Urban Hobby Gardener

How amazing is this concept - a house like garden in an apartment!

Gratitude to 'Gardening Australia' for covering this creative masterpiece.

Large architecturally designed native garden in an apartment | Garden Design | Gardening Australia Costa visits a stunning native garden, set above the busy streets of Sydney but designed to make you feel grounded. Subscribe 🔔 http://ab.co/GA-subscribe In...

My reflections and thoughts on International Women's Day today.



This morning I was seriously wondering - what's the point of celebrating women for 1 day, when, even in 2022, some women are being treated like second class citizens for the remaining 364 days!

There continues to be someone who gets body shamed, called fat & various names for reasons beyond their control. Someone is controlled because apparently they are "too stupid" to know how to live otherwise. Someone thinks it's OK to pay women less for the same job than their male colleagues, despite putting in the same effort & dedication. Someone continually gets judged for choosing what's right for them & pursuing their dreams. Someone is abused because they simply exsist.

All these years of education & awareness - what has really changed? Does celebrating 1 day really make a woman's life any different?

After some reflection - it dawned on me. Today, is a day for each one of us to reflect and ackowledge our achievements, even if no one else does. A day to find and voice our truth and pledge to continue to do so for the rest of the year. A day to recognise our unique super power and not forget it on the other days.

I am, you are, all of us women are special in our own unique ways. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. Keep shining! You are loved, you are here for a greater purpose.

Happy 's Day, from one woman to another. Lots of love and hugs to you all x

I also want to take this opportunity to say Happy International Women's Day to all the amazing, incredible women in my life who inspire me to reach new heights every day. I am so grateful for you

Here is an I grew from from a , and here is I did it.

1 When you cut through the apple, be sure not to cut through the seeds. It needs to remain whole & intact.

2. Once you collect the seeds, lay it on a paper towel, moisten it and stick it in the fridge for 4-6 weeks. The paper towel should remain moist (not soaking wet & neither dry) during this process. Apple seeds need a period of cold weather before it can germinate and this 'seeds in fridge' process basically mimicks that.

3. I planted these seeds in good quality seed raising mix over Spring. Being in the southern hemisphere (Australia), we are currently in Summer (climate is opposite to Northern hemisphere).

4. Choose a spot where your plant will receive atleast 6-8 hours of sunlight. But, in the peak of summer be sure to protect it from the intense hot afternoon sun, when it's young. It will also need protection from the wind when it's a young seedling. Remember to water it regularly when it's roots are getting established.

It really is as and as that to grow your own apple plant. With love and care, even experiments like these come to fruition - no pun intended ;)

The gorgeous flowers in the background is a variety called Pricilla. Like & follow on Facebook and Youtube for more tips on Gardening.

Happy gardening!
Komal at Urban Hobby Gardener

Its the first week of Spring in a locked down city of South East Australia. Meet my plant -

This red flower stalk will continue to elongate as the season progresses & rise well above it's green foilage. But overall it remains a small plant - perfect for pots or small spaces. It's also low maintenance - hardy and drought tolerant once established.

Happy Gardening!
Komal at

right now in my southern hemisphere garden.

Such a beautiful, bright yellow bloom. They flower after 120 days of growth, when temperatures plummet.

They multiply and spread through underground rhizomes and fill the garden with unparallel fragrance.

Happy Gardening!
Komal at

Plants

It's the middle of here in the southern hemisphere. The sun was out today, so it was garden time for me.

Turns out this one branch of the mop-head doesn't want to sleep. It's instead put out a teeny tiny . The rest of the plant is , as it should be at this time of the year.


It certainly brings some joy in the recent series of lockdowns we've had here in Australia.

Do you have any plants blooming out of season, in your area or in your garden?

Happy Gardening!
Komal at

How many of you have heard that July is month?

Remember soft plastics cannot be recycled and end up in landfill and in our precious oceans. Also, the plastic production process in itself produces a large .

I've listed some baby steps we could all take. You could also use it as a launch pad to re-evaluate your lifestyle & habits and who knows - perhaps it may even motivate you to strive for in the future. Not to mention, that some changes will help you too! Feel free to add to this list in the comments below.

P.S. You don't need to change your whole life overnight. Just be committed towards making small but consistent changes for sustainable success. Together, we will make it happen!

1. Buy loose produce or grow your own food, to cut out plastic packaging. Remember to compost your food scraps or add it to the green waste bin (not the red landfill bin).

2. There are plenty of options available these days like bamboo toothbrushes, toothpastes in recyclable tubes etc. Milk is also now available in glass bottles once again - so you can ditch plastic in this space too.

3. Instead of buying bread that is pre-wrapped in plastic, ask your local bakery to pack it in your re-useable bread bag. It will stay fresher for longer too, being outside of plastic.

4. Say no to plastic cutlery, plastic cups, plastic bags. Instead bring your own cup or shopping bag or use metal cutleries, which you can wash and reuse.

What more can we all do as a collective? Let me know in the comments below. Be sure to spread the .

Until next time, happy gardening my nature loving tribe.
Komal at

Pic Credit: Awareness Days.

Today, 5 June 2021, marks - a journey which began in 1972. This year's theme is .

This means this year's theme is about preventing and stopping the damage and instead focus on healing . Starting from this weekend, for the rest of the year let's focus to "Re-imagine, Re-create and Re-use".

Pictured below is my . It loves acidic soil and a semi shaded spot. Their growth spurt is typically after flowering season, so it's best to give it a feed when the last set of flowers are coming to an end.

Happy Gardening!
Komal at

We're currently in lockdown and just 2 days away from winter & those dreaded Antarctic winds.

This variety is & it's two toned colours are absolutely stunning!
Hibiscus requires a lot of water and nutrition when in bloom. The flowers generally bloom best in a temperature range of about 16C - 32C. So, if you want to enjoy these beautiful flowers when it's colder, creating a micro climate is a must.

Which hibiscus variety do you like? Would you like to know more about caring for a hibiscus plant? Let me know in the comments below.

Also pictured in the background is my winter flowering Camellia tree, evergreen Gardenia, Mint in a pot & that bare bones plant in the far right is my Hydrangea plant preparing for it's winter sleep.

Happy Gardening
Komal at

Bees are an integral part of a healthy, thriving garden. They help pollinate our plants - without which we would not have fruits or seeds. Without them we also wouldn't have any honey.

The bee population is unfortunately declining. in your garden with some of these plants. Of course there are many more plants which also invite bees, but think of this as a starter list.

Happy Gardening
Komal at

Is it a bird or a flower?

These beautiful bird shaped flowers are from the , which is also known as and (scientific name).

This plant is native to central and eastern China, growing 7m - 12m in height and about 3m wide. These flowers bloom during Spring and are regarded as a symbol of purity and beauty.

Pic Credit: Internet


Komal at