Darwin's 200th birthday!

This blog is dedicated to Charles Darwin whose 200th birthday falls today. After roaming the world and observing all kinds of species, Darwin spent 20 years at his England home, thinking about and observing nature around him before coming up with the masterpiece” The Origin of the Species’.

The wonders which Darwin saw around him about the interconnectedness of species are still all around us, often right in our own little garden!

When Peas (Mattar) bloom,



and “Fenugreek (Methi) blooms,



Nature’s gardeners get to work. The butterflies and honeybees gather the honey while cross-pollinating the flowers so that we get our vegetables!



The flaming glory bower with its red bunches attract many birds, but the purple sunbird is the most frequent visitor. See him in the short video below, choosing and savouring the honey from the flowers.



The warning calls in the background are by a 'bulbul' hiding in the creeper.

Search for "Flaming glory" in the search button on top right handside of this blog and you can read about what an amazing creeper the flaming glory is, in terms of the wildlife it harbours.

'Valley of Flowers' in Gurgaon

The Japanese art form of flower arrangement was organized by the Gurgaon chapter of Ikebana International at Epicentre.




Avers Ms Indira Misra, President Gurgaon Chapter

"This Japanese art of floral arrangement is different as it follows a Buddhist philosophy. This is an art as it has a recorded history. However, with time this has also evolved and now there are three different schools, namely, Ohara, Sogetsu and Ikenobo which is the most classical style.



More than simply putting flowers in a container, Ikebana is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. Though Ikebana is a creative expression, it has certain rules governing its form.



All the elements used in construction must be organic, be they branches, leaves, grasses or flowers. The artist's intention behind each arrangement is shown through a piece's colour combinations, natural shapes, graceful lines and the usually implicit meaning of the arrangement. The container is also a key element of the composition and various styles of pottery may be used in their construction.



Writes Ekta Saxena in "Gurgaon Explorer"

"Spiritual aspect of Ikebana is considered very important to its practitioners. Silence is a must during practices of Ikebana. It is a time to appreciate things in nature that people often overlook because of their busy lives. One becomes more patient and tolerant of differences, not only in nature, but also in general. Ikebana can inspire to identify with beauty in all art forms. This is also the time when one feels closeness to nature which provides relaxation for the mind, body and soul."

For a slide show of more pictures please click HERE.