For all us avid gardeners, a trip to Green Grower in Bandra should be akin to a visit to heaven. From landscaping ideas for your balcony and garden to how to mix-n-match plants and what plants would make for a great gift, you’ll find it all.  Started in 1998 by horticulturist N.S.Rao, the facility is supported by 25-acre nursery housing over 1000 varieties of plants in Karjat.

This tea pot will make you think twice before you cast away that old ceramic tea pot next time.

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Pictures of some blooms in my balcony today:

Orange Hibiscus

Fragrant Jasmine

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Pleasant in the mornings, hot in the afternoons, showers in the evenings and cool in the nights. That’s Bangalore weather for you. During late afternoons, it gets totally dark setting the scene for a heavy downpour. And, this is when I get busy giving into a latest obsession - hand painting terracotta planters. I’ve tried on different colors on a few planters we picked on our return from the Mahabalipuram trip. It’s an understatement to say I’m having fun painting them. It’s fun mixing the colors, wiping it away when I feel the colors are either too strong or too subdued, and start redoing it from scratch. The colors look stunning in the hot summer weather. And, I’m constantly searching the web for inspiration.

Some of my latest rustic creations:

The circles are stenciled on a terracotta planter white white as base. I haven’t primed the surface and the surface is not smooth (no sanding) as I wanted it that way for outdoors.

Puzzling circles planter

Here are a few I liked at Crate and Barrel. I’m in love with colors. I think the herb designs on white planters look neat. I’ve been toying with the idea of growing parsley once again. Every single time in the past has been a disaster. It so happens that rats are fond of the green leaves and once the plant starts growing, it attracts the pests. The floral patterns, though a tried-and-tested one, never fails to charm me. When you’ve run out of ideas, you can safely go back to this one  and still feel good about it.

Floral planters

As always, I’ve saved the best for the last. This set is from Anthropologie. The colors and designs look very Indian. They remind me of mehendi and designs one often sees on handicrafts. Bright colors, cool shapes and intricate eye-catching designs definitely make them stand out from the rest.

Anthropologie planters

If you are a mother and a blogger, then the chances you’ve not heard of the talented Mad Momma are bleak; her home is a visual retreat. Pictures of her home and garden , replete with casual references to recycling and gardening tips, have been a great inspiration for me. Thanks to her, the number of potted plants in my balcony grew from one to ten within a month bringing a lot of cheer, happy memories (watering with my son daily), and greenery into our lives.

I wanted to showcase how everyday objects can be used as planters and I knew MM had creatively used a zillion such things in her backyard. She was kind enough to share pictures of six planters from her indoor garden. Most of the containers have been reused as planters as they were originally intended for something else. I present to you her best picks..

Formerly, a toffee basket

A big coffee cup with saucer

Teapot with broken lid put to good use

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Terra Cotta planters are common along the road side in most cities across India. They come in various shapes, sizes, and forms including animals and gods.

I bought a pair of planters for Rs. 80 a few months ago, filled them with potting soil, and planted ivy (money) plants. A few weeks ago, itching to do something, I turned one of the planters into a decorative vase.

Terra Cotta Planter

What you’ll need:

1. Brush

2. Acrylic Paint - black and white

3. Palette or a cup.

4.  Fevicol

5. Water

6. Varnish

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