Green Thumb
Flowering and Ornamental Trees for Home Garden!
BY Arun Pratap Singh
Trees have been growing on this planet for the last 50 million years. They provide us fruit, shelter, shade, fuel wood, and timber wood for making furniture, ships, paper, and many other innumerable products. In addition, they also give us great joy with their beauty, fragrance and flowers. Rainy season is ideal for planting most evergreen trees, though many of them can also be planted in early part of spring (Mid February in Doon, and First week of April in the hills. Deciduous trees are best planted in while in dormant stage during the winter months.
With the gardening space getting smaller and smaller particularly in the cities, it is getting uncommon to plant a large number of trees in home gardens. However, many gardens still have enough space to accommodate some trees. Small trees are now more in fashion as compared to much larger trees that formed the focal points in the gardens in earlier days. It was also common to have a combination of shade trees, fruit trees and flowering trees in most gardens of India. But now, planting shorter flowering trees and some dwarf fruit trees has become the norm.
There are a large number of trees that can be planted in home gardens or farm houses here in Uttarakhand. To make a proper selection of suitable trees, some things need to be considered. It is important to remember how big is the garden, what is the purpose of selecting any tree, where is it to be planted in the garden.
Planting the Trees
Preparation of Ground: Trees are perennial plants and will live for many years. It is therefore best to prepare the soil and the ground as well as possible. As per the landscape plan, pits should be dug up to 2 x 2 x 2 ft size. For smaller trees and shrubs, the pits can be smaller. The soil should be well mixed with 10 to 15 kg of cattle dung manure, 50 gm of Sterilised Bone Meal, one kg of Neem Cake and 10 gm of some soil insecticide like Fenvalerate or Chlorpyriphos dust to check the attack of termites. This dusting must be immediately followed by watering to settle down the soil. If the soil does not have good drainage, then it is important to improve the soil by adding bulky organic matter and large amount of coarse sand after digging the entire soil up to a depth of four to six ft. This is not an easy thing. After this, the planting can be done in the centre of the pit. Spacing should be done as per the size of tree to be planted. For example, a small flowering tree like Delonix Regia (Gulmohar) would need a spacing of 8 to 10 ft between each tree per row, Jacaranda will require about 12 ft to 15 ft. of spacing between each tree..
SELECTION OF TREES
The selection of trees would depend upon many factors which have to be taken into account when selecting the trees.
Purpose of Growing: We must know if we want our tree to be a specimen, or provide us shade. Is it is going to be ornamental foliage or a flowering one? We must know if we want them for our avenues or for screening purposes.
Specimen Trees: Such trees are planted singly for their attractive shape and beautiful foliage or for drooping branches which reflect humility. Some suitable trees are Araucaria cookie, Callistemon lanceolatus (Bottle Brush), Magnolia grandiflora (Champa), Plumeria alba (Pagoda Tree or Firangipani), Cassia fistula (Amaltas), Cassia nodosa (Pink Cassia), Delonix regia (GulMohar), Erythrina indica (Parrot Tree) and Salix babylonica (Weeping Willow).
Shady trees: Such trees have mostly a round canopy of umbrella crown. Their leaves are normally large and dense so that no or little sun is allowed underneath them. They are planted with an aim to provide shade in a particular part of the garden. Common trees grown for this purpose in Uttarakhand are, Ficus beghalensis (Banyan tree not suitable for hills), Ficus Infectoria (Pilkhan), Ficus Benjamina, Mangifera indica (Mango- Not suitable for the hills), Jackfruit, Melia azedarach (Persian Lilac), Milletia ovalifolia (Rosewood), Pongamia pinnata (Karanj), Mimuspos elengi (Maulsari), and Azadirachta indica (Neem - not suitable for the Hills)
Flowering Trees: These trees produce colourful flowers and are planted for their beautiful flowers. One can choose as per one's choice. Since different trees may flower at different times, it may be wise to choose such trees that some of the other tree is always in bloom at any time of the year. Some common flowering trees grown in Uttarakhand are Bauhunia spp. (White or pink flowers during Spring when leafless-Deciduous), Callistemon (Bottle Brush- flowering from all the year except in winter), Cassia fistula (Amaltas-deciduous flowers from April to August), Cassia nodosa (Pink Cassia- flowers April to August), Jacaranda acutifolia (Deciduous tree flowers from March to June and in the hills from April to July), Erythrina blackii & Erythrina cristagalli- (Deciduous tree-red flowers March to May), Plumeria alba, Plumeria acutifolia, Butea monosperma (Dhak), Thespesia populnea (Round the year), Lagerstroemia speciosa (Jarul or Bigger Sawani- flowers during the rainy season) Tecoma gaudichaudi (Yellow flowers from May to September), Tecoma Stans (Yellow flowers all through the year), Magnolia Grandiflora, Magnolia Solungiana (Beautiful Pink Flowers during spring months highly suitable for the Hills as well as Doon Valley) and Delonix regia (Gulmohar- flowers march to June but susceptible to frost in colder regions of the state).
Trees for Screening: Tall upright trees can be planted very close to each other to give an ultimate look of curtain or screen. Such trees are planted to hide some objects or boundaries. Some suitable trees are Grevillea robusta (Silver Oak), Eucalyptus sp., Poplar sp. and Polyathia longifolia (Ashok). They are more suitable for a large home garden or farm houses. However it is quite common to see Polyathia trees in Doon even in smaller home gardens.
For Fragrance: For this purpose, trees like Pterospermum acerifolium (Kanak Champa), Plumeria alba (Pagoda Tree), Magnolia grandiflora (Bari Champa), Michelia Champaka, (Swarna Champa), Mismuspos elengi (Molsari) and Millingtonia hortensis (Akash Neem) are suitable.
Trees for the hills: Although most of the trees mentioned before are suitable, but some like Delonix regia, Ficus Benghalensis, Ficus infectora (Pilkhan), Mismuspos elengi (Molsari) and Mechelia champaka are not very suitable. Some other trees like Junipererous communis, Malus (Crab Apple), Willow, Cedar, Maple (Acer japonicum), Gingko Biloba, Myrtus communis ( Myrtle), Cypress and Rhododendron are very suitable and should be grown.
Fruit trees: Mango, Sapota, Jackfruit and Guava are not suitable for the hills. Other like Apple, Walnut, Pear, and apricot are not suitable for the plains.
Most of the deciduous trees for the hills should be planted in winter months when dormant. In the hills it is better to plant evergreen trees in spring as compared to the Monsoon.
Flowering and Ornamental Trees for Home Garden!
BY Arun Pratap Singh
Trees have been growing on this planet for the last 50 million years. They provide us fruit, shelter, shade, fuel wood, and timber wood for making furniture, ships, paper, and many other innumerable products. In addition, they also give us great joy with their beauty, fragrance and flowers. Rainy season is ideal for planting most evergreen trees, though many of them can also be planted in early part of spring (Mid February in Doon, and First week of April in the hills. Deciduous trees are best planted in while in dormant stage during the winter months.
With the gardening space getting smaller and smaller particularly in the cities, it is getting uncommon to plant a large number of trees in home gardens. However, many gardens still have enough space to accommodate some trees. Small trees are now more in fashion as compared to much larger trees that formed the focal points in the gardens in earlier days. It was also common to have a combination of shade trees, fruit trees and flowering trees in most gardens of India. But now, planting shorter flowering trees and some dwarf fruit trees has become the norm.
There are a large number of trees that can be planted in home gardens or farm houses here in Uttarakhand. To make a proper selection of suitable trees, some things need to be considered. It is important to remember how big is the garden, what is the purpose of selecting any tree, where is it to be planted in the garden.
Planting the Trees
Preparation of Ground: Trees are perennial plants and will live for many years. It is therefore best to prepare the soil and the ground as well as possible. As per the landscape plan, pits should be dug up to 2 x 2 x 2 ft size. For smaller trees and shrubs, the pits can be smaller. The soil should be well mixed with 10 to 15 kg of cattle dung manure, 50 gm of Sterilised Bone Meal, one kg of Neem Cake and 10 gm of some soil insecticide like Fenvalerate or Chlorpyriphos dust to check the attack of termites. This dusting must be immediately followed by watering to settle down the soil. If the soil does not have good drainage, then it is important to improve the soil by adding bulky organic matter and large amount of coarse sand after digging the entire soil up to a depth of four to six ft. This is not an easy thing. After this, the planting can be done in the centre of the pit. Spacing should be done as per the size of tree to be planted. For example, a small flowering tree like Delonix Regia (Gulmohar) would need a spacing of 8 to 10 ft between each tree per row, Jacaranda will require about 12 ft to 15 ft. of spacing between each tree..
SELECTION OF TREES
The selection of trees would depend upon many factors which have to be taken into account when selecting the trees.
Purpose of Growing: We must know if we want our tree to be a specimen, or provide us shade. Is it is going to be ornamental foliage or a flowering one? We must know if we want them for our avenues or for screening purposes.
Specimen Trees: Such trees are planted singly for their attractive shape and beautiful foliage or for drooping branches which reflect humility. Some suitable trees are Araucaria cookie, Callistemon lanceolatus (Bottle Brush), Magnolia grandiflora (Champa), Plumeria alba (Pagoda Tree or Firangipani), Cassia fistula (Amaltas), Cassia nodosa (Pink Cassia), Delonix regia (GulMohar), Erythrina indica (Parrot Tree) and Salix babylonica (Weeping Willow).
Shady trees: Such trees have mostly a round canopy of umbrella crown. Their leaves are normally large and dense so that no or little sun is allowed underneath them. They are planted with an aim to provide shade in a particular part of the garden. Common trees grown for this purpose in Uttarakhand are, Ficus beghalensis (Banyan tree not suitable for hills), Ficus Infectoria (Pilkhan), Ficus Benjamina, Mangifera indica (Mango- Not suitable for the hills), Jackfruit, Melia azedarach (Persian Lilac), Milletia ovalifolia (Rosewood), Pongamia pinnata (Karanj), Mimuspos elengi (Maulsari), and Azadirachta indica (Neem - not suitable for the Hills)
Flowering Trees: These trees produce colourful flowers and are planted for their beautiful flowers. One can choose as per one's choice. Since different trees may flower at different times, it may be wise to choose such trees that some of the other tree is always in bloom at any time of the year. Some common flowering trees grown in Uttarakhand are Bauhunia spp. (White or pink flowers during Spring when leafless-Deciduous), Callistemon (Bottle Brush- flowering from all the year except in winter), Cassia fistula (Amaltas-deciduous flowers from April to August), Cassia nodosa (Pink Cassia- flowers April to August), Jacaranda acutifolia (Deciduous tree flowers from March to June and in the hills from April to July), Erythrina blackii & Erythrina cristagalli- (Deciduous tree-red flowers March to May), Plumeria alba, Plumeria acutifolia, Butea monosperma (Dhak), Thespesia populnea (Round the year), Lagerstroemia speciosa (Jarul or Bigger Sawani- flowers during the rainy season) Tecoma gaudichaudi (Yellow flowers from May to September), Tecoma Stans (Yellow flowers all through the year), Magnolia Grandiflora, Magnolia Solungiana (Beautiful Pink Flowers during spring months highly suitable for the Hills as well as Doon Valley) and Delonix regia (Gulmohar- flowers march to June but susceptible to frost in colder regions of the state).
Trees for Screening: Tall upright trees can be planted very close to each other to give an ultimate look of curtain or screen. Such trees are planted to hide some objects or boundaries. Some suitable trees are Grevillea robusta (Silver Oak), Eucalyptus sp., Poplar sp. and Polyathia longifolia (Ashok). They are more suitable for a large home garden or farm houses. However it is quite common to see Polyathia trees in Doon even in smaller home gardens.
For Fragrance: For this purpose, trees like Pterospermum acerifolium (Kanak Champa), Plumeria alba (Pagoda Tree), Magnolia grandiflora (Bari Champa), Michelia Champaka, (Swarna Champa), Mismuspos elengi (Molsari) and Millingtonia hortensis (Akash Neem) are suitable.
Trees for the hills: Although most of the trees mentioned before are suitable, but some like Delonix regia, Ficus Benghalensis, Ficus infectora (Pilkhan), Mismuspos elengi (Molsari) and Mechelia champaka are not very suitable. Some other trees like Junipererous communis, Malus (Crab Apple), Willow, Cedar, Maple (Acer japonicum), Gingko Biloba, Myrtus communis ( Myrtle), Cypress and Rhododendron are very suitable and should be grown.
Fruit trees: Mango, Sapota, Jackfruit and Guava are not suitable for the hills. Other like Apple, Walnut, Pear, and apricot are not suitable for the plains.
Most of the deciduous trees for the hills should be planted in winter months when dormant. In the hills it is better to plant evergreen trees in spring as compared to the Monsoon.
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