4 Must Have Flowers as a Delhiite

Living in Delhi it is clear to most people that flora is not something native and we constantly struggle with planting more saplings as well as checking up on them time to time when it comes to those planted on road dividers, bridges, etc. People of Delhi also usually go for low maintenance plants because well, it has all the pros. Convenient, pocket friendly and pretty.

I however feel differently. How will things get interesting if we provide minimal efforts to make them so? And just for how long will your mom continue to convert empty whiskey bottles into money plants? If you too want your balcony to be a little more vibrant, a little more assorted and a little, no wait, a lot more interesting, here are four flowers that you must give a chance to plant, them being not too big of a task to maintain but also needing your love and care.

1. Bougainvillea

Delhi without the OG bougainvillea can just not be complete. Initially brought to India by the British, It is now witnessed literally all around us. You just need to take a 360 circle on your feet and I can guarantee you will see at least one bougainvillea plant. Maybe its abundance in the city is why it is taken for granted so often. (confession- I myself did not know how to spell this before today). The extreme climate situations of the city do not seem as a challenge to this vine-like shrub. They love sunlight and can grow up to 20 feet. However, care is needed during monsoon as water clogged situations are harmful, hence requires careful water care, where the gap between watering periods is dependent on complete drying of the soil. They are pretty self sustained once properly planted. This is when you have a huge garden which most people of Delhi do not. So if you want it to be kept in a small balcony, dwarf varieties are also easily available. They are super convenient to propagate. All you will need is to steel a 6 inch long stem from the bougainvillea probably grown in your colony park ;) and plant it in soil. 

2. Tropical Hibiscus 

This flower loves warm climate, yet it can withstand cold weather conditions when kept indoors and provided proper 3-4 hours of direct sunlight time to time. In extreme summers (June onwards) it is advisable to put it in partial shade. Water needs will vary season to season but again, it depends on drying of the top layer of soil. Step propagation is easy, planted directly in soil with all the conventions followed carefully. They can grow up to 15 feet but as long as you keep pruning and propagating properly, you should be able to maintain it just fine. Trust me, it a beautiful site to see them bloom. 

3. Arabian Jasmine 

We have heard just so much about jasmine haven't we? From essential oils to body products, it is known for its divine fragrance. So of course it's source flower is itself known for its soothing and calming effect. White at start and the lightest shade of pink as they age, the evergreen vine-like shrub can grow up to 10 feet in size. It has similar weather and water needs as the tropical hibiscus and requires almost no pruning. They need extensive care during winter with sufficient sunlight of 6-8 hours and otherwise to be kept indoors. Stem propagation can be taking out easily, however to maintain proper for root formation it is suggested to place the cut stem in a plastic bag for the first few weeks, as it ensures proper moisture provision. It can also be sown directly from its seeds.

 4. China Rose

Delhi is known to have a massive variety of roses. All kinds of colors and sizes of them can be seen beautifully planted in the archaeological park near Qutub Minar. Yet I know if I include roses directly here I will definitely be called basic. So I decided to keep it fancy all the while masking my love for roses. I feel out of the four flowers discussed, China Rose has to be the most flexible to conditions. Yes, it beats bougainvillea as well. For not only can it survive moderate droughts of the adverse summers, it can also survive water logging of the monsoon. It can be kept in both direct and partial sunlight, but needs minimum 6 hours of light to bloom. It grows up to 2 meters in favorable conditions. It has numerous medicinal uses. Buds improve blood circulation and other parts like leaves are used in treating arthritis, boils and coughs. 

Delhi is rarely known to have any native flora of its own, but all the plants found here are pretty well adjusted and seen since a long long time. I hope you could figure out the ultimate similarities in the maintenance and growth of these flowers. Personally speaking, it seems easy but they do need a lot of effort to be maintained. One mistake and the whole plant is gone. I remember having around 4 marigold saplings last year and I just couldn't figure out where I went wrong, where all their leaves started drying up and when they were gone :( Hence I believe if you really want to grow a plant and be good at it, you need to be careful and fully researched at all times.