Monsoon-Ready Blooms: Nine Flower Seeds to Sow for a Rainy Season Blossom
The monsoon season, beginning in July or the last week of June, is an excellent time to nurture a garden in the Indian subcontinent. With the right selection of flowers and plants, you can create a vibrant and resilient oasis that thrives in the heavy rainfall, humidity, and warm temperatures typical of the monsoon season.
One such flower well-suited for a monsoon garden is the Kash flower (*Mollugo cerviana* or related species). Blooming specifically during the monsoon season (July to September), it thrives in wetlands, grasslands, and riverbanks, making it ideal for monsoon gardens exposed to heavy rains.
Another noteworthy addition is the Sita Ashoka tree (*Saraca asoca*), which produces beautiful blooms and matures over several years. It's best planted during the monsoon when soil moisture aids root establishment.
The Gandhraj flower (*Gardenia jasminoides*; also called Cape Jasmine or Anant) is a fragrant flowering plant that grows well in tropical monsoon climates. It flowers from January to October, including the monsoon months, and is easy to care for, growing actively throughout the year and propagated from stem cuttings.
The Stinking Cassia (Senna species) is a hardy plant commonly seen during monsoon along roadsides and commons in India, making it a good addition to monsoon gardens.
For those seeking a tropical monsoon-adapted palm, the Ghost Palm of Bengal (Corypha taliera) is a suitable choice, although it requires more specialized seed preparation and immediate planting due to short viability.
In addition to these, Marigolds, Gomphrena, Dianthus, Calendula, Cockscomb, Petunias, and Cosmos are also excellent choices for a monsoon garden.
Marigolds, for instance, are easy to grow and do not require fertilizers; they thrive in sunshine and need moderate watering. Gomphrena prefers full and direct sunlight and medium watering, and its soil can be enriched with organic fertilizers. Dianthus is an annual or perennial plant that can grow from 6 inches to 18 inches tall and thrives with 6 hours of sunlight.
Calendula, also known as poet's marigold, has flowers that do not require a specific kind of soil and love basking in a lot of sun. These flowers come in yellow and orange colors and are edible, making them a beautiful ingredient for summer salads.
Cockscomb thrives in full sun and moist soil that drains quickly. It boasts clustered blooms in red, yellow, orange, gold, and pink, and attracts butterflies.
Petunias are popular annual flowers with an extensive library of flowering hybrids, numbering almost 400 varieties. They are suitable for various spaces and have different colors, sizes, patterns, and growth habits.
Cosmos are fast-growing annual flowers with a daisy-like flowerhead and an airy opening. They are perfect for large country gardens and have spiky yellow bulbs with variants of petal colors, including pink, yellow, and orange.
Vinca, also known as Periwinkle plant, is known for its glossy and waxy broadleaf foliage and exquisite flowers that come in pink, white, and red.
By carefully choosing these flowers and plants, you can create a beautiful and thriving monsoon garden that adds a splash of colour and life to your outdoor spaces. Happy gardening!
- The Kash flower, blooming from July to September, thrives in wetlands, riverbanks, and grasslands during the monsoon season, making it ideal for a terrace garden exposed to heavy rains.
- The Sita Ashoka tree, with beautiful blooms, matures over several years and benefits from planting in the monsoon, when the soil's moisture aids root establishment.
- The Gandhraj flower, or Cape Jasmine, grows well in tropical monsoon climates and is easy to care for, similar to a lifestyle in a home-and-garden setting.
- Stinking Cassia, common in Indian monsoons, is a hardy plant that adds vibrancy along roadsides and commons, making it a good addition to monsoon balcony gardens or nurseries.
- For an outdoor garden, the Ghost Palm of Bengal is a suitable choice, although careful seed preparation and prompt planting are required due to its short viability.
- Marigolds, Gomphrena, Dianthus, Calendula, Cockscomb, Petunias, and Cosmos are excellent indoor and outdoor plants for a monsoon garden, adding a spectrum of colors and decor.
- Marigolds, for instance, are easy to grow and require minimal chemical fertilizers, making them an eco-friendly choice for the indoor-loving gardener.
- Petunias, with various colors, sizes, patterns, and growth habits, are suitable for various spaces, bringing a touch of the garden lifestyle to both outdoor balconies and indoor pots.
