It’s not quite flower season yet here in Dehradun (that’s January and February), but the wonderful thing about this city is that there are flowers literally, year round.

Especially if you have a gardener like Ramesh Rawat. Ramesh is a genius.His father was our gardener when we first moved here and Ramesh has inherited the family green thumb. He is also a master of surprise and understands the psychology of gardens better than anyone I know.

For example, he loves to change things around so that we notice them. One day I walk by the little pump-house and there is a green and yellow plant in front of it. The next day, the plant has disappeared and there are three pots of bright red geraniums. The geraniums had always been there, but in another part of the garden where they weren’t, in Ramesh’s view,  getting enough attention.

Another day, I found this offering of marigolds in front of the beautiful Madonna who lives on our verandah.The Madonna, by the way, was sculpted by Latika Roy and is one of our prized possessions (I keep offering to return it to Dunu, but he says he likes to see it here).

The garden is such a wonderful place at any time of year. Though I haven’t yet become one of the legion of women (including my Mom) who find solace and comfort in actually digging and planting and tending the earth, I expect to join them one day when I have a little more time on my hands. I found this quote on a greeting card once: “When the world wearies, and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden.”