*“In the spring, a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love”
Alfred Lord Tennyson

*“Nothing is so beautiful as Spring when weeds in wheels shoot long and lovely and lush...”
Gerald Manley Hopkins

*From you have I been absent in the spring...
William Shakespeare

*Sound the Flute! Now it's mute...
‘Spring’ by William Blake

Paint the meadows with delight

A wonderful thing to try this spring is to have a little flower garden of your own

When daisies pied, and violets blue,
And lady-smocks all silver-white,
And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue
Do paint the meadows with delight.
William Shakespeare

This spring, try something the season is best known for and as the lines suggest — grow some plants! Starting a garden or just sowing a few seeds to liven up your home is a unique experience and frankly speaking, not that easy either! But during spring, one needn't worry, because the season favours the growth of plants.

What can one plant this month and the next? Anything! That's the best part — one can plant any plant and watch it thrive! Here are a few suggestions to help you get started. Most of these plants can be grown in small urban living spaces.

Geraniums are beautiful flowers in bright shades, red and pink being the most popular. Truly a lovely spring option, these plants grow well during this season. Another lovely option, especially in Bangalore is Verbena. Also a flowering plant, Verbena hardly needs any care and one can sometimes spot it growing even on sidewalks of some residential areas! With small flowers in pink, purple, white, red and much more, this will definitely add a dash of colour to any home garden. Roses can also be grown this season. For an easier option, try table roses which are easier to grow. For something different, try miniature roses or a white rose vine if you have the space. For someone who isn't a beginner or, of course, is willing to learn, this is a great time for cuttings. Hibiscus and Bougainvillea are good choices for this and can be found easily.
Another exotic and beautiful plant for this season is the Lily. Amaryllis (Amaryllis Belladonna) adds an exotic touch to the garden.

Thunder lilies, as they are commonly known, have the most appropriate name — these are small plants that are the size of medium-sized grass and are a popular feature in many home gardens. The minute one hears thunder in the sky, these lilies bloom, heralding the next season. All the plants mentioned can easily be found in any nursery. Most of these also do not require much space and can be grown in pots or small gardens. Nurseries can help you purchase pots, soil and manure. Remember to water your plants regularly because spring in India isn't as pleasant as it sounds in poems and can be quite hot. Water them even once the showers start, as such showers are irregular till the monsoons and plants may dry up.

B V Prathyusha

Clean the clutter

The sun is out, the world’s looking bright and clean and there’s a sense of renewal in the air. Birds are chirping, tiny flowers have sprung (yes, even in our much-polluted cities...you will notice them if you care to look), and there is a sense of hope in the air. Inspiration enough to do a spot of spring cleaning! There is really no better time than now to get rid of those musty cartons, full of clothes that you will never wear, half-torn shoes, plastic bottles that you might (might not) use one day, polythene covers that have been lying in that utility cupboard from your grandmother’s time, your rat-nibbled high school uniform belt...am sure you get the idea!

Spring cleaning need not be a chore at all. It is a great physical activity and if you are with a partner, it is a delightful way to get some work done and indulge in some romance as well! Put on some favourite music, wear your most-worn clothes and get cracking!

Cleaning up the space you live is also, in a sense, getting rid of all the negative energy that might have accumulated over the years. And there is a method to this madness. First of all , make detailed lists of what needs to be cleaned in the house. In each room, breakdown the individual items that need overhauling. For instance, there may be years and years of dust collected in the crevices of that ornate bedside table; or your dressing table might need a thorough spruce-up. In places such as the kitchen, always do a double check for items that you may miss at first glance. 

For instance, the exhaust fan might be choking with dust or the water filter candles may need to be replaced...

Remember to share the responsibility of cleaning. The more number of people in your family, the better it is, as long as everybody knows what they are doing! While spring cleaning, do take care to get rid of wardrobe clutter. Wash and pack away all winter clothes. Donate or throw away those really ancient shirts, sarees and salwar kameez that are hidden, right at the back. And make space for a brand new spring/summer wardrobe. (Isn’t this the nicest excuse to get new clothes!)

Look completely anew

Spring clothing is all about enjoying airy, bright, breezy clothes that give you the feeling of                    freshness and vigour. No wrapping up in staid shawls and jackets and no dull colours!
Flowers are blossoming everywhere and nothing can be    more appropriate than a flowery summer dress this season.

Keep the hemlines uneven and the dress waist high to give an impression of playfulness. Peasant blouses with long crushed cotton skirts or a paisley printed top with dark blue denims...that’s spring dressing up for you! For men, nothing is better than a crisp white tee or shirt with cornflower-blue jeans. This is also the season to bring out those lime-yellows, mint-greens and  pretty-purples. Also, try mix n’ match and go sporty.


... and turn over a new leaf

Spring cleaning need not necessarily just mean giving your surroundings a good shake-up — you can spring clean your body and mind as well! Imagine how you will feel if your house is in complete order and your work life in a complete mess! Or you are feeling sluggish (because of lack of exercise and overeating perhaps!) when the sun is shining, So rev up that inner engine and start an exercise programme. Even a 20-minute walk in the morning, when the world is still dewy, will do a lot to cleanse the system. Eat balanced meals and avoid alcohol and red meat in this season as the summer heat and heavy food is a combination best left untried. Go for green, leafy salads, sprouts, raw vegetables (but make sure you wash them thoroughly) and fresh fruits.

Take a good hard look at your career. Is your career stuck in a limbo? Are you feeling work-fatigue? If so, time to update that resume, clear the inbox of all that junk and start thinking positively about what your life goals are and how you are going to achieve them. Here again, like in spring cleaning, making detailed lists of what you want from life, where your career is heading, where you want it to go etc, will work wonders.

Let spring be your excuse to spring into action!

Rashmi Vasudeva