Gardening in Chennai

SAHM

Is there anyone out there who gardens in Chennai, or who would know local plants? Or anyone who knows of a resource for finding out more information about local plants?

Thanks,

SAHM

Nick-H

We have a gardener, and he lives out your way too.

Downside is he and his family speak only Telegu. My wife just manages to get by in Tamil and her smattering of Telegu.

Can get the number off her if you wish: happy to pass it on.

Mrs N is the gardener here; I even turned my little patch of East London into a jungle .

I do know that we planted a whole heap of stuff that likes very dry conditions, and since mid-june the garden has been soggy, and many of them died .

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SAHM

Thanks Nick. My garden has been dying rapidly....everything except the grass. My gardener (who really does not deserve that term, he is more of a weeder) says it is the "season". Hmmmm. Everything died the same week that we had a big fish kill right on our slab of beach. I'm a little worried.

I'm also trying to identify some of the plants in my garden but don't have a good source. I am finding very little in print on south Indian gardens, and even less on the internet. I have a feeling that I am looking in the wrong places?

SAHM

Nick-H

Even though it is a long way away, the thread about Aishah's garden, if you cab find it (I'll look and come back with the link) might be useful, as I recognise quite a few of the plants she is growing.

It does sound weird, though, that so much should die.

Actually, I have no idea, really, about out gardener --- even if it wasn't for the language barrier I'd probably leave it to Mrs N.

I do know he is a busy man, with plenty of work, which might be recommendation (I don't even know if he'll fit anyone else in! Mrs N sorted out some school stuff for his daughter, so he fits us in). I can ask my wife to ask if you want: PM me if you do.

We get someone to tidy up, sweep the leaves, etc every day: he just looks after planting new stuff, trimming pruning, ie the real gardening.

Its interesting: what a lot of these people do is to be employed to look after an undeveloped plot. They live on it, keep it tidy and secure, and have a small house there. Of course, the downside is that the day the guy wants to build on his plot they have to look for a new home, but some of these 'investment' plots can stay undeveloped for years.

tripcat

Landmark (a bookstore chain in Chennai) sells a book called "some common trees of Chennai". The book sale on the Government museum grounds in Egmore also has a book on Indian herbs.