Pakistan Gardening Forum

These are pictures of Amaltas (Cassia fistula) flowering in my street. I am very impressed with this gentleman who had done a lot to upkeep the outlook of our street. Infact this is our main street and I live in the connecting street. This gentleman is a retired Army Officer (Maj Gen), a surgeon doctor, who has done lot of plantation in about 200 meters long street. Amaltas trees shown here are one of those beautification efforts. You can also see the pictures of hanging pots on side wall and cart on road side made of wood with plants. His own house is also full of plants, vines and flowers. If you have 1-2 gardening lovers in your street, i think you can consider yourself lucky..

javed sb it is not cassia fistula but any other type of cassia..if i am not wrong.

found it.. it is "Senna bicapsularis"commonly known as Christmas Senna, Winter Cassia ..so it is not cassia fistula or amaltas.

Hamad Ahmed Kisana wrote:found it.. it is "Senna bicapsularis"commonly known as Christmas Senna, Winter Cassia ..so it is not cassia fistula or amaltas.

Beautiful flowers. Amaltaas has very long pods. Hamad bhai you are lightning fast :-).

BTW I was thinking that we can also create a tentative entry once we identify/confirm a new plant in the flora database. The details can be added later. This will help us catalogue quickly. I am seeing newer and newer plants here.
This plant is an excellent example of tentative entry as a Pakistani garden plant- since the picture quality is great. What do you think?

Javed sb its in flowering in Cap city these days.Its not Cassia Fistula. Fistula is much graceful with tall tree.

Hamad Ahmed Kisana wrote:found it.. it is "Senna bicapsularis"commonly known as Christmas Senna, Winter Cassia ..so it is not cassia fistula or amaltas.

Thx Hammad ... I was considering it as Amaltas for last couple of months ...
Any comments about efforts of Gen Sb?

This tree is blooming 2nd time within two to three months..

yeah...it is your luck that you are living with people like Maj Gen sb who who not only decorate their home but also outside including streets.it is pure passion of gardening.brig arif sb is also growing plants and making a beautiful garden at thokar for enjoyment of people.indeed it is a noble cause and i appreciate this essence of gardening.if we all try to grow and save plants in our streets and outside homes then we will give a green Pakistan to our future generations.and thanks for beautiful photography.

Thank you for sharing such lovely pictures with us.

I have a dream that something like the best kept village competitions can happen in Pakistan, A best kept village is a village that has won one of the annual county competitions in the UK for its tidiness, appropriateness and typicality. The competitions have been nationally organized by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) for nearly 40 years

Competing villages fall into one of four groups:
a.Villages that have won in the past 5 years
b.Villages of a population between 500 and 3,000
c.Villages of a population up to 500
d.Villages that are new to the competition or have not entered for 10 years

A panel of anonymous judges, touring between May and June (with final judging in July and August), evaluates each village based on the following criteria:

Absence of litter and unsightly refuse dumps on verges (10 points)
Condition of village greens, playing fields, school yards, public seats, and noticeboards (10 points)
Condition of public and private buildings, gardens, and allotments (10 points)
Condition of churchyards, cemeteries, and war memorials (10 points)
Condition of public halls, sports facilities, and car parks (10 points)
Cleanliness of public toilets, bus shelters, and telephone kiosks (10 points)
State of footpaths, stiles, field gates, signposting, ponds, and streams (10 points)
Condition of commercial and business premises, including advertisements and other signs (10 points)
Initiative in the care of the environment of the village (10 points)
Evidence of community spirit and usefulness of Village Map (10 points)

The CPRE makes it clear that the competition is not about finding "the most beautiful village, nor the most ancient, nor the most picturesque, just the one that is best cared for" and "its aim is to involve everyone in the village, encouraging them to take greater pride in their surroundings." Villages are judged on how clean and well cared for they are, as well as their impact on the environment.

It would be nice to think your neiggbour could be the start of something brilliant

Regards
Ifzal

We have long way to go . We lack not only basic amenities but also civic sense as a nation.