Gomphrena globosa, also known as Globe Amaranth or commonly called Bachelor Button, is an annual plant widely growing in and around the gardens of Kerala’s high ranges. The compact and colourful flowers brighten the landscape and are used for fresh-cut and dried floral arrangements.
Color
Wild Periyar – Peninsular Rock Agama
Periyar is a reptile haven. One of its residents is the Peninsular Rock Agama, a medium-sized, predominantly rock dwelling lizard commonly seen at low elevations. Its colouration is cryptic, matching that of the rocks among which they live. In the breeding season the males turn black with brilliant crimson head and foreparts.
Margaret Merril (Rose)
The Margaret Merril Rose is pearly white with a delicate blush of pink and brown stamens. The delicate double cup-shaped flowers are grown world wide due to their famously strong scent. In Kerala these roses are most common in the High Ranges, seen in gardens and parks.
Pink Water Lily
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Native to India and common in Kerala, Pink Water Lily is mostly seen growing in the fresh water ponds and back waters. The round floating leaves are a perfect backdrop for fragrant flowers are fragrant that open throughout the day and close at night.
Mysore Flower Market
Photo credit: Ramesh Kidagoor
The Mysore Flower Market is the perfect place to get fresh local flowers. Its bustling pathways are filled with roses, brightly coloured marigold and highly scented jasmine. This flower market is one of the city’s main attractions.
Mysore Fruit Market
Photo credit: Ramesh Kidangoor
One of the most colorful and oldest fruit markets in India, Mysore Fruit Market is famous for the freshness and purity of the produce available here. Just off the city’s main thoroughfare, this market is used by the locals daily. Continue reading
Mysore City Market
Photo credit: Ramesh Kidangoor
With more than 100 years of history, Mysore city market is well knitted in the heritage of Mysore, which is the imperial city of Royal Palaces. This market is a good sample of a traditional Indian market; colourful, noisy and vibrant. Continue reading
Euphorbia
Native to Central Europe, Euphoria are now widely growing in the High ranges of Kerala.Their highly unusual, sculptural structure makes these plants look somehow rather bizarre. In Kerala these plants are grown as ornamentals in home and public gardens.
One Day in Jaipur, Rajasthan
Now that I’m back at Cornell, crunching numbers once again for my Finance classes, I have to look back on my trip to Jaipur, Rajasthan to remember that freedom that I already miss. For everybody who misses traveling, here is something to keep you happy.
Cheers!
Guinea Balsam
Guinea Balsam is a beautiful flower which was introduced from New Guinea. Also known as Impatiens,it is bushy, soft wooded-plant widely growing in Kerala especially in the hill stations. Balsam’s wide range of colors from red, purple, orange, white, and violet make a popular ornamental in many gardens.
Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower)
Native to Mexico and Central America, Tithonia flowers are commonly found in the High Ranges of Kerala as an ornamental flower. The range of colors of these flowers comprises a fiery orange, yellow, and strong red. The flowers are used for floral decorations and are a real magnet for butterflies and other pollinators.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea is a popular ornamental plant native to southeast Asia. These large flowers are common in and around Kerala especially in the high ranges. The color of Hydrangea flowers vary from white, blue, red, pink and light purple. Continue reading
Indian Shot (Canna indica)
Canna indica are popular ornamental flowers found in the high ranges of Kerala. The flowers bloom through out the year and in a range of different colors such as red, yellow and orange. Continue reading
Jamanthi Flowers
Jamanthi Flowers are native to Southern India and grow widely in and around Kerala. These flowers are found in different colors such as yellow, white, cream and pale red. Jamanthi flowers blooms throughout the year and in Kerala these flowers are popular in all types of gardens. An additional attraction is that the chemical content of this flower is used as a mosquito repellent. Continue reading
Marigold (Calendula)
Marigold is a tropical plant found widely throughout south India. The beautiful flowers are mainly cultivated for commercial purpose as temples offerings. It comes in different colors, yellow and orange being the most common. This flowers has a strong pungent odor that is not only used in cosmetics and herbal medicines but in gardening as a natural pest deterrent.
Dahlia
The dahlia is a tropical plant widely cultivated in the Western Ghats of India. In Kerala, as in locations around the world, the plant is popular for its beautiful flowers. This decorative flower is found in gardens and farms of the high ranges, creating a kaleidoscope of colours, sizes and shapes.
Top 3 Words to Avoid When Talking Shop with Architects
We are working in Cochin and sometimes I feel like I am speaking two different languages. I’m not talking about struggling with mixing English and Malayalam. I’m not talking about scratching my head each time I encounter an Indian head shake/nod (“Wait- was that a yes or a no?”). I’m talking about the client’s language vs. the architect’s language.
This internship really is a “living laboratory.” I am getting a chance to sit on the client side and discuss ideas with the architects that will push Raxa Collective’s vision forward. Crist and Amie have worked with the design team side by side on each project and I am starting to understand how they think, how to make sure my drawings, renderings, and presentations can be clearer, and more. Sitting in on these design meetings in which the architect and clients discuss, propose, discuss, present, discuss, discuss, and discuss some more, I realize…
It’s like talking shop at an auto repair.
5 Lenses For Every Vacation
Hey guys,
All of us photobugs and travel-junkies have struggled with the age-old question: which lens should I bring on my River Escapes backwaters adventure or my Roman holiday or my trip to the moon?
As a casual photographer, I’m not crazy about specs. I don’t get the numbers and technical terms! JUST TELL IT TO ME STRAIGHT! I know there are people out there who are like me, so Ben, Milo, and I will make it as easy as possible to understand which lens YOU need to bring on your next vacation! We’d also love to know what YOU brought on your last vacation!
See which of description fits you best:
- I’m out to shoot wildlife. Tell me what I need to know.
- I love architecture and the built world. What should I bring with me?
- I’m a tourist who’s going to stick out like a sore thumb, but I really want to capture candid portraits of interesting people– help!
- I’m going to a naturey place filled with dust/humidity/dirt/whatever and I don’t want to constantly change my lens. What’s the best daily walk-around lens?
- I’m going on a service trip and I’ll be working on a construction site. How do I make it look epic?
Here’s what we’ll be introducing from our private collections today:
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM with 2x extender
- Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8
- Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
- Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
ALRIGHT, I’M READY!! NOW SHOW ME THE 5 LENSES I SHOULD BRING ON MY NEXT VACATION!!!
Colorful Wonderland: Fort Cochin, Kerala
Five hours away from Thekkady is a colorful land of ornate architectures and a hometown of many fishermen that represent the historical harbor city, Fort Cochin, Kerala. The narrow and winding streets are filled with houses and churches that clearly showe their Dutch, Portuguese, or British influence from the colonial time. As I carelessly stroll down the streets only with my camera and some rupees (Indian currency) in my purse, I didn’t mind the stares from the local village people, nor the heat and humidity that made me drench in my own sweat; but, my mind got carried away seeking the remains of what time had left us.
Blue door and window with a wagon
Cherry Blossoms in Spring
Cherry Blossoms in Macon
One-hundred years ago, the First Lady of the United States of America, Helen Taft,
and the Japanese ambassador’s wife, Viscountess Chinda, planted two Japanese cherry trees in Washington, D.C. The annual commemoration of this act of good will would come to be known as the “National Cherry Blossom Festival.” In this festival, droves of Americans flock to see the riotously beautiful pink and white blossoms of the Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry trees. Officially, the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. serves to reaffirm the commitment to enduring friendship between United States and Japan: Continue reading
Organikos 