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Summer hues brew a heady rainbow cocktail.
Leading the parade, straddling Spring and Summer, is the Indian Laburnum (
Cassia fistula), so perfectly called Golden Showers. Its long drooping strings of cheery, sunshiny blooms on almost foliageless branches transform it into something King Midas must've surely dreamt up.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh80BfzU6kwTbfl2vtdcflMZRcrlyt76b_cuystWlS8DKOVgEiZRCojxIA-W7oyhEK5rtYW5c4BsQT0p8e-bdnlOPeEFD9irjTLlwGn8MMi-0b3DNfCZ-qkSIJd4PPAPQKJgSM1G3Ea5WS/s400/IMG_3680+copy.jpg)
Yet another yellow, the Copper Pod or Yellow Poinciana (
Peltophorum pterocarpum), soon blankets the trees. Lining miles and miles of Mumbai roads, these golden spires draw the eye up, turning it literally into a City of Gold.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMIbnM9v5Ql9ZGzG7MCUJ6EvMW7qaq5m-Jrg1SwoaIHPypY7wpuE6MCwGuXwpdFJKD8KF2j1zdenN0U20xPl_HezIZBhxKPYXnrSG_KZvQ1YNyZT6BTVMV5TBYHMAwxc80Dpl2Ly_a80J/s400/IMG_4230+copy.jpg)
The Curry Leaf plant is in bloom now too. White clusters of blooms with their slightly pungent scent have the butterlies flocking to them.
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One of the prettiest trees of this season and one of my personal favourites, has to be the Pink Cassia (
Cassia Grandis)!
I love those strawberry-icecream pink flowers smothering the bare tree, followed by the tender green leaves shortly after.
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Don't the buds look pretty? The downy pink calyx almost pulls my fingers to touch it.
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And just because I like it so much, here's one last photo . Dont you just love those varying shades ?
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I've always been fascinated by the delicate pink and white flowers that stud the Rain Tree (
Samanea saman ) . These powderpuff-like flowers feel so soft against the cheek that it was always a toss-up whether I liked the flowers more or the wide umbrella-like canopy topped with feathery leaves.
This is one of Mumbai's most common avenue trees and many a motorist out on its blistering hot roads in summer has blessed the relief of its cool shade .
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Also colouring Mumbai right now is this flameburst which I spotted on an island while on a boat ride. Could it be Flame of the Forest or maybe the Coral Tree? I'm not sure, I was too far away to make out just which tree it is, but doesnt it look spectacular?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Yjp2JDQeDU20fW0QKIHwNS4G-2PB4MO4cWqbcD78M1flRWNCnavfcQ6UQs-aWx_2swL9TtRaOy8GzZqEuf3xROF5eihUnaabZ8UTxRIlXD2eKdJhy8TP6iJip325VxXk5j1UsjTeXgVR/s400/IMG_4326+copy.jpg)
See what I mean? It looks almost as if the whole island was on fire!
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Meanwhile, painting the roads right now is the latest entrant, and the city is awash with purple!
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Pride of India (
Lagerstromia speciosa), also called Queen's Flower or Queen's Crepe Myrtle is another of my favourite trees. The blue-green buds are just as pretty but they really come into their own with the crinkly-petalled blooms painting it in such vivid colours.
So, what's next? I'm getting greedy and I just can't wait to feast my eyes on the spectacular Gul Mohur (
Delonix regia) which should be bursting on the scene in a couple of weeks.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQgThtgD61yxr77dReuRP7f3dlMAPRHij_mzPVi0dvRRR5Xd7UOZ_y5sHsg8z2w5q09zeOFM_nsLwX-jVmzDEQC2NKVDOvtY71UHw36sPU2YV62hY62lWDg-q9is0lp_2hFMoJ_-82MVg/s400/IMG_0253+copy.jpg)
(
The first photo of the Laburnum was sent to me from Maryknoll, but all the others were taken by me in Mumbai )