India is full of colors. The clothes are bright with bold patterns, the trucks that transport goods all across the country are painted in vibrant shades of orange, yellow, and green, even the food has mesmerizing shades of mustard yellows and burnt sienna reds.
However, there is not a man-made product that can compete with colors I saw in nature. Here are a sampling of some of the beautiful flowers that I saw on my trip:
Marigolds are everywhere. They are grown in the fields of the orchards, in front of peoples homes, and they grow wild along river banks and roadsides. Orange is cheerful and all over India.
Marigolds are used to make necklaces similar to the leis made in Hawaii. These necklaces are dried and hung above the entrance to Hindu temples. People also place the necklaces on personal Hindu shrines in their homes.
Marigolds also make excellent plants for attracting pollinating insects.
These small yellow marigolds are native to the Himalayas, and are some of the only plants that flower in the autumn. Farmers like to plant these marigolds in their orchard fields because they attract lots of bees.
Dalia flowers also grow on the hillsides.
They are used with burning incense at Hindu temples.
Field samples that our research team collected for botanists to review and identify:
Roses are also excellent flowers for attracting pollinating insects.
Small wild flowers are dotted across the orchard floor:
These wild inpatients were a hit with the bumble bees.
A Himalayan Boutonniere!
Paper and wood flowers from the local street fair in Kullu City.
