Nature at its best at Gulmohar Homestay Nashik

At first glance, you may think Gulmohar Homestay, Nashik has the usual bunch of trees, plants and shrubs. In fact, this is the generalized statement in many of the online reviews. The real fact is that it is not just the "usual" greenery of nature out here. While staying here, other than enjoying the delicious food, walk around the premises and take a closer look. 

It is nature at it's unique best, with beautiful and well-maintained plants, whether flowering or plain. The entire place has its own pretty charm and is a photographer's delight!

Let's take a picturesque tour...

Flowering plants of all shapes and sizes are in abundance -

Check out the flamboyant Bird of Paradise -

Bird of Paradise

The yellow, pink and purple lotus blooms which close late evening and magically open to greet the sun during the day – 

Closed blooms

Opened blooms

The white champas with their sunny yellow centers which are in abundance everywhere –

Champas

The plant just outside one of the cottage rooms, which has the whitest of white blooms with a ramrod straight center is a Peace Lily or Cobra Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) – 

The group of tiny purple wandering jew plants –

Wandering jews plant

The astonishing bonsai oranges –

Bonsai oranges

And one of my favourites for its pretty shape and amalgamation of pink, yellow and green hues is this succulent plant known as a paddle plant (Kalanchoe thyrsiflora)  –

And, oh, yes, with so much greenery around, of course there will be birds and butterflies! 

Spot the butterfly in this video -

A fascinating resident was a red dragonfly. Fascinating because, as Kamala Parekh knowledgeably informed me, dragonflies generally flit around and it is difficult to capture them on camera. But here was one which not only perched itself in an acrobatic manner right on the very tip of a dried stem, but stayed there, totallyand  utterly still for more than 30 minutes or more! It was such a pretty dragonfly with gossamer wings – a memorable visual treat. 

Red Dragonfly

There is a patch of a few vegetables as well, with tomatoes and brinjals, and a tree bursting with green raw mangoes, thanks to which we got glasses of delicious kairi panna!

Vegetable patch

Tree bursting with green mangoes

And when the sun sets and the lights come on, it is pretty as a picture, quite magical, like a fairytale setting -

Our hosts informed us that it is even more beautiful in the monsoon - how much more magical will nature be over here, at Gulmohar Homestay, then! In the meanwhile, enjoy a magical treasure hunt, too.