Gerbera'S star spangled cake spell!

This mysterious little flower takes hold of you by reminding you very much of a Christmas pudding, a lemon muffin, or a milkshake! It has the most amazing centre in its petals by which it captures your heart and gives the rose something to worry about. Now how can you ignore a pudding, a muffin or a delicious sugary white cake that has slunk into a garden?

Gerberas are in season now and glowing in angelic white, crafty cream, cajoling yellows and ruffian reds, with that mustard magic dot in the middle like a soap opera bindi. They cost much more than the rose - the Gerbera will pinch Rs. 90 from your pocket, for one pot, while the roses cost Rs. 20 to Rs. 50 only!

The Gerbera which comes from Asia, Africa and Madagascar is a good plant to grow outside in the garden or inside and even makes a good cut flower if you are one of those weird persons who cuts up flowers. It will present you with orange, yellow, pink, and even double coloured hearts. It needs a light, bright, warm corner with soil rich in sulphur.

This little flower that has no scent, nor  a sound,  however has the magic power to gracvcfb your attention even as you are heading towards the rose, simply because of its  exquisite central dew drop dressed up with a spangle of stars.