Every dawn and dusk is suffused with a mellow fragrance as I walk through the streets of Malibu these days. Albizia lebbeck, commonly called Indian Siris is flowering profusely and it’s these trees laden with delicate yellow/cream flowers that waft their scent through the Malibu air. Every morning, hundreds of these flowers create a carpet underneath the tree. In an ideal storybook, spring is the time of flowers but our part of the world (Read Gurgaon) falls under the semi-arid and scrubland of Aravalis. Here, summer brings flowers to heat-loving species like Gulmohar, Amaltas, Jacaranda, Kullu, sacred Barna and many more Aravali specialities. While some of these like Gulmohar and Jacaranda aren’t native, they have adapted well to this region. Purple blooms of Jacaranda & orange bunches of Gulmohar present a riot of colours. Soon Golden locks of Amaltas are going to line up our parks and roadsides, looking as flamboyant as any Casanova. This flamboyance of trees not only looks very attractive but also serves a good deal of purpose by attracting various pollinating insects to them, completing the circle of life. We are blessed to be surrounded by these large flowering trees and the variety of life forms they support. This is the perfect time to look for Ladybugs in the park. These fairy-tale insects are out in full force these days and are a delight to watch. Hope more kids will watch ladybugs in parks and their gardens this summer vacation.
