Vriksha nursery

Vriksha nursery is a second generation nursery based in Mumbai where we strive to change the face of urban gardening in India with over 25,000 gardens executed in Maharashtra/Goa/Gujarat. We have a team of dedicated professionals who will leave no stone unturned to give you gardens of the utmost quality. Vriksha nursery has been synonymous with innovation in our field be it set landscaping(over 15000 teleserials/movies/adfilms), temporary landscapes (over 2500 exhibitions and weddings),ikebana flower arrangements, urban farming, rooftop gardens,living walls etc.
contact us :9820704069 Email: shaan_lalwani@hotmail.com
or better still
Drop by at: 1 ganga apts ,
irla railway soc(2nd last bungalow lane opp papilon hotel )
mumbai 400056.
WHY GO GREEN...WHEN NATURE HAS SO MANY COLOURS TO OFFER!

Monday, August 29, 2011

Its vegetable season all over again!!!


Container vegetable gardens are another great alternative for those that don't have access to backyards.
There can be a range of reasons to grow your vegetables in containers...easy access to the kitchen, safer environments for children and the handicapped or just lack of a yard to use for gardening.
Vegetable gardens in containers can also be extremely attractive and serve the dual purpose of style and function around your balcony .If your vegetable gardening is limited by insufficient space or an unsuitable area, consider raising fresh, nutritious, homegrown vegetables in containers. A window sill, a patio, a balcony or a doorstep will
provide sufficient space for a productive mini-garden. Problems with soilborne diseases, nematodes or poor soil conditions can be easily overcome by switching to a container garden. Ready access to containers means that pest management is easier


Crop Selection
Almost any vegetable that will grow in a typical backyard garden will also do well as a
container-grown plant. Vegetables that are ideally suited for growing in containers include
tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, green onions, beans, lettuce, squash, radishes and parsley.
Pole beans and cucumbers also do well in this type of garden, but they do require considerably more space because of their vining growth habit.
Variety selection is extremely important. Most varieties that will do well when planted in a
yard garden will also do well in containers.
Some of the vegetables which are available at the nursery and ideally suited for these mini-gardens are :

1)tomatoes: rs 15
2) chilly:rs15
3)peppers:rs15
4)cauliflower:rs15
5) Thai ginger:rs100
6)brinjal:rs15
arriving soon:
1) Brussels sprouts::rs50
2) broccoli:rs50
3)padwal:rs50
4)purple carrots:rs50
5)cherry tomatoes:rs100


Watering and feeding

Vegetables grown in containers will need some additional attention. Their root system is restricted to the pot so make sure you keep them well watered.
Containers are far more likely to dry out in hot conditions which will kill your plants or have them 'fruit' poorly.

It is also very important that a mulch is put on top of the container. This will slow evaporation and keep the surface temperature of the soil cooler. Plants like tomatoes have small, fiberous roots which will dry and die in hot soil.

Container vegetables may need some additional fertilising due to the extra watering. Nutrients will be washed away quicker in a container than in the ground. A diluted water soluble fertiliser is the best option to use regularly with vegetables.


Light
Nearly all vegetable plants will grow better in full sunlight than in shade. However,
leafy crops such as lettuce, cabbage, greens, spinach and parsley can tolerate more
shade than root crops such as radishes, beets, turnips and carrots. Fruit bearing
plants, such as cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes and eggplant need the most sun of all.
One major advantage to gardening in containers is that you can place the vegetables
in areas where they can receive the best possible growing conditions.


Drainage: No matter what kind of container you choose for your vegetable garden, it should have holes at the base or in the bottom to permit drainage of excess water.

Color Considerations: You should be careful when using dark colored containers because they absorb heat which could possibly damage the plant roots. If you do use dark colored pots, try painting them a lighter color or shading just the container, not the plants.


Size: The size of the container is important. For larger vegetables like tomatoes and eggplants, you should use a five gallon container for each plant. You can grow these plants in two gallon containers, however you need to give the plants considerably more water

Over the years iv found organic vegetable gardening extremely rewarding. Not only do I get to savor the fruits of my own labor, but I know that the food my family and I are eating is grown without pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic chemicals and less than half the market prices.

At the nursery we try to make things easy for you guys out there...any issues with your plant feel free to run them back free consultations....if your going outa town drop them by...we make sure you take them back looking happier than ever...you want a vegetable drop me a line and ill make sure i grow them for you...and even if you just wana look at them feel free to drop by ....

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The legendary urban farms of Cuba

Over the last fifteen years, Cuba has developed one of the most successful examples of urban agriculture in the world. Havana, the capital of Cuba, with a population of over two million people, has played a prominent, if not dominant role, in the evolution and revolution of this type of agriculture. The phrase “urban agriculture in Cuba” has a somewhat different meaning, simultaneously more and less restrictive than might appear at a first glance. It is more inclusive, as it allows for large expanses, urban fringes, and suburban lands.
When the Soviet Bloc collapsed in 1989, Cuba lost its food imports and agricultural inputs from which it depended for an adequate supply of food. The US Embargo also created a shortage of petrol necessary to transport the food from the rural agriculture sector to the city. This marked the beginning of serious food shortages that shook the entire country, but most of all Havana.
When these sources where cut off and food shortages began, Havana residents responded en masse, planting food crops on porches, balconies, backyards and empty city lots. The Cuban Ministry of Agriculture and Havana's city government supported this grassroots movement, jointly forming an Urban Agriculture Department in 1994. This department first focused on securing land use rights for urban gardeners and committed itself to provide land - free of charge - to all residents who wanted to grow food in the city. Today, the Ministry advice and disseminate knowledge based on the principles of organic agriculture and usually plays a pivotal role in the start-up and functioning of the popular gardens and horticulture clubs. They also operate centres, selling agricultural supplies like seeds.
Garden productivity has been achieved with minimal external inputs, applying principles of organic agriculture i.e. low cost, readily available, and environmentally sustainable. Gardeners seldom use chemical fertilizers. Instead they rely on organic fertilizers in the form of chicken or cow manure, compost from household food waste and occasionally vermiculture (the use of worms). Farmers often maximize the use of land by cultivating multilayer crops, i.e. crops in the ground, on the ground and above the ground at the same time. A popular combination includes cassava (providing shade), sweet potatoes (providing good ground cover) and beans (fixating the soil with nitrogen).
Some predicted that with the easing up of the food crisis, Cuban’s urban gardens would fade away. But just the opposite has happened. Havana’s farms and gardens are steadily increasing, both in size and number, but most importantly in quality. They have had a visible impact on the food security of the city and in improving the Cuban diet. The gardens also bring environmental benefits. Many empty lots, which earlier were informal garbage dumps, are now beautiful gardens that provide food to local communities and improve neighbourhood aesthetics and health.
With the government hell bent to make Mumbai into Shanghai , where the skylines laced with skyscrapers and every left greenspace sacrificed.We really need to look at Havana as a model city a metropolis that has effectively shown us that urban agriculture is very much a possibility.Let us pledge our balcony spaces,garden areas , terraces etc into creating urban farms that will not just help in easing up the price rise that has affected everyone.
At the nursery we have got in 4 vegetables for this season namely:
1)tomato
2)chilly
3)brinjal
4)ginger
we also have a range of herbs and spices that are for sale do drop by and have a look for your self.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Top 10 songs about nature...

Nature has always been an inspiration for art, and popular music is no different: the 10 best songs about nature come from some of rock and roll history's most enduring artists.Since artistic types tend to be more in tune with environmental issues than the population at large, it's no surprise that many environmental songs have made their way into the popular culture. Musicians have been selling green since the 1960's when the environmental movement first entered the collective consciousness -- until today, when global climate change can be found on page 1 of the news instead of page 15.
For me my music is sacred,and as Bob Seager rightly put it "today's music aint got that same soul...i like that old time rock n roll" so least assured you wont have Justin Beeber or Myley Cyrus or any of the boy bands in my list of 10 of my Favorited nature songs.Although there are hundreds of great green-centric songs to choose from, this playlist features the ten tracks that I personally feel are the best environmental songs.

`

10)"Ask Any Farmer" - John McCutcheon
This scathing tune attacks the forces of big business who move in, shutting down farms and agribusiness throughout the plains states: "Ask any farmer in Kansas ... and I guarantee you'll find that what I'm telling is true."


9)"Ode to Big Blue" - Gordon Lightfoot
This lovely tune by Gordon Lightfoot tells the legend of a great whale who lost his whole family to hunters, but died a natural death himself. It goes on to lament how the other whale species are depleting, as well: "They've been taken by the men for the money they can spend; and the killing never ends, it just goes on.


8) Waiting on the World to Change - John Mayer. One of the most popular songs by Mayer, it highlights the need for change from a younger generation and i couldn't agree with him more .im a small businessman and work hard to do what i do but over the years iv lost out several clients who have not given me the jobs cause of my age..people with no knowledge of plants no knowledge of design do work for obscene amounts of money i feel bad,annoyed but this song says it all "it's not that we don't care,
we just know that the fight ain't fair
so we keep on waiting
waiting on the world to change



7) )Mother Nature's Son" by the Beatles - It's fitting the list of 10 best songs about nature should be topped by the greatest musical act of the rock and roll era, the Beatles. Inspired by their visit to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, this song was primarily composed by Paul McCartney and is a beautiful ode to the wonders of the world.



6)Where the Green Grass Grows' by Tim McGraw: The song has been stuck in my head forever!this track Tim despises living in the city there's concrete growing in the city park
I don't know who my neighbors are
And there's bars on the corner and bars on my heart
I'm gonna live where the green grass grows



5) One Sweet World - Dave Matthew's Band. The huge band remarks on how special earth is, and even had a Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor named after this song.its a legendray song and if you haven't heard it your missing out on something "Nine planets round the sun
Only one does the sun embrace upon this watered one so much we take for granted."



4) "Big Yellow Taxi" - Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell's anthem to nature is so infectiously catchy that it's been covered by other artists over and over again: "You don't know what you've got til it's gone. They pave paradise, put up a parking lot."


3"Where do the Children Play?" - Cat Stevens
This great tune by singer/songwriter Cat Stevens poetically addresses the ever-changing world of modern technology and progress, asking: "You roll on roads over fresh green grass ... I know we've come a long way, but tell me—where do the children play?"


2)Heal the world by michel Jackson : i remembering singing this song in our school annual program way back when i was in the 3rd standard...the whole batch was made to coon this number for an auditorium full of adoring parents desperately trying to record every little movement on embarrassingly large cameras .M.Js track is a huge hit and the lyrics just hit the spot ...
Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place for
You and for me.



1)All I Can Do is Write About It by Lynyrd Skynyrd: This song is not a huge hit i discovered it on a sleepy stoney day back in hostel(it realy help me pull through the 4 years) and the band that's known for songs like "free bird" and"sweet home Alabama"has absolutely killed it with this acoustic number where they talk about how the grey of the concrete is slowly creeping and destroying the greens..they sing about the helplessness they feel and i cannot tell you how much i identify with them...i watch with sad eyes trees being cut everyday ,animals being killed,hurt and the vast mass of people who just don't care about the consequences of their actions ...'Cause I can see the concrete slowly creepin'
Lord take me and mine before that comes


Iv sat over this list for a week now adding deleting then adding again...some honorable mentions of absolutely awesome/must hear nature tunes are:Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - Marvin Gaye,Shapes Of Things - The Yardbirds ,If A Tree Falls - Bruce Cockburn,Don't Go Near The Water - Johnny Cash,Mother Earth (Natural Anthem) - Neil Young,Here Comes The Sun-Beatles,Feeling Groovy- Simon & Garfunkel,"Green River" by Creedence Clearwater Revival ,"Box of Rain" by the Grateful Dead,.
(If iv missed any please do drop me the name of the song and the artist .....)

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Lunar gardens....aromatic midnight landscaping.


Throughout history people have believed there to be a magical connection between the moon and nature.So-called "moon gardens" are landscapes so designed as to make it possible for you to enjoy them at night, even without flooding your backyard with tons of artificial light.People in Mumbai or any other metropolis round the world have schedules packed tightly like sardines...u leave early in the morning to reach home at night...There is something quite magical about plants at night. To truly appreciate it, you have to sit down and let the worries of the day fade for at least 10 minutes until your eyes adjust to the dark.The air in the city carries many a odor and is not always pleasant.moon gardens are an effective natural way to counter these smells...

Moon gardening has been passed down through many generations. All through Indian history there are vivid descriptions of vast gardens of our ruling elite.The vast mogul rose gardens,methab baugh are just some examples of moon gardens that have stood the test of time.

There are basically four categories of plants (there will be some overlap) used in moon gardens:

1)Plants with white flowers
2)Plants with bright foliage
3)Night bloomers
4)Plants with fragrant blooms.




1)Hibiscus - White Rose of Sharon:Easily grown, shrubs are usually planted in the perennial garden because of the abundance of colorful flowers. Too much or too little water or over fertilization will cause buds to drop from this plant.This var of hibiscus has a sweet soft soothing aroma which is just a treat. it also attracts birds, attracts butterflies...


2)Lemon Balm :Common name for Melissa officinalis, an aromatic, sweet herb of the Mint Family grown in the herb garden for seasoning, and also used in liqueurs and historically, as a medicine. It grows to 2 feet tall and has small 2-lipped flowers in late summer, and leaves of a decided lemon odor and flavor.



3)Rose:Indians obsession with this plant is deep seated in our history the moguls were particularly fond of these plants and our colonial rulers weren't far behind the rose gardens in almost every city of India stands proof for this obsession.roses have a distinct aroma which is loved by one n all.


4)spider lilly:Hymenocallis littoralis:is a bulbous perennial herb. It ranges in height from 60-70cm (36 inches). It requires sunlight to partial shade for proper growth and blooms from mid-summer to late autumn with white flowers. The flowers are delightfully fragrant, with up to 8 flowers blooming on each flower stalk at a time.


5)Eucalyptus: large genus of mostly very large trees, of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), native to Australia there are some dwarf var out in the market now...The eucalyptus plant provides an excellent aromatherapy product in pure essential eucalyptus oil. When you walk through the groves, the blue mist that mutes the surrounding scenery can be almost intoxicating. One can’t help but take deep breaths of its refreshing scent



6)Gardenia:Gardenia taitensis:their fragrant creamy-white flowers, tucked amid glossy evergreen foliage, make gardenia plants a popular addition in or around the home.
Gardenia flowers are 2 inches in diameter with a strong, fragrant aroma. They range from ivory to bright white and bloom all year round in the tropics.


7)Thyme:Thyme is a highly aromatic herb which grows especially well in somewhat dry, sunny conditions.Varies with variety. Thyme is generally low growing, spreading, 6 - 10" in height. Some varieties form an almost flat carpet.Thyme pretty much grows itself. In fact, the more you fuss with it, the less hardy it will be. Thyme is most fragrant and flavorful when grown in dry, lean soil. Too much moisture will rot the plants.


8)son chapha:MICHELIA CHAMPAKA:Michelia is related to Magnolias but the flowers are not as big and pretty. They are just as heavily scented though. This Michelia is used to make "Joy" perfume. Michelias grow fast to provide
shade. Trimming will be needed to keep it under control. It blooms heavy all year round you can
trim it if necessary after the flowers are gone.


9)raat rani:Cestrum nocturnum:Night-blooming cestrum, Night blooming jasmine, Rat ki rani रात की रानी (Hindi), Thabal lei (Manipuri), Hasna hana (Bengali), Raatrani रातराणी (Marathi, Konkani) ...the most famous and easily available night bloomer in india.In my opinion , Cestrum nocturnum, has the strongest fragrance out of all the fragrant plants we carry. In the evening the fragrance becomes almost intoxicating. It is a common misconception that this bush is fragrant only at night. It is true that the fragrance is stronger in the evening but you can still smell a light scent all day long.


10) Saussurea obvallata / Brahma Kamal:It is a beautiful night blooming flower named after the Hindu god Brahma. It is native to China, India and Burma. It blooms once a year at night time and has many medical uses.


11)Murraya paniculata Kamini:Kamini flowers have an aromatic orange-like fragrance. Native to India, Kamini is a large, multi-trunked shrub, but can grow to become a small tree. It can be pruned and also grown as garden hedge! The dark green leaves make a dramatic backdrop for the highly fragrant cream colored flowers. The shrub blooms most of the year. The flowers are followed by small oval red fruits with one or two seeds. The shrub is usually propagated from seed.


12)water lilly:Nymphaea sp.:Water Lily flowers are wonderfully showy and fragrant, lasting only a few days.The flowers are fragrant with a yellow center.The leaves are flat, spherical with a waxy water repellent upper side with green colour and purplish colour underneath.While water lilies appear delicate, don't let their exotic aura fool you. These flowers are as tough as they are beautiful.



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Landscaping For Small Spaces


Population of Mumbai - Mumbai is one of the most populated cities in the world. The business capital of India is home to more than 20.4 million people. Like other metros of India, the population of Mumbai has also grown rapidly in last 20 years. space has become a huge issues sprawling front yard gardens have become a thing of the past ...the only greenspaces available to us are our building compounds, terraces,window sills, balconies etc..Having a small yard area does not prevent you from having a beautiful space that you will enjoy. It does, however, require planning and a bit more ingenuity than the average garden. There are a number of options for small spaces that will help you use the size and shape as an advantage. The trick is to work with the space t.
Home and property owners want to have beautiful outdoor spaces to enjoy, but when your outdoor space is limited to a ten-by-ten foot balcony, most don't know how to combine both function and flowers in such a small space.that you have.
Here are 5 basic pointers to keep in mind while planning your small scale landscape...


1)Planing: Limited space means you are going to have to make choices. You won’t be able to grow every plant you love. You will need to curb your inclination to buy a plant on impulse and assume you’ll find a place for it.Color should also be limited, to give your small garden cohesion. Less is more. Cooler colors will make the garden appear larger. You can compensate for the limited color pallette with a variety of textureEvery plant or feature will need to serve a purpose. There is no room for wasted space or underperforming plants. Plants should offer at least two seasons of interest.s. The textural contrast will help blend the plant material and allow the garden to flow.


2)Selection-Group Plants by Their Needs I'm sure you've heard the saying "Right plant for the right spot." That's the beginning of the equation. Of course you're going to want to put sun lovers in the sun and ground covers where they can roam. But consider how efficient it would be if you put all your water hogs together.Slow release, organic fertilizers can help supplement deficient nutrients. But feeding plants with synthetic fertilizers can actually destroy the beneficial organisms and organic matter within soil and only provide a short fix. It's like turning your garden into a drug addict. It will need regular doses of fertilizer and more and more to get the same effect.

3)Purpose-
a)Growing Vegetables and Herbs in Containers-Growing vegetables is a great way to use your urban garden space. Many are compact, they can be grown in containers, you don't need a lot to yield a lot and they look as good as they taste.
b)aroma gardens in containers are both easy to maintain and a extremely pleasing to the olfactory glands...Plants are not just decorative, they can also clean and purify the air in our homes, and act as anti-pollutants. Houseplants can reduce components of indoor air pollution.Plants also reduce airborne microbes and increase humidity.

c)go wild with you garden wall gardens,hangings, inverted gardens,teraniums,mini landscapes,little waterfalls/water features...whatever you do keep sustainability in mind....going wild doesn't mean going foolish.


4)Child Labor: the grey of the concrete is fast destroying the beauty of the green kids of the city seldom play in the dirt the childhood we had dint have rubber coated astro turfed playgrounds Show your children and grandkids early in life how much fun and how exciting gardening is harvesting, learning what's a weed, collecting insects - these are all activities that will help them know more about nature and gardening. All right, maybe it won't lessen the work load, but good companionship can make it seem so.

5)The Low-Maintenance Garden-There are numerous ways to tackle the issue of cutting down work in the garden, but if you want your garden to look attractive as well as be easy to look after,All growing plants make some demands, but these demands are reduced if the right plants are chosen for the conditions.Finally, consider ways of dealing with essential garden tasks as effectively and efficiently as possible.


Small Garden Bonuses

1)Design can be easier when you can take in the whole picture at once.

2)It takes less plants to make a dramatic effect.

3)Gardeners get to know every space and plant in a small garden. Any plant that is out of place or not thriving can be spotted and corrected quickly
A small space garden lends itself to personal expression. Smaller gardens are extensions of your home and speak volumes about the sensibilities and tastes of the gardener. And if those tastes and sensibilities should change, it’s much easier to rework a small garden.

Monday, August 8, 2011

A safe walk in the park 2: plants your house pets can eat.


In one of my earlier article i wrote about plants to keep away from your dogs/cats . i felt i needed to find plants for my army of pets to go grazing in.Even though i lost one of my dogs to plant poisons iv got 3 adorable dogs a 1 cat and a nursery in my backyard...nothing makes me more happy than the 4 of them waddling away among the plants.

There are 11plants,grasses that iv identified over the years that house pets simply adore im listing a few of them ..and have also mentioned the basic care tips for the plants.


1)Catnip(Nepeta catoria):Cats go wild for catnip , rolling around on the plant and getting very playful. The plant's precise effect on cats remains a mystery, but there is no question that cats adore it.This easy-to-grow herb tolerates a wide variety of soil types, although it performs best in well-drained, sandy soil of average fertility. Choose a planting site that receives full sun for the strongest aroma from your catnip plants. The plants may tolerate light shade, but will not grow as profusely or flower as abundantly as plants grown in full sun.


2)umbrella (papyrus):The Schefflera is the "dwarf" brother to the old time umbrella plant – Schefflera actinophylla. Today, you find one variety of the large Schefflera grown called ‘Amate” however the “Dwarf Umbrella” has quite a few varieties and is easy to find at the nursery.Remember when caring for your dwarf umbrella / schefflera
-Don’t keep the plant wet
-Place the plant in as bright an area as you can
-Watch out for mites
-Don’t be afraid to prune when needed


3)catmint (Nepeta faassenii )Nepeta, or catmint, is a member of the mint family. It is an extremely easy growing plant with few pests or problems. The billowing foliage is topped with spikes of flowers in early summer with repeat blooms throughout the season.Nepeta has slightly aromatic grey-green foliage that has a delicate, lacy appearance. The flowers can be white, pink or lavender-blue, and bloom on long spikes. Nepeta has a somewhat sprawling growth habit, making it a nice plant for edges and along paths.


4)Bigonia:They like to have soil that is well-drained, so starting out by preparing your bed with peat moss and a mix of sand and soil will work well. They like to be in the sun but not too much sun.You may want to fertilize occasionally but there are no strict requirements that you do so. Any balanced fertilizer will work nicely. Once the begonias start to bloom you are in for a real treat, because they will not stop blooming until the rains...


5)Durva Cynodon dactylon :The Sanskrit word durva literally means that which is cut or eaten by the animals. It is the most sacred plant of India next to tulasi.Durva grows wild, throughout India and is commonly cultivated as lawns, for decorative purpose. It is a perennial creeping grass, rooting at every node, forming matted tufts.Durva is astringent and sweet in taste , sweet in the post digestive effect and has cold potency . It alleviates kapha and pitta dosas. It possesses light and oily attributes. It is used in skin diseases, blood disorders, thirst and burning sensation in the body


6)Fish tail fern(Cyrtomium falcatum):Many fern lovers place use ferns in the landscape to add some green while not worrying about berries other plants may produce that could potentially be harmful for local wildlife or neighborhood children. Their beauty helps make any corner of the landscape look beautiful.Most ferns don’t require lots of fertilizer or plant food, just good moisture in the soil, suitable temperatures, and enough light for photosynthesis. Keep your garden of ferns in an area close to your home or under a tree to provide plenty of moisture.


7)Jacob's ladder:Pedilanthus tithymaloides has been evaluated for use in controlling the organisms that cause malaria,1 schistosomiasis, and tuberculosis. It's been looked into as a possible renewable fuel source. Medical science is exploring it as the source of interesting anti-inflammatory drugs, or as a general antibacterial / antimicrobial.Humidity, Temperature, Grooming: All pretty much non-issues. Temperature, remember, is important because it's necessary for the pink color to show up , but they seem to be capable of tolerating temperatures down to about freezing


8)Rosemary(Rosmarinus officinalis)Rosemary is one of those wonderful herbs that makes a beautiful ornamental plant as well as a welcome culinary seasoning. Its Latin name, Rosmarinus officinalis, means "dew of the sea"The evergreen shrub originated in the Mediterranean area, but it is today cultivated almost everywhere in the world, primarily for its aromatic leaves.Rosemary needs full sun, and a sandy, well-limed soil, but it can also be wintered indoors. Rosemary generally grows best in light, well-drained, rather dry soil; rosemary is extremely susceptible to infestations of scale, mealy bugs and spider mites, and to root rot in wet soil, and these are the conditions one must be constantly aware of when one is cultivating the shrub.


9)Spider plant(Chlorophytum comosum) :Possibly the most popular of all houseplants, spider plant is a grasslike, clump forming, evergreen perennial in the lily family The Chlorophytum plant originates from South Africa .Grows in most locations though its variegation is most pronounced when the plant is near a window.If you keep your plants in proper condition, you will soon notice spider "˜babies' forming on your spider plant. These babies look like little miniature spider plants suspended from a longer branch of the plant.


10)lemon grass(Cymbopogan flexuosus):Lemongrass is native to the Philippines. It is widely used as a herb in Asian cuisine.The crop grows well in both tropical and subtropical , ideal conditions for growing lemon grass are warm and humid climate with sufficient sunshine and rainfall ,Lemon grass can grow well over medium fertile soils and moderate irrigation. Well drained sandy loam is most suitable for the growth of the plant . It can be grown on a variety of soils ranging from loam to poor laterite. Calcareous and water logged soils should be avoided as they are unsuitable for cultivation.


11)Cannabis sativa:im not going to tell you how i kow animals love this plant but they do...wild animals like elaphants,rabbits are known to graze this herb.its seed, chiefly used as caged-bird feed, is a valuable source of protein.



most of these plats are freely available at the nursery and super easy to maintain(exept begonias that easily rot during the rains in Mumbai).these are the plants that my animals love...do let me kow if ay of your furry little friends have some more exotic vegetarian tastes id love to serve it to my animals for their daily chew.