Voters Choice Art Competitions - by Rizwana A Mundewadi

Voters choice art competitions have been going on on many social networking sites,
as many artists join with hope to be seen along the crowd of thousands of artists who comes out as top, as i get many requests for 'liking' , which i know is harmless, asking for votes, does this make your art better than others if you get many votes, is the hit like button more important to bring value to your art?
 with opportunities to participate in any competitions, as we all know any exposure for our art is good, artist must be open minded while participating and be happy with the exposure for their artworks, than just racing to win!
Showdown at Saatchi Online I am thankful to the gallery for exhibiting my artwork, it is better to understand the principle of life,  because this is a long journey, one win not enough,  again the next day will bring another competition, one 'SOLD' not enough, again the next day will be the same, continue making art the journey of the red pilgrim continues...might as well enjoy the journey, so as the ones who have reached say, journey is better than the destination,
i agree.
I wish to make simple colorful understandable art, art that heals.
www.razarts.com

Euphorbia milli Crown of Thorns Thailand Good Luck Plant

Euphorbia milli crown of thorns flowering cactus Original photo by rizwana A

This beautiful flowering cactus colors the winter climate with lovely peach colored blooms. The crown of thorns as it is called it does have huge sharp thorns all over the stem.  This Crown of thorns, Euphorbia milli  is also famous as the good luck plant in Thailand and is considered very auspicious to have one in the garden.

Good luck plant Thailand Picture by Rizwana A

thorns on Flowering Cactus plant

 Easy growing cactus, does not require much care and tolerates full indirect sunlight.Great plant for its colorful all year round blooms , except for the huge sharp thorns! plant away from traffic areas, and take care with pets and small children. Flowers grow as bunches of buds on stems with fresh thick rubbery leaves. The plant grows tall with stems like sticks having thorns with a bunch of green and flowers on the top, hence the name crown of thorns.

Buds on cactus plant Image rizwana

close up of thorns on Crown of Thorns Plant Photo Rizwana

Thank you for coming by Garden Care Simplified! like, comment, share!
All the Best from Rizwana!
Healthy big sized rose flowering tips
Love bird Budgies complete care practical guidelines
8 important tips for water fountains as bird baths
Beautiful rose garden Ooty with orignal photos
How to store curry leaves for long time

Choose Right Garden Accessories Play Ground Equipment

Garden Accessories and Equipment

Whenever we visit a garden the first thing children notice are swings see saw and slides! elders search for good seating chairs whereas youngsters love the nature walks surrounded by colorful flowers and greenery. For all those who have big gardens choosing the right garden furniture and play ground equipment becomes a difficult task.
If you want to install childrens play area swings slides see saws go in for good material and design. The one that may bear the nature , sunlight , rains, daily watering and still go on for years. As we know garden equipment and accessories children playground does not come cheap it is better to select with care the equipment to be installed in the garden.
considering the material used, metal is best and sturdy and also when repainted lasts for many years and even life long. people also go in for plastic coated equipment for gardens as this is cheaper and does not require much care, but the plastic does wear out after few years due to daily sun exposure.
Consider the total size of your garden before buying any garden accessory or play ground equipment for children. Their age is the most important factor as over sized play equipment,e.g big slide will be of no use for a kindergarten child for some years.
Blend the children s play equipment with the natural garden landscape so that this does not interfere with nature walks.
The childrens playground equipment must be safe and accident proof as much as is possible. Where there are slides and swings a loose patch of soil is made so that even if someone falls they would not get hurt. Plants, stone artefacts, fish ponds, water fountains must be away from small childrens play ground equipment so that they can play without and danger of falling accidentaly in water.
Boundaries and safety grills are a must for every garden as even though the childrens play equipment may be safe but children tend to move away very fast while playing and safety of the whole garden by wireless safety alarms and border grills is a must to install.
Thank You!
www.razarts.com

How to Store Curry Leaves Video on You Tube

How to Store Curry Leaves Video on You Tube, www.razarts.com   Thank You!

Canna Big Red Flowering Plant Care and Tips for Flowering in Canna

Bright Red Colorful Canna Flower

 Bright Vermillon red, cheerful and full of energy, that is just what the garden requires in these chilled winters. Rhizomes and bulbs are enjoying the cool low temperatures and blooming one after the other. The canna plant a very easy growing flowering plant with big colorful blooms has been with us for many many years. The plant takes care of itself except for watering and few feedings.

Close Up of Canna Plant Leaf

Canna plants have long elongated leaves of dark green colour and they are available in many colors. Red. yellow, orange, pink, peach and even many attractive shaded varieties. Till date we have two beautiful ones, the vermillon red, very bright and the yellow with orange and red dots another unique one. Following feng shui tips you may plant these red flowering plants in the south section of your garden, as in feng shui masters believe anything red brings fame and recognition luck.  Which brings us to an important aspect of reality, as I mention feng shui tips you may grow your plants in any direction as long as they are comfortable and growing healthy  as in many cases growing white flowering plants in north where they do not receive any sunlight may be more harmful to the plant and they may wilt and wither, leave aside bringing any luck! so also in case you d not have a south window people plant flowering plants in the south section of their home, indoors and they do not grow, as we know flowering plants need some sunlight even partial for flowering.
The canna plant spreads its own small rhizomes along side of the mother plant and thus you may plant these babies in separate containers for many new canna plants. The plant grows side ways as one flowering stem matures and gives blooms this as it fades and withers gradually and the other plant comes out from base on side of this one. cannas are very good for growing in garden borders and centers for colorful focal point in garden landscapes.

Buds on Red Color Flowering  Canna Plant

 Care and Tips for flowering in Canna Plants- The plants grown in smaller containers will give you more blooms. Yes like all bulb and rhizome plants even canna plants love to be root bound. Observe the size of the rhizome bulb, Allow only some more space outside, maybe five to eight inches more than the size of the rhizome, if you wish to see plenty of blooms. This is a very important flowering tip as many people plant this Cannas in very large pots and the plant grows like wild with plenty of green shoots but no blooms, the whole energy of the canna plant goes in maintaining the green leaves..

Red Cannas In Full Bloom

Fresh Dew drops on Red Color Canna Plant

 Feeding the plant before winter sets in will give you healthy blooms all throughout winter. in fact this canna plants flower all year round. but it is advisable to allow the plants some rest otherwise you may get weak small blooms. Resting means the plant is stagnant and quiet for some months with no leaves or tiny leaves, and this each individual plant will take for itself.

Close Up of Canna  Flower Bud

Canna plants are very good for all plant lovers and very easy growing with little care. The most important is that the plants do not die without water, as the  water and energy is stored in the rhizome,  and can take care of themselves even when left for a fortnight without water. Canna plants, very good flowering plant for people who are always on the go and want to have a touch of nature.

The canna plant flowers in bunches and each stem has four to seven blooms. The beautiful flowers have come up in a few of my paintings too. www.razarts.com 
Thank You!

 Like , share,  comment, for the love of Gardening!

All the Best from Rizwana!

Read more on-

Blooming Orange Amaryllis tips

 Adenium Obesum Tips

The Plant of Prosperity

Rains and Beautiful Amaryllis

How to paint your own Christmas Trees

How to recycle wood and make amazing show pieces

Add this to your plants for big Flowers, it works!

Kevda Flowering Plant Information Required

Kevda plants are very famous since ages and the fragrance of flowers is out of this world. As with kewra essence used in many food dishes, we know kevda is a household name. Kewra flowers are very fragrant and with this hope have planted the kevda plant in container in our garden. More than six years have passed and the plant has grown well but there are no blooms.

Huge Kevda Plant

I have read that kevda plants do not bloom in containers, or they bloom after many many years.Seen in  housing complexes landscapes where the kevda plant has grown majestically huge nearly three four to five feet tall. Wonder when the flowering stem comes up.

Is there any special fertilizer required for kewda to bloom, must find out. Usually the people growing kewra plants grown specially for the fragrance and essence may have the answer. The kewra fields where plants grows in abundance, maybe requires less water or more. Our kewra plant has grown well with good growth from central leaves. the kewra plant grows in spiral direction. A small hope that one day a tall stem will come up with the flowering bud! The kevda plant has spread many tiny babies surrounding the mother plant and the centre plant has grown huge leaves. The new plants as is growing tall has roots coming out from the base connecting to the soil. I have read that the kevda plant grows very tall in wild, usually where the soil is damp and moist with water source below.

Myna White Pigeon Eating

 The white pigeon still frequent visitor for feeding, the mynas, the sparrows, the crows and pigeons even the falcon, but our pet parakeet is still missing.

Many Buds on the Brahma kamal Plant

The Brahma kamal Obsession still continues, our Brahma kamal plants are growing like wild with huge tentacle like leaves, saw this great Brahma kamal plant in a housing complex home where they have had nearly twenty blooms loaded on the Brahma kamla four times in a year! what luck!

Hungry Falcon bird

 The hungry falcon a regular visitor of our garden did something different, took a trip indoors, as other birds feed on human food left overs the eagle, falcon, hawks do not eat this and go hungry many times as it is not easy to catch a flying prey bird, will have to keep watch on our love bird pets, he is after them!

Large Kevda Plant

Pet parakket still missing

 Those who have caught her, a free bird, since the past month, attracting bad karma, why, even though she frequently visited many homes,  two and half years is quite a long time for a bird to live with us, free, at her own will, there is a uneasy stillness in our complex, where once was cheer and good energy from the sound of the happy parakeet.

White Pigeon a Frequent visitor pet

Coming back to kewra plant,,,The kevda plants looks very good in containers with spiral arrangement and also grows without much care. In case you are not bothered about blooms, this is the best easy growing plant with dark green leaves.
The leaves of kevda are also fragrant. The edges of the kevda leaf are spiky and rough in touch, for which care has to be taken to grow them away from eye level, and also while trimming protect hands from the spiky edges of elongated leaves. The kevda plant with  is always ever green with leaves and also takes care of itself with few watering, a good plant for people with a green thumb!
some information on kevda plant flowering is welcome!
Thank you!
www.razarts.com

Garden Maintenance Contract Versus Own Gardening

Garden maintenance is a thing which every gardener swears with, as we need to be on our toes every time the weather changes, sometimes when we cannot look, the garden falls into a sleep mode! With chilly winters  we see lots of dried leaves, spiders and dry soil even after watering. Some times during special cases, working people, office gardens, large property gardens, villas and backyards,  garden maintenance is required to keep your garden always welcoming with colorful blooms. hence came about hiring professionals  on need basis or yearly contract of garden maintenance.
Garden maintenance have a team of professionals who specialize in cleaning your garden, trimming or mowing your lawn, planting fresh plants according to the seasonal blooms, and of course taking care of the landscaped garden as a whole to keep it inviting and always welcoming.usually big office structures having huge landscaped gardens need professional help for garden maintenance.Big villas and bungalows may also need help as it is not possible for individual members to take care of large gardens. The physical work and energy required is so much that it has been scientifically proved that if you wish to lose weight do gardening!
As for personal gardens, a front garden, a backyard vegetable garden, a window garden, or a terrace garden I think personal touch is great.
A garden is an extension of your personality and indicates the choice of plants by the owner of the house and living members. When we see a garden it not only shares the owners thoughts and hobbies but also their taste of choice of plants and arrangement. each garden is totally different for another. You get to see unique gardens where there is color, texture, design, novelty and exclusivity. Some gardeners select rare plants and specialize in caring for them, some have colorful flowering plants , a riot of colors whereas some have soothing peaceful zen gardens with few plants and rocks. It is not that working people do not have healthy gardens, its just a matter of priority and love for plants. With decorative indoor plants to flowering blooming fragrant plants the personal garden can have any individualistic style without any rules.
Even in offices and large societies plant lovers do give their personal touch by planting few plants of their choice, though the contract of yearly maintenance is going on. There are many easy available garden care professionals who take care of your garden with a reasonable fees. They do the regular toiling and let you enjoy the garden always in good condition. Dry plants are replaced with healthy ones, grass is trimmed, plants are trimmed, fertilizer added at regular intervals  its just like eating in a restaurant, everything is there just not mummy touch! opinions do differ as people feel there are more better things than gardening.
People also hire a group of care takers who can daily clean the yard,(for all those who have a garden know about this tedious task) they sometimes even hire help to plant new trees and bushes as with digging of soil and adding fertilizers regularly.
With the new trend today people having personal gardens allow ready planted pots placed in gardens. personal touch is missing as money cannot buy the happiness got by looking, observing experiencing the growth of a plant from a baby to a mature flowering and fruiting tree. Its just a matter of choice if you wish to  handle soil, experience the connection with earth, dig into the soil and plant hope, prosperity and happiness.
personal gardening benefits and hazards, immense satisfaction, achievement, love, caring, and happiness with each bloom, on the down side have been bitten by mosquitoes, spiders and flies, and hate the fungus, pests  on plants!
For large homes, bungalows, villas, office buildings, housing complexes gardens it is better to hire professionals and work with them to make your dream garden. Yearly garden maintenance services is beneficial as you save lots of money, an the garden maintenance fees is negotiable, compared to hiring the professional for single cleaning of your garden each time. And of course the commitment of keeping your garden always welcoming falls upon them, and whenever you visit the place it is always with fresh look relaxing and inviting.
It is better to find out the reputation of the garden maintenance contractors before hiring them as some just sign the contract and then after one visit the guys are no where to be seen!

The wall of your dressing table, display healing art

Oil paintings healing sacred art can enliven a dull corner of your dressing room. the area near your dressing table where you need the most positive energy to begin a great day, your dressing table area, is very important to see how your day goes off.
Feng shui energy can be added to the dressing room area by hanging healing art and getting the daily dose of positivity while dressing and make up. Not only will the clean contemporary mirror reflect your body and dress so also will the healing art hanging on the back will send out positive vibes to enrich your aura.You will feel a surge of happy energy that increases confidence and brings out the best in you for any presentations, interviews, family gatherings or just your 'present' day!
Dressing area with full size mirrors will need large sized healing paintings colorful healing art will bring warmth and positivity into your dressing area and you may choose from healing colors that suit your nature and personal preference.A good luck  feng shui painting will attract more happiness, wealth and prosperity into your lives.Whereas a pink color painting will attract more love into your life as you begin the day.So also viewing a energy painting will increase confidence and get you ready for the day!
I wish to make simple colorful understandable symbolic art, art that heals.
www.razarts.com

Thank You!

The wall of your dressing table, display healing art

Wall of your Dressing table and the area near the dressing table is a very important place where you begin to get dressed  for your day. Displaying art will uplift the environment and your mood and give you a positive dose of fresh energy while preparing you for the day and at the end of the day soothe you to relax and re-energise.

Vase of Contentment, oil on oil sketch paper by Rizwana A.Mundewadi

Oil paintings healing sacred art can enliven a dull corner of your dressing room. the area near your dressing table where you need the most positive energy to begin a great day, your dressing table area, is very important to see how your day goes off.
Feng shui energy can be added to the dressing room area by hanging healing art and getting the daily dose of positivity while dressing and make up. Not only will the clean contemporary mirror reflect your body and dress so also will the healing art hanging on the back will send out positive vibes to enrich your aura.You will feel a surge of happy energy that increases confidence and brings out the best in you for any presentations, interviews, family gatherings or just your 'present' day!
Dressing area with full size mirrors will need large sized healing paintings colorful healing art will bring warmth and positivity into your dressing area and you may choose from healing colors that suit your nature and personal preference.A good luck  feng shui painting will attract more happiness, wealth and prosperity into your lives.Whereas a pink color painting will attract more love into your life as you begin the day.So also viewing a energy painting will increase confidence and get you ready for the day!
I wish to make simple colorful understandable symbolic art, art that heals.
for buying a healing painting or getting  made customized according to size and budget please visit my healing art website , 
www.razarts.com
Thank You!
razarts@yahoo.co.in

Love Birds Pets Behaviour Guide Bathing Feeding Travelling Sleeping Budgie Care

Budgies love birds colorful pets and very sweet tiny birds which are born and born in artificial  incubators and very graceful and intelligent behaviour anyone would fall in love with them. People breed love birds for their beautiful colors. They are very attractive and if you have the time and space in your life they are a very good choice as pets. As you give so shall you receive and it feels so nice when i am working and suddenly I look they are looking  at me comforting staring, sitting close to me!which not only brings a smile on my face but also as we converse they reciprocate, of course that only I understand!.

As pets they are the most intelligent birds , small in size and also less noisy as compared to any other bird. They are a very good choice when you are searching for good pets that require very less space and costs of maintenance.

Intelligent Love Bird Pets

understanding and caring for pets , love bird form a very good companions pets, and when trained they speak and mumble our words. Our pet imitates the sounds of other birds from outside and also can whistle like our pet parakeet. When they sit on our finger the tiny nails can be felt. And the small beak though very small is sharp!



Behaviour of love birds- The couple are of two different nature, just like male and female of our species! She loves to explore the whole house and is very very busy with cleaning up the home, throwing everything out of the home and egg case.As she loves salty biscuits and nibbles them in powder form within minutes the male budgie love bird loves only leafy vegetables. From corriander to spinnach to methi fenugreek and leaves of orange, chickoo , rose plants, they love to eat different variety of leaves. people also give budgies fresh fruits, trying out any new food care has to be taken to gradually introduce the food, as they are afraid of any new thing in their home.

Conversations Gossips Love Birds

 Budgies need to be kept clean by bathing them as requirement once a week or twice a week depending upon the external climatic conditions. In cold seasons avoid very cold showers and also hang them in places where they do not receive harsh cold winter winds directly in their face. Their home needs to be cleaned regularly , everyday to avoid dirt and insects and infections. Some people do keep newspaper lined below for easy cleaning but the whole day these birds will nibble on paper and also may eat it, which is not good for their health. The other birds visiting us like the mynas, pigeons, sparrows and parrots are only guests and these love birds imitate them especially sparrows.

Sparrow at the Window

Male Love Bird

 There are times when the gossiping conversations continue as they talk to each other. Looks so cool when the male hangs near the egg case and converses with the female. The babble and soft tones indicate that the conversation is private and as we go closer they stop. The female love bird is very very intelligent and also looks so. She has laid eggs every few months and till now the eggs have been unfertilized and we did not have any new members.

Conversing Love Bird

Sleepy Loving Couple Love Birds

 Sleeping habits love birds- they do rest just like us and after sunset we have to cover them with soft cloth for them to get good  night rest. In urban life as we are all awake till late so are the pet love birds and the male starts shouting loudly and mumbling with television sounds at night or when we switch on the lights and we all switch off the lights. The budgies need good night sleep and they wake up fresh otherwise they suffer from poor health and weakness and this shows in their day sleepyness.

After Bath Love Birds

Cooked  Rice, grainy in texture can also be given along with dried cereals. They also love to nibble on toast and baked products but care has to be taken that the food does not have too much fat and oil. They also do not love spicy food or chillie foods as they are very small and this will create more harm. Ready pellets from the bird homes is very good but insufficient in nutrients and you must add fresh food daily. replace food after few hours to avoid getting spoiled, especially when you are giving cooked food. Do watch out for their pellets with fingers as there may be only husk remaining in their food container and love birds may go hungry.

Curious Boki Love Bird

 Feeding tips for love birds-when introducing new food do take acre never to force any food to your love bird. Gradually let them be comfortable with your hand and you, as you are so big compared to their small size. Once comfortable they learn to trust you and also feed from our hands. fresh water is very important as they may have bird droppings and go dirty.Drinking dirty water may lead to infection in your pet.

Love Bird eggs

 Laying eggs in love birds- as they are staying with us we need to provide nesting material like news paper cotton and dried leaves. Our pet does not like any more materials and she cleans the nest again and again, with only few paper pieces along with her precious eggs. She is very possessive and as we go close she will immediately run to her nest to protect her babies.Eggs are laid every alternate day till a clutch of seven. She may sit on the first day or second day and just comes out for feeding or the mate will provide with food and water.
Diseases in love birds- They are birds and may be infested with mites when not kept clean.If birds are screaming and scratchy all over and irritable these are signs of disease. try to give them bath with warm water adding few drops of lime. When love bird sits below the cage sign of weakness so hand feed the bird what ever it can take, with special care till recovery. When the female has egg binding ,that is the egg is stuck up she will be impatient and flutter her feathers again and again, provide extra calcium while laying eggs, in form of calcium crystals, fish cuttle bone for her to nibble. This calcium requirement is for all female birds breeding season.
Sometimes in big groups it is very sad that all birds get infected an die.So if you have many birds it is advisable to bring out the sick bird and take care seperately.

Birdie on the Curtain Rod

Importance of Time Out- any bird pet needs time out. You may leave your pet out inside your home by closing all windows and doors and also keeping harmful objects and furniture away so that they enjoy the ride out. they are small so avoid long distance flying as they bang into something and fall and may get hurt. Giving this time out helps them to open their wings and use them frequently , good for their health.Our pets are so comfortable inside that we have to force them for the time out!
Home of Love Birds- care has to be taken to bring in required materials like natural branches and perches for them to relax. A swing, must for sleeping and the rest is all upto you. May have a slide and toys that they can shred keeping in mind healthy eco friendly toys. They also can have soft toys, cloth cradle where they can snuggle up during chilly nights. Budgies love to climb and lots of ladders and natural wood branches will keep them healthy. The home for love birds must be comfortable for them to fly within.
Traveling tips for love birds- travelling to other places is very important as the birds have to adjust to different climates and atmospheric changes. While driving keep the windows closed as they may accidently fly away and get lost in this big world. This may lead to sever trauma and also death of your loved pet.Take care to have a breathing comfortable bag where their home can be placed for travelling. tie all loose toys, swings, cradles and branches , perches as while travelling they may hurt the love birds.
Love birds are very cute pets and most of all they need love care attention, especially many birds die not of want of food and water but of want of love and attention!Do not let your pet get bored, keep them busy and they form great companions!
For Feng shui heaven luck symbolic bird paintings please visit my website www.razarts.com. Thank You!