How to create aesthetic and recreational beauty through ornamental perennials in the gardens of Kashmir?

Explains Dr Nasir Masoodi, Associate Professor at Floriculture Department of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology

Maintaining aesthetic and recreational beauty is one of the important considerations from an ornamental gardening point of view. Mankind is bestowed with a diversity of floral wealth and humans are gifted with taste to use it for human welfare. Home gardening gives us satisfaction which is now a day’s very important consideration keeping in view the stress of day to day life. Gardening means stress management using selected floral wealth which aims to promote a healing environment, mental, physical health benefits and increase the well-being of humans. Beautification through plants gives  Cognitive, Social, Psychological and  Physical benefits. Foliage, flowering and scented plants please us at smelling and at eye point of view. In both cases, the satisfaction of mind and soul is achieved. Kashmir is adorned with unique temperate floral wealth and gardening is a passion of inhabitants. Some important floral wealth that can be utilised for our gardens which can ensure round year flowering include:

• Buddleia davidi

Remarks: Flower season: Late spring or early summer Uses: Informal hedge Soil:  Moist/wet

• Spiraea prumifolia

  Remarks: Flower season:  Spring,  Uses: Informal hedge   Soil:  Moist wet, Dry

• Buxus sempervirens

Remarks: Uses: Specimen plant, Soil:  Dry

• Campsis Grandiflora/ Campsis radicans

Remarks: Flower season: June-August, Uses: Specimen, screening, windbreak, roadsides. Soil: dry

• Cytisus scoparium

Remarks: Flower season: Summer, Uses: Ground cover, Soil:  Dry

• Saphora japonica

Remarks: Uses: Tree,  Soil:  Moist soil, well-drained and preferably full sun.

• Hedera

Remarks: Hedera nepalensis (Himalayan Ivy),Hedera helix (Common English Ivy) Hedera canarensis, Use: climber

• Clematis paniculata

Remarks: Flower season: May-August Uses: Climber

• Santolina chamaecyparissus

Remarks: Flower season: Mid Summer/Late Summer (July-August) Uses: Sub-shrub, Soil:  Dry soils, rocky places

10)

a)Cotoneaster frigidus

b)Cotoneaster bacillaris

 

Remarks: Uses: Specimen plant, Flower season: Summer  Soil:  dry

11)  Lagestrioemia indica

Remarks: Flower season: Summer, Uses: Shrub, Soil:  Dry or Moist soil.

12) Bhutan, Italian, and Monterey cypresses (C. torulosa, C. sempervirens, and C. macrocarpa)

Remarks:  Uses: Cultivated as ornamentals for their foliage and graceful look, Soil:  Dry and moist soils, cannot grow in shade.

13)  “Euonymus” includes 175 different euonymus plants, from dwarf shrubs to vines.

Remarks: Euonymus fortunei, Euonymus japonicus ‘Aureo-marginatus’,Euonymus americanus,Euonymus japonicus, Euonymus alatus ‘ etc: , Uses: Shrub, Hedge , Soil: Dry

14) Chaenomeles speciosa

Remarks: Flower season: Spring, Uses: Informal, Formal hedge, Soil:  Dry

15) Abelia grandiflora

Remarks: Flower season: Early summer to late autumn Uses: Shrub  , Soil: Moist, wet, dry

16) Forsythia intermedia

Remarks: Flower season: Spring, Uses: Hedge/shrub, Soil: dry

17) Prunus cerasoides

Remarks: Flower season: April-May, Uses: Shrub, Soil:  Dry

18) Hydrangea macrophylla

Remarks: Flower season: Initiates in summer and lasts to autumn. pH-responsive plant.

19) Cercis siliquastrum

Remarks: Flower season: blooms before leaf sprouts, Uses: shrub/shade/informal Hedge, Soil:  Dry/Wet

20) Poncirus trifoliata

Remarks: Uses: Specimen plant, Soil:  Moist/Wet

21) Lonicera japonica

Remarks: Flower season: May – June, Uses: Specimen shrub Soil: dry; Uses: Landscaping plant

22) JUNIPER

Remarks: Uses: Hedge, Group planting Soil:  Dry

23) Lavandula officinales

Remarks: Flower season: Late Spring and Early Summer. Flowering typically occurs in June or July and tends to last 3-4 weeks, Uses: Herb/Sub Shrub.

24) Rosa banksiae var. alba-plena & lutea

Remarks: Flower season: April, Uses: Shade/shelter, screening, windbreak, rockery, group planting, Soil:  dry

25) Eriobotrya japonica

Remarks: Flower season: Flower blooms in fall, flowers 2-3 times a year beginning in July.

26) Magnolia species

Remarks:  Commonly cultivated species include  M. Solaginia, M Stellata, M. Grandiflora ,M Liliflora. Flowering occurs from early spring to mid-summer.

27) Gingo biloba

Remarks: Uses: Specimen Plant, Soil:  Dry

28) Maple

Remarks: Genus has approximately 128 species commonly known as flowering maple, parlour maple, Chinese lantern or Chinese bellflower, Uses: Trees or Shrubs.

29) Nerium indica

Remarks: Flower season: spring to summer, Uses: shrub, Soil: loamy, clay well-drained Soil.:  Neutral and basic soil. Dry and moist soil.

30) Prunus persica

Remarks: Flower season: Spring, Uses: Shrub/Tree

31) Prunus cerasifera

Remarks: Commonly known as a plum tree, flowering plum, cherry plum, Uses: Shrub/ Trees, Soil:  Dry and grows well in full sun.

32) Osmanthus fragerens

Remarks: Well known as sweet Osmanthus, Sweet Olive, Tea Olive, and Fragrant Olive, Uses: Hedge, evergreen shrub or small tree, Soil: Dry and moist, well-drained soil

33) LILAC

Remarks: Flower season: Spring, Uses: Informal hedge, Soil:  Moist, Wet, Dry

34) Kerria japonica

Remarks: Flower season: Late spring-early summer, Uses: Informal hedge, Soil:  Dry

35) Rose

Remarks: Over 300 species & thousands of cultivars Flower season: Varies from specie to specie, Uses: Shrub

36) SMALL-FLOWERED TAMIRIX/FLOWERING CYPRESS

Remarks: Flower season: Late spring to early Summer, Uses: Informal Hedge, Soil:  Dry

37) Viburnum opulus

Remarks: Flower Season: Spring, Uses: Shrub, Soil:  Moist, humus-rich, moderately alkaline soil that drains well.

38) Spirea vanhuati

Remarks: Flower season: Spring, Uses: Informal hedge, Soil:  Moist wet, Dry

39) Salix babilonica

Remarks: Flower season: Catkins appear before leaves. Blooming begins in February and continues till June in colder climates  Uses: Trees, Soil:  Acidic, alkaline loamy, moist, rich, sandy, well-drained and clay soils

40) Chimonanthus praecox

Remarks: Flower season: Winter, Uses: Specimen Plant, Soil:  Dry

41) Wisteria sinensis

Remarks: Flower season: April, Uses: Shade/shelter, screening, windbreak, Soil:  Dry

42) WOOD PEONY

Remarks: Flower season: Flowers bloom longer in early spring Uses: Shrubs, Soil:  Well-drained soil, neutral to slightly alkaline

43) Taxus bacatta

Remarks: Uses: Tree, Soil: Wet And Dry Soils

 

Bulbous crops

1. Anemone coronaria

Remarks: Raised through seeds as well as bulbs. Planting is done during  Oct –Nov. Flowering is initiated in early spring.

1. Chrysanthemum morifolium

Remarks: Raised through division of suckers and cuttings. Planting is done during March-April. Flowering starts from August onwards

1. Day lily Hemerocallis fulva

Remarks: Raised through bulbs. Planting is done during  Oct –Nov. Flowering initiates from spring.

1. Freesia sp

Remarks: Raised through bulbs. Planting is done during  Oct –Nov. Flowering initiates from spring.

1. Fritillaria meleagris

Remarks: Raised through bulbs. Planting is done during  Oct –Nov. Flowering initiates from spring.

1. Hyacinthus orientalis

Remarks: Raised through bulbs. Planting is done during  Oct –Nov. Flowering initiates during early spring. 

1. Lilium sp.

Remarks: Raised through bulbs. Planting is done from March onwards, Flowering during mid-spring to late summer.

1. Muskari neglectum

Remarks: Raised through bulbs. Planting is done during  Oct –Nov. Flowering during early spring.

1. Narcissus

Remarks: Raised through bulbs. Planting is done during Oct –Nov. Flowering during early spring

1. Ranunculus sp

Remarks: Raised through bulbs. Planting is done during Oct –Nov. Flowering during early spring.

1. Kniphofia uvaria

Remarks: Raised through bulbs. Planting is done during Oct –Nov. Flowering during late spring to early fall.

1. Tulipa sp

Remarks: Raised through bulbs. Planting is done during  Oct –Nov. Flowering during early spring to late spring.

1. Paeonia suffruticosa

Remarks:  Raised through bulbs. Planting is done during  Oct –Nov. Flowering during spring.