flowers in a shade-garden

three years ago, when i moved into a new job in a new house, i wanted to live the domestic dream to the hilt.and what better addendum to the quest for sparkling kitchens, homey living rooms and the collective dreams of earnest "homes and gardens" readers like me, than that patch of green turf with flowered shrubs, to soothe the soul and improve the eyesight on a daily basis!
this fantasy however proved harder to achieve than the average male wet-dream!i had no sun in that tiny space.i mean there was sun, that filtered in through towering coconut trees and a motley crew of desi mangoes, all belonging to jealous neighbours who refused to co-operate with my visions of floriculture. so the branches were deliberately allowed to grow longer and outlive their usefullness, till they desired to exact nature's revenge, and select the delicate blooms beneath to collapse onto!
nor did ma nature play ball.the "daabs" flung themselves with zest on my fragile gardenias and zinnias everytime there was a thunder-storm.when the fruit fall, can the shoots be left out?the branches of the coconut developed a magnetic fascination for hurling themselves on delicate hibiscus hybrids and gentle rose bushes planted with great hope.
and of course the birds were attracted less to the bees than to the tender fragrant white jasmine, yellow champak, the bengali "kamini", dolon chapa white lilies et al from the perfumed garden that never was...
naturally there were experiments galore which never worked apart from taking the measly purse.there was a whole row of lantana bushes which faded into oblivion within weeks of sowing.winter flowers mysteriously failed to take-off, inspite of scrupulous adherence to planting instructions.various strains of hill hibiscus bloomed gingerly, then decided they had had enough of this miserable world and bade goodbye.and to cap it all, a lovely blue lotus, collected from a distant nursery, opened itself up, then disappered into the twilight zone faster than the speed of light...
so i am proud to announce that weathering all the adversities, man-made, avian-pecked and non-sun-dappled, my tiny patch of green has actually flowered.if not with splashes of seasonal colour then with brilliant shades of annual hibiscus, scarlet poinsettia, desi gulab, yellow allamanda, the odd kalanchoe, bougainvillea, spider lily,even lemon grass, bamboo and some friendly kitchen herbs, capped by......hold your breath.....a sweet-smelling white champak tree.
how managed?american style i shall reveal all in my forthcoming book" how to woo flowers where the sun doesnot shine"....
WATCH THIS SPACE!