This retired music professor has a rich collection of rare summer blooms

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 17

Right from her childhood, Prof Paramjit Clair, had a passion for nurturing flowers. Her gardener had explicit instructions not to touch anything other than grass.

For the last 30 years, Professor Clair, has planted a verdant garden full of flowers, which blooms even in peak summer. There have been plants in her garden even before her marriage. Professor Clair, who taught vocal music, retired a few years ago. Her love for sound and sight of nature get reflected in her garden.

Prof Clair said, “I have been fond of flowers since my childhood. And I love planting and tending to my garden on my own rather than depending on someone. A gardener is a regular to the house, but I try to do as much as I can on my own. It gives me immense satisfaction.”

She said, “It’s in full bloom even during summer. My plants calm me and and lounging in my lawn gives me immense peace. It’s my favourite place at my house.”

A crepe myrtle (lagestroemia indica) tree greets the visitors to her home with potted flowers adding grace to greenery. Right next to the entrance is a little richly verdant garden with its fresh dew glistening in the morning light and flowers of myriad hues calming the senses.

Even during peak summer, her periwinkles, balsams, pentas, dianthus, poinsettias, cardinal creepers (ipomoea quamoclit), pansies and black eyed susans bloom in her garden. In the verandah, bougainvilleas reach out with branches abloom.

Her plants have been sourced from places as varied as Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. Flowery hedges and potted flowers form the boundaries of the garden.

Potted petunias, areca palms, periwinkles, ferns and a cluster of pentas on an ornamented white stand peek cheerily in the early light of the sun. A happy bunch of evergreens also ornament her backyard. Various ornamental palms, tulsi, monstera, purple setcreasea purpurea, bunch of ferns and zebra plants dot her backyard.

Clair quips, “Plants are a cause of immense joy. They provide me comfort through the good and bad times.”