Dede Sophie

It is home to some of the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian art. UNESCO calls them masterpieces of Buddhist religious art. I am talking about the rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments called Ajanta caves that is located about 120 kms from Aurangabad city in Maharashtra. Everything about Ajanta is mesmerizing. Be its U-shaped gorge along the meandering Waghore river with its umpteen waterfalls, its sheer engineering marvel, its acoustical capabilities or its creative oomph that one can experience through paintings, sculptures and carvings, it is a treat to the eyes and an experience of a lifetime. 30 caves, the oldest about 2200 years old, portraying stunning rock architecture with expressive paintings, pictorial tales and interesting sculpting beg to be explored. This photo essay is an attempt to give you a sneak peek into its diverse beauty. However, I would recommend that you see it in person to get the true experience. Above photo: One of Ajanta’s most iconic paintings, it dep

How do you start a ‘Mother of Thousands’ baby? LOOKING FOR MOTHER OF MILLIONS AND THOUSANDS PUPS? THEN CLICK HERE TO FIND THE SPECIES AVAILABLE AT THE ‘SEEDS OF EADEN’ SEED SHOP  The ‘Mother of Thousands’ ornamental plant, as well as  the ‘Mother of Millions’, are amongst several species within the Bryophyllum (previously known as Kalanchoe) genus known for their ability to produce baby plants known as ‘Pups’ along the edge of their leaves. Although not unique, it is because of the Bryophyllum’s unusual ornamental quality that many gardeners are tempted to try and propagate these pups in order to produce new plants. So how do you start a ‘Mother of Thousands’ baby? Mother of Thousands pups growing on soil surfaceYou will be pleased to know that it is surprising simple, in fact just allowing a pup to land on some damp compost is enough for one to take root and establish itself as a mature specimen, however this can take several weeks. This process can easily be sped up with a few approp