Oh...For want of a Garden...

We went visiting a gentleman in his house, a large spacious bunglow with sand to get messy in space in the front and more options in terms of leaves for plucking and scattering a lovely garden on the side .
I saw the kids go beserk running all over the place- the gates were shut and the kids watched over by the vigilant(?) watchman.
Wistfully I remembered the luxury of garden space we had at the same age till we left our hometown. We never imagined living in a home without a garden space where in we could play all games from hide n seek to mock racing to catch-catch to sophisticated once like badminton. To make mud houses with - well mud and decorate them with leaves and flowers. To make tiny wells with mud and fill them up with water. To feed the ants living in random anthills and to imagine what exciting life they would e leading underground.
To plant our own methi, cucumber, mint, mustard, corianders and watch them grow, dilligently watering them. To spread a mat out in the sun during winters and study/ read or eat oranges most often. To maniacally watch over the flowers and dare anyone pluck them (boo to that friend who simply plucked off our rose saying- "I love roses"- so do I- doesn't mean I go around plucking them off other's bushes)
Part of the reason why we took a ground floor home was that it came with a tiny patch garden in the front and the back. My own patch of earth wherein I could nurture plants, flowers, maybe a pomegranate. A place where we could romantically put 2 chairs and have our coffee- except that we do not drink coffee and that we live in separate time zones.
Where my kids could play in the mud and water my plants. The reason why we insisted that any place we take should have a complex with open space was so that we could take a walk and the kids could gather and play with the other kids. The reason why we didn't buy the 8th floor spacious flat we were renting because it did not have the coveted space for kids to run around/ cycle/ play.

While my garden today is in shambles, the lawn grass has died, the kids are plucking out the leaves randomly from my precious little pots, the lilies do bloom once in a while. While the pomegranates and pumpkins and papayas have been cut down, the sole moneyplant braves it out alone at the back garden.

The kids use this garden for their pool, to get wet in the rain or get hose-piped by the gardener.

They spend their mornings there, with their toys, washing their tiny cars, gathering sand, lining pots with pebbles and then promptly cleaning up the mess.

We place a beanbag right next to the open garden door letting a light breeze in, and they sleep on it peacefully even if the power goes off.

I have dreams to convert this patch into a lovely garden and after my 40 point plan, I think it is about time that I start working on it.

Note- This post was written a month ago when I visited a gentleman whose book I had edited. I had placed it in draft for adding a few pics and then got totally floored after reading Mad Momma's post on her garden. I have been inspired to get to work immediately on this and am hoping to start when my Mom comes over- blame it on my limited gardening skills, patience and perseverence.