and early summer is marked red by Tesu or Palash trees.
Portulaca
Portulaca grows from seed or cutting. I preserve at least one cutting each of every variety from the last season in a single pot and repot in spring for a gloriously colourful summer garden :)
Vinca
Usually, Sadabahar, Vinca Rosea, Lochinera Rosea, or Madagascar periwinkle, is the last plant to wilt in the summer sun. I call it the super hero in the garden!
In Ayurvedic medicine, Sadabahar is a blood purifier and is found useful to combat blood-cancer.
Glardia
Glardia is a hardy spring-summer seasonal.
Glardia
Gazania
Gazania is actually late spring.
Leopard Lily
Tecoma
Tecoma, oleander and kaner, are hardy summer blooming shrubs, and being poisonous they do not get eaten by cattle, even if planted on the roadside.
Double Oleander
Kaner
Yellow or Peet Bhringraj
A truly cooling sight in summer – a patch of never-ending Peet Bhringraj. It thrives even under shady neem trees! It has cooling and blood-purifying properties. The leaves can be ground and used as a natural hair-colour. Takes many applications to get black color. It is used copiously in Ayurvedic hair-wash and oiling regimens.
Changeri or Indian Sorrel
Changeri chutney is also cooling in summer. Follow the recipe for the usual mint chutney, substituting lemon juice or raw mango with Changeri leaves.
Woodrose
Malti
Madhu malti flowers through the summer and rainy season. A fitting reward to gardening enthusiasts. It climbs up electricity poles, rooftops, balconies and boundary walls with gay abandon.
Photo Credits: Swati Sharma