Tree for an Avenue

Tree for an Avenue

                                          

From the time of the rule of Maharaja Ashoka till now, there is a tradition of planting trees on the sides of roads, highways etc. Planting flowers and shady trees on the sides of highways is considered a sacred work. Mughal rulers also felt its need, as a result of which they got trees planted on the sides of roads. Today it seems that in those days, trees like sacred fig, margosa, Tamarind, honey tree etc. were planted haphazardly in this holy work without considering industrial principles.

In the present era, the population is increasing at an explosive rate and on the other hand industrial development is also happening at a rapid pace, in comparison to that, tree plantation work is being done in a very small area. For the last few years, due to not being able to plant trees as per the average in industrial settlements and residential suburbs, the environment is getting polluted rapidly.

To get rid of the polluted environment in big cities, planners have now started paying special attention to planting beautiful 'green belts', charming gardens and trees on both sides of wide roads in the newly developing areas. In the modern era of development, these important works are being done by the State and Central Public Works Department. On one hand, tree plantation provides proximity, on the other hand, it presents a beautiful scenery. The most important work of trees is to purify the polluted environment by providing 'oxygen'. Due to the different types of land and climate in the country, it becomes necessary to select the plants.

When flowers or plants with beautiful leaves are planted on both sides of the roads in straight strips, they are called Road Side Avenues.

Objective – Plantation of flowers and shady trees on both sides of highways, national highways or waterways is done to fulfill the following objectives –

1. Plantation on both sides of roads gives information about the boundary of the road, due to which vehicles can be saved from accidents.

2. Those trees help in stopping the fast flow of water, due to which the land on the side of the roads does not get eroded.

3. Passersby get cool shade, due to which they do not feel tired.

4. The scenery decorated with beautiful flowers presents a beautiful view.

5. They provide fragrance and purity to the atmosphere there.

6. The unused land on the sides of the roads is put to good use.

7. It is a source of national income, because wood and other materials are available from them. 8. Sometimes roads are named after trees.

9. Ornamental trees have an important place in landscape art.

While selecting suitable plants for plantation along the roads, a lot of care is required, for which technical knowledge is essential, so that the right species can be properly selected keeping in view the appropriate place, climate, situation, use etc. and by planting them properly, work can be done in a planned manner. Usually, there is a practice of planting a green belt in some areas. If the roads are very wide and the routes for coming and going are determined in different areas and there is sufficient space available for planting trees at both the places, then double or triple rows of plants can be planted in them according to the nature and size of the plants-

First row - Carambola, Tamarind, Millingtonia hortensis, margosa, Mango, Saraca asoca, burflower-tree, Tamarix dioica, White Fig.

Second row - Blue Jacaranda, royal poinciana, Peltophorum pterocarpum, Golden shower tree,Cassia fistula, Silver oak, Fountain tree.

Third row - Bauhinia variegata,Jacaranda mimosifolia, jasmine, militia.

Some colour schemes are such that they can be selected keeping in mind the climate of a particular place-

The colour scheme according to M.S. Randhawa is mentioned below-

    Name                                                                                   Color of Flower

1. Cassia fistula (Cassia fistula)                                                          - Yellow

    Gulmohar (Dclonix regia)                                                               - Scarlet Orange

    Cassia fistula (Cassia fistula)                                                          - Yellow

2. Peltophonum pterocarpum (Peltophonum pterocarpum)               - Golden Yellow

    Colvillea (Colvillea racemosa)                                                      - Orange Red

3. Peltophorum (Peltophorum pterocarpum)                                     - Golden Yellow

    Blue Gulmohar (Jacaranda mimosaefolia)                                    - Blue

    Silver Oak (Grevillea robusta)                                                      - Yellow

    Blue Gulmohar (Jacaranda mimosaefolia)                                    - Blue

4. Fountain Tree (Spathodia nilotica)                                                - Orange Crimean

    Paguda (Erythrina indica)                                                             - Scarlet Red

    Fountain Tree (Spathodia nilotica)                                               - Orange Crimean

5. Pink Cassia (Cassia nodosa)                                                        - Pink

    Red Cassia (Cassia marginata)                                                    - Red

    Pink Cassia (Cassia nodosa)                                                        - Pink

6. White Kachnar (Bauhinia variegata)                                            - White

    Light Yellow Kachnar (Bauhinia krugii)                                     - Light Yellow

    White Kachnar (Bauhinia variegata)                                           - White

    Light Pink Kachnar (Bauhinia variegata)                                    - Light Pink

Although all the above schemes look very beautiful, yet other schemes like these can also be made keeping in mind the colors of flowers to present a very beautiful scene. Good color schemes are being made in big cities, which not only help in purifying the environment of the cities, but they also present a beautiful scene. While selecting plants, it is very important to keep in mind the climate and soil of the area. For example, while selecting plants for sandy dry areas, select such plants which are hardy in nature and require less care - for example, trees like Cedrelatuna (Tun), Casuarina (Jhau), Prorosopis julifera (Jhund), Cassia fistula (Amaltas), Parkinson etc. can be planted.

In rocky hard soil, plants of such trees should be planted whose roots can break through the hard layer (Hard Pan) and can enter and use the moisture and nutrients. For example - Neem (margosa), Bakan (Melia azedarach), Tamarind (tamarind), Cassia fistula (Cassia fistula), Akash Neem (acacia tree), Papadi (Holoptelea integrifolia) etc.

                                                                              

Ornamental and Landscape of Avenue Trees

In areas where there is more rainfall and moisture remains. There Thespesia, Fountain tree, Silver oak (Grevillea robusta), Bottle bush, Salix, Pilkhan (white fig), Kachnar (Butterfly Ash), Flash (Butea monosperma), Semal (Bombax ceiba), Amla (Malacca tree), Safeda (Eucalyptus), Lasuda (Cordia myxa), Amla (Cassia fistul), Jhau (Prosopis cineraria) etc. are suitable. For shade plants, Physinia pinnata, Latkan (Baccaurea motleyana), Tamarind (Tamarind), Pilkhan (White Fig), Kachnar (Butterfly Ash), Mango (Mango), Jamun (Black Plum), Ashok (Saraca asoca), Cassia fistula (Cassia fistula), Silver Oak, Butea monosperma) etc. are suitable.

Digging pits and planting plants - For planting avenue plants, pits of size 1x1x1.25 m are dug at a fixed distance. For low height plants, pits should be dug at a distance of 5-6 m and for high height plants, pits should be dug at a distance of 10-12 m. The soil taken out from these pits should be kept in the open in strong sunlight for at least a week. So that the insects inside them die. Then make a mixture of the soil taken out and cow dung manure in the ratio of 5:1, then fill the pit again with that mixture. In each pit, put 30 grams of soil. Add 10% BHC.

It is very important to know when to plant the plants.

Plants are of two types -

1. Evergreen - The appropriate time to plant evergreen plants is July-August.

2. Autumn - The right time to plant autumn plants is February-March.

According to the earthball, a small pit should be dug in the middle of the pit and the seed should be planted. Immediately after planting the plant, water should be given so that the plant gets established well and its roots get moisture and nutrients. Keep watering lightly till three days after planting the plant.

After Care - Because roads, public routes etc. are used by the general public on a daily basis. Many types of people, animals etc. pass by there. Therefore, it is very important to protect the new plants from them. Therefore, to protect them from them, it is necessary to provide protection to the plants with a special type of iron drum or a circular structure made of brick mesh or bars. Apart from this, giving fertilizer and water on time, weeding, plant protection measures etc. play a special role in their care. Therefore, these should always be taken care of. When the plants grow, then their pruning and cutting should also be taken care of.

In dry areas, a deep drain should be dug around the planted plants at a distance of 1.2-1.5 meters, so that rainwater can collect in it and the roots keep getting moisture in the condition of drought. After planting, proper pruning should be done to give the plants a proper shape. Also, diseased and thick branches should also be cut.

Classification

Classification is very important in the selection of plants. While selecting plants, it is important to keep in mind that at what time and what color of flowers will bloom on the plant? Some ornamental/flowering trees are classified according to their flowering.

(1) According to the size of the tree

(A) Large size trees-

1. Neem (Azadirachta indica)

2. Semal (Bombax malabaricum)

3. Colvillea racemosa

4. Pilkhan (Ficus infectoria)

5. Ficus retusa

6. Ashoka (Saraca asoca)

(B) Medium size trees-

1. Pink Kachnar (Bauhinia purpurea)

2. Java Cassia (Cassia javanica)

3. Toon (Cedredella toona)

4. Gold Mohar (Gulmohar) (Delonix regia)

5. Paguda (Erythrina indica)

6. Peltophorum pterocarpum)

(C) Small size trees-

1. Australian Acacia (Acacia auriculiformis)

2. Pink Cassia of Burma (Cassia renigera)

3. Gul-e-China (Plumeria acutifolia)

4. Fountain tree (Spathodia companulata)

(2) According to beauty-

(A) For flowers-

1. Satvin/ Satni (Alstonia scholaris)

2. Noble Amherstia (Amherstia nobilis)

3. Mahua (Mathuca latifolia)

4. Pink Kachnar (Bauhinia purpurea)

5. White Kachnar (Bauhinia variegata)

6. Java Cassia (Cassia javanica)

7. Chalta (Dillenia indica)

8. Akashnim (Millingtonia hortensis)

9. Maul Shree/Bakul (Minusops elengi)

10. Kanak Champa (Pterospermum acerifolium)

11. Blue Gulmohar (Jacaranda mimosaefolia)

(B) For the beauty of the leaves-

1. Australian Acacia (Acacia auriculiformis)

2. Bottle Bush (Callistemon lanceolatus)

3. Eucalyptus citrodora

4. Parkia (Parkia biglindulosa)

5.Cedrus deodara

6. Putranjiva roxburghii

7. Sapium (Sapium sebiferum)

8. Paras Peepal (Thespesia populnea)

(C) For the beauty of fruits-

1. Lemon species (Citrus sp.)

2. Balam Cucumber (Kijelia pinnata)

3. Mango (Mangifera indica)

4. Tamarind (Tamariandus indica)

5. Jamun (Syzygium cumini)

(3) planting trees According to the purpose

(A) For road sides-

1. Averrhoa carambola

2. Pink Kachnar (Bauhinia purpurea )

3. Colvillea (Colvillea racemosa)

4. Eucalyptus sp.

5. Blue Gulmohar (Jacaranda mimosaefolia)

6. Poplar (White) (Populus alba)

7. Deodar (Cedrus deodara )

8. Kanak Champa (Pterospermum acerifolium)

9. Spathodia (Spathodia nilotica)

(B) For planting in groups-

1. Cassia fistula

2. Horse cassia (Cassia grandis)

3. Galgal, Guneri (Cochlospermum religiosum)

4. Barauna (Crataeva nurvala)

5. Panagara Coraltree (Erythrina variegata )

6. Mango (Mangifera indica)

7. Bakain Neem (Melia azadirachta)

8. Parkinsonia (Parkinsonia aculeata )

9. Peltophorum (Peltophorum pterocarpum)

10. Arjun (Terminalia arjuna)

(C) For planting as specimen-

1. Bel (Aegle marmelos)

2. Gorakh Tamarind (Adansonia digitata)

3. Amherstia (Amherstia nobilis)

4. Kadamba (Anthocephalus cadamba)

5. Bigonia (Bigonia)

6. Semul (Bombax malabaricum)

7. Kumbhi (Careya arbora)

8. Chalta (Dillenia indica)

Tree for an Avenue

(D) On the banks of the river For-

1. Kadamba (Anthocephalus cadamba)

2. Jarul (Lagerstroemia speciosa)

3. White Champa (Plumeria rubra)

(4) According to the type of soil

(A) For light soils-

1. Australian Acacia (Acacia auriculiformis)

2. Desi Acacia (Acasia nilotica)

3. Parsa Peepal (Thespesia populnea)

(B) For mountainous areas-

1. Begonia

2. Toon (Cedrella toona)

3. Blue Gulmohar

4. Him Champa (Magnolia grandiflora)

5. Pine (Pinus roxburghii)

6. Kanak Champa (Pterospermum acrefoliam)

7. Sita Ashoka (Saraca Asoca)

8. Tecoma (Tecoma grandis)

Trees suitable for national roads –

1.White cirrus (Albizzia procera)

2. Neem (Azadirachta indica)

3. Rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo)

4. Mahua (Madhuca latifolia)

5.Mango (Mangifera indica)

6. Exotic Tamarind (Pithecollobium dulce)

7.Tamariandus indica)

8. Jamun (Syzygium cumini)

Trees suitable for planting in road lines-

1.Black scallion (Albizzia lebbeck)

2. Ficus (Ficus glomerata)

3. Akash neem (Millingtonia hortensis)

4. Jamun (Syzygium cumini)

Thorny trees-

1.Desi babool (Acacia nilotica)

2. Australian babool (Acacia monilifrormis)

3. Plum (Zizyphus jujuba)