The green of my hand

I have a green hand. No, not thumb, a whole hand.
I pride myself on the fact that most (please remember this operative word) of the plants i've planted have either blossomed into whole mini- trees (as much as they could grow on a three-feet wide pinch of a balcony) or spread out their leafy branches all across the eleven- feet- wide side.
I like my moneyplant. It has been grown in two cracked pots (the moneyplant cracked the pot, I didn't), a discarded cane pot and even an Art d'Inox wine cooler (well people, those were the days when both of us were off drinking and it seemed like such a waste- that nice container with the rippled body going to waste- so in went some dark earth, a fistful of pesticide and fertiliser and a sprig of moneyplant- I must say, it caught on real fast in it's new home)- and the latest- two tequila shot glasses, which were using up some space in the glasses drawer- I simply put in a coupla white pebbles (have a whole stash of them from Langkawi)- and a tiny sprig of moneyplant- and viola! he took root beautifully in both if them!
Now I'm not a connoiseur of plants. I mean, I can identify popular varieties but I have some five different types of crotons in my balcony- garden and I wouldn't know which one is which. I also have a beautiful flowering hibiscus who has been with me for six years now and she never fails to bear those bright red flowers with their tongues out, cheekily mocking me, twice a year!
Then of course, there's the venerated tulsi plant. I must say, I've had my fair share of ups and downs in my life, and I remember the ups coinciding with her being there and the downs when she wasn't. No wonder she's looked upon with so much religious belief!
Then there's this really special creeper which my mother brought all the way from our house in Lucknow- she may not bear flowers all through the year like in Lucknow (I think she never really took to the plateauing weather of Mumbai) but she's there- a reminder of my most cherished childhood memories.
Then of course, the majestic palm- without which no garden would ever be complete. I have three of them- two in oriental pots and one in a normal brown one and I always think that the normal one mocks his oriental cousins for being more down to earth!
When I'm lonely, I talk to my plants (this confession may mean the loss of a few good readers of my blog but trust me, I'm not mad!)- and I find it therapeutic.
The most loyal audience one could ever find- my bamboos- growing on the window sill of my kitchen in their transparent homes- are subject to many a diatribe towards work or silent grumbles!
And they never make me feel alone. The green bamboo plant in one corner of the living room is reassuring in his presence and I never feel lost if alone.
Here's to my green friends and the company they bring in my life!