The mondo at Iraivan Temple does well in some areas, but suffers in others- ChatGPT portrays the volunteers at work in April
- Kadavul’s thriving patch, planted in 1975
- Up close.
- A good shot of the issues around Iraivan
- A ficus bonsai that charms visitors
- This one is Ficus microcarpa with its thick, oval leaves and glossy surface
As the third photo in today’s gallery shows, the mondo grass around Kadavul Temple is lush and happy, a sea of green that waves in the wind and gives a nurturing feeling which, importantly, is virtually maintenance-free. When we planted mondo (which is actually a Japanese lily) around Iraivan Temple, this was our vision. But it has proven difficult to attain the kind of healthy maturity out there, and the team has been struggling for some three years now, and losing the battle.
Cue the cavalry! Yesterday a four-man team of agronomists visited the monastery to help. They are experts, from the staff of the global company Corteva Agriscience on the island’s west side. They spent a couple of hours assessing the conditions, then took soil samples which will go to their lab for analysis. They expect to find that our problem is a lack of specific nutrients, and they even said they would provide needed amendments when the time comes. Plus, they want to bring a team of 12 skilled volunteers to work for a day getting the mondo on its feet.
The mondo team is much encouraged by this unexpected and generous assistance. We asked ChatGPT to imagine the day of help, and slide two is the result.
We end the show today with the two new bonsai trees Tandu Sivanathan placed in the Kadavul pool. Amazing!