It’s Tulip time in Netherlands, Cherry Blossom in Japan and Tabebuia in Bangalore 💮💮

“From the first weeks of January when the silk cottons and the tecomas and jacarandas start putting out their flowers, Bangalore can count on eight to nine months of spectacular flowers as each species does its bit, until the season ends with a finale from the yellow cassias in September.” (The City Beautiful by T.P. Issar )

Nature in the City by Harini Nagendra

It’s soon March and driving along in the city you can see the tecomas with their handsome clusters of bright yellow flowers 👉 Yellow splendour 🌳💛; the bougainvilleas in various shades of purple, red, white, yellow and orange👉City Hues 💖 the jacarandas spreading a crown of delicate violet flowers 👉 Bangalore’s Jacaranda 🪁and now it’s the turn of the tabebuias’ of Bangalore, joining the parade with their delicate pink and showy yellow flowers.

There is a confusion on the exact scientific name of the pink tabebuia (impetiginosa or rosea) but the trumpet shaped flowers give it the name the Pink Trumpet tree. There are also the yellow tabebuia (Tabebuia aurea) which lends the tree the common names such as Tree of Gold /Caribbean Trumpet tree. The tabebuia is almost leafless and only bear the pink and yellow flowers which makes the trees even more striking.

The sequential blooming of the flowering trees in Bangalore across the months was inspired by the Sanskrit poet Kalidasa’s work Ritusamhara which translates to The Pageant of the Seasons🌸and accordingly the trees were carefully chosen from all around the world and planted across the city writes Harini Nagendra in her book Nature in the City.

Ritusamhara divides the year into six seasons – Summer, Rains, Autumn, Early Winter, Winter and Spring; each season consisting of two months. Starting with Summer in April and ending with Spring in Feb and March; every season brings forth it’s unique flora and it’s fauna which are detailed in the poem.

“The poem opens with summer so as to conclude with spring. This, the commentator tells us is in pursuance of the ancient adage: One should wind up (a meal) with a sweet.”

Ritusamhara translated by R S Pandit

March is also our financial year end and the month of final exams at schools. It’s also the time to plan for the upcoming school summer holidays and a new financial year. An end and a new beginning !!

Till next post, take care !!