Bougainvillea
Q. Which plants are suitable for growing in the garden area outside my house in Defence, Lahore? Should I go for big trees, climbers or shrubs? Kindly give some guidelines and include local names so that I can easily find the plants in nurseries around here.
A. When it comes to planting trees, one needs to consider factors such as soil depth, garden width, proximity to roads and the presence of overhead or underground cables, water and sewage pipes. The roots of trees — the larger the tree, the deeper and wider the spread of its roots — can cause major damage to roads, pipes, and the foundations of boundary walls and buildings.
Providing that soil depth is sufficient, and if you’re looking for flowering trees, relatively small trees such as Persian lilac and Indian lilac may suit your needs. You should also be able to find a good range of evergreen trees at your local nursery.
Growing conditions for plants vary from species to species, depending on the specific needs
Shrubs may be a better bet for you than actual trees — there are so many to chose from that it is difficult to suggest species without knowing your preferences. Personally, I suggest easy-to-manage shrubs such as Hibiscus, Plumbago, Tabernamontanae, Chandni and Russelia with its stunning display of blazing vermilion, tubular flowers.
Climbers/creepers naturally require suitably strong support and, if this is available, then, yet again, there are many species to choose from with Bignonia venusta (Golden shower), Bougainvillea and Tecoma grandiflora (Trumpet vine), topping the list.
Q. Can Moringa oleifera be grown in Karachi and, if so, where can I obtain seeds?
A. Yes, it can. Seeds can be difficult to find but you may be able to get some at a Pakistan-based online retailer. However, some nurseries have, due to recent and increasing demand, started stocking Moringa oleifera saplings to cater for the winter tree planting months.
Q. I have a mature mango tree in my garden in Clifton, Karachi. It fruited well in previous years but last season it didn’t even flower. Please tell me what to do.
A. Mango trees are quite notorious for having a mind of their own and it is not unusual for mature trees to suddenly decide to take a year off from flowering or fruiting. Commercial mango growers often feed their trees, in very late winter/ early spring, with potassium nitrate to encourage flower and fruit formation. Being an organic gardener, I do not recommend chemical inputs, I would much prefer to allow the tree to bear fruit when and as it wishes but, the decision, of course, is yours.