I am re-doing some of my previous tree posts to join in the #Thursdaytreelovelinky with Parul.
If you love trees like me, maybe you would like to hop across to my posts during my days in Bangalore. I went nuts at the variety of the flowering trees that I could sight in the garden city. Plus the huge trees formed such a gorgeous canopy overhead that I could just gape in wonder.
Its said that when Kempegowda was planning the layout of Bangalore city, he devised a design whereby every month the city would change colours. This is achieved by planting the flowering trees in a specific sequence. It is a brilliant thought plan and I am astounded at his ingenuity.
Purple passions in April 2011
I had been seeing these gorgeous deep pink and purple blooms in JP Nagar on short shrub like trees. The crown of the trees is totally covered with sprays of these blooms. I looked them up to know that these are called Queen’s Crape Myrtle – Pride of India – Queen’s Flower – Banaba for Philipines – Furush in Bengali or Lagerstroemia speciosa; a species of Lagerstroemia which is native to tropical southern Asia.
The blooms
The flowers are ornamental racemes pink to purple color with wrinkled petals. Its got an oval-shaped fruit too which is split into a star shape and can be seen hanging in bunches from the trees.
This tree has medicinal properties and quite a lot of its parts – leaves, bark, etc are used to extract compounds which help alleviate health problems.
I had noticed 2-3 large trees in Jayanagar in full bloom and marked them out for a shoot. Today morning I finally found some time to head out to capture them on camera and realised that the tree is almost through with flowering. The floral sprays were heaviest on the crown of the trees and posed quite a task to shoot them.
These trees flower from March to May and were such a delightful spot of color on the streets of Bangalore.
I wandered around JP Nagar and finally hit jackpot in one of the side lanes. The trees here had blooms closer down on the trees, making it easy for me to take some shots.
I was gawked at quite a bit by passer-bys and house owners alike! Guess that early in the morning, me and my zoom lens did make for a strange sight in the streets of Bangalore!! 😉
Another great spot where 3-4 of these trees were in massive bloom was in the Brigade Millenium park. I had to beg the guard to let me enter to shoot them. God bless his kind heart! He consented for 5 minutes, ample time for me to get a shot of a tree almost fully covered in these blooms.
I think these are going to be in blooms for another week or so before they all fall off trees. I am lucky I got to capture them on camera. Wonder which is the next color that is going to sweep Bangalore after this.
Intrigued? Pin for later
Have you seen this tree near you? Wont you share a picture with me please?
Read about my visit to the Bangalore flower market one early morning here
Thanks for sharing ! On the long shot would have mistake it for Jacaranda . Or is it the same ?
Also heard that Cubbon park would be a good place to shoot these recently, Need to plan for one shoot out there !
Hey there – glad you liked the post. No this is not Jacaranda – thats a different type of flower altogether. I am not sure what flowering trees are there in Cubbon park as I am not a regular there. Try Lal Bagh – would be a better choice!! Best of luck shooting!!
Such a lovely one. I think this is the one I spotted. Beautiful and thanks for redirecting me here 🙂 happy Sunday!
I googled it when I saw it in Bangalore. Once I reutrned to Delhi, I realised this is planted in huge numbers in central Delhi – I never noticed it here as it doesnt flower like this. In fact most flowering tree in bangalore drop all the leaves and just support a glorious crown of gorgeous blooms; In delhi and elsewhere the green and flower ratio is 50:50 and so probably the trees dont look half this beautiful or noticeable!! 🙂
BTW did you know that when KempeGowda planned Bangalore, he planted trees of different colours in such a way that the city changed colours every 2-3 months? I think thats one helluva amazing planning and that too in I think 16th century or was it 8th??? My history is slightly muddled up here 🙂
Wow!! That’s so interesting. Never knew that.
I am glad you are repurposing these posts. I loved the pictures then and I love them again. Thank you tons for joining!
I am glad you are ok with the reposting. I had shot some really fabulous trees while in Bangalore. Linking up next week too.
Spectacular! I love these flowers.. This is the state flower of Maharashtra. 🙂
Thanks so much Archana. I didn’t know about that fact – thanks for sharing it.
Hey ! I thought this was a Jacaranda. I love your close up shots…. And how wonderful to be in a city where the trees bloom every month. In our Hanging Gardens the trees are planted such that there is always some tree in bloom…..
Yes thats the perfect way to plant trees in a green space; the idea is to see blooms every month. Now if only our current planners would get so savvy!! Thank you for the appreciation for the photography Sunita 🙂
We have lots of crepe myrtles here in the Southern USA–in various colors! They “stay in color” for many months here. I see them in the spring and throughout the summer. Your photos are beautiful!
Thanks so mugh Chandra- I have seen them in pink, White and mauve- would love to know and see pics of the other colors. Please do share is you happen to have some
Ohhhh, I will. I cannot figure out how to include pics in comments, but I definitely have a couple to blog. I have pics of red ones in my stash–and some deep pink ones.
Look forward to the pics!! Even I dont know how to share pics in comments; if you figure it out, please do tell me too 🙂
Deal!
Love that colour, Shalz. Thank you for sharing this beauty.
You are so welcome Corinne – thanks for dropping by 🙂