Canvas of Soil Class 9 Solutions

I. Work in pairs. Discuss what all you see in a garden. Think of the colours you see and where you see them. Share your responses with your teacher.

Answer: In a garden, we can see flowers, leaves, grass, trees, butterflies, birds, soil, pots and pathways. We may see green in leaves and grass, red in roses, yellow in sunflowers, blue in the sky, brown in soil and tree trunks, and white in jasmine or other flowers.

II. Look at the picture of a garden and a painting. Speak about any similarities between the garden and the painting.

1. Just as a garden ______________, similarly, a painting ______________.

Answer: Just as a garden uses flowers and leaves to create beauty, similarly, a painting uses colours and shapes to create beauty.

2. A garden and a painting, both ________.

Answer: A garden and a painting, both please the eyes and express creativity.

3. ______________ is common to both a garden and a painting.

Answer: Colour, design and beauty are common to both a garden and a painting.

4. Like a garden, a painting too __________.

Answer: Like a garden, a painting too can show harmony, imagination and natural beauty.

III. Let us acquaint ourselves with the meanings of palette, hue and canvas. Now, look at the painting given above and identify palette, canvas, and select a hue.

Answer:

• Palette: The board or surface on which colours are mixed.
• Canvas: The painting surface or the complete artwork.
• Hue: Any shade of colour visible in the painting, such as green, blue, red or yellow.

I. Read the poem again and complete the summary of each stanza by filling in the blanks.

II. Select the appropriate title for each stanza from those given below. There are two extra titles.

III. Match the poetic devices in Column 1 to the examples in Column 2.

I. Read the given extracts from the poem and answer the questions that follow.

1. Extract-based Question

Reference: This extract compares seeds to brushstrokes and shows how spring brings colour to the garden.

(i) The poet has used a metaphor in “Brushstrokes of seeds”. Which option from those given below uses a metaphor?

Answer: B. She has a heart of gold.

(ii) Complete the sentence appropriately. The phrase “planted true” is significant because it implies __________.

Answer: The phrase “planted true” is significant because it implies that the seeds are planted carefully, correctly and with sincere hope for growth.

(iii) Why has the poet used the word “hue” instead of “colours” in the extract?

Answer: The poet uses “hue” instead of “colours” because “hue” sounds more poetic and refers to delicate shades of colour. It also strengthens the painting-related imagery of the poem.

(iv) Complete the following analogy correctly with a word from the extract. Summer: hot :: Spring : _________

Answer: vibrant

(v) Read the Assertion (A) and the Reason (R) and select the option that is correctly suited. (A): Gardeners wait for Spring. (R): Gardens are worth painting in Spring.

Answer: A. Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

2. Extract-based Question

Reference: This extract compares each garden plot to a canvas where art and life come together.

(i) What does “Each plot” refer to in this extract?

Answer: “Each plot” refers to each piece of garden land where plants, seeds and flowers are grown.

(ii) Select which option imitates the rhyme scheme of the extract.

Answer: A. beautiful and clear / laughter and cheer

(iii) Select the line from the extract that conveys that gardening blends aesthetic beauty with natural growth.

Answer: “Where art and life coincide.”

(iv) Complete the following sentence appropriately. The plot is likened to a canvas suggesting that _____________.

Answer: The plot is likened to a canvas suggesting that the garden is a creative space where the gardener creates a living work of art.

(v) Why has the poet most likely used the word “wide” instead of “long” in “canvas wide”?

Answer: The poet uses “wide” because it suggests openness, space and possibility. A wide canvas gives the impression of a broad creative area, whereas “long” would only suggest length.

II. Give reasons for the comparisons made by the poet in the poem.

1. A painter is compared to a gardener because ______________.

Answer: A painter is compared to a gardener because both create beauty through careful arrangement, imagination and skill.

2. A palette is like earth as __________________.

Answer: A palette is like earth as both hold the colours or materials from which beauty is created.

3. The brushstrokes are like seeds because _________________.

Answer: The brushstrokes are like seeds because both are placed carefully to create a final beautiful picture or garden.

4. A canvas is similar to a garden plot as __________________.

Answer: A canvas is similar to a garden plot as both are open spaces that can be transformed into works of art.

III. Answer the following questions.

1. How does the metaphor “Brushstrokes of seeds” enhance the understanding of gardening as an art form?

Answer: The metaphor “Brushstrokes of seeds” shows that planting seeds is like making strokes on a painting. It helps us see the gardener as an artist who creates beauty on the soil through careful planting.

2. What can you infer about the poet’s perspective on the relationship between nature and creativity from the lines “Each plot, a canvas wide, / Where art and life coincide”?

Answer: The poet believes that nature and creativity are closely connected. A garden is not only a natural space but also a creative artwork shaped by human care and imagination.

3. Do you think the imagery in the poem successfully paints a vivid picture in the reader’s mind? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Answer: Yes, the imagery successfully paints a vivid picture. Words such as palette, brushstrokes, blossoms, shades of green, red and blue, morning light and canvas help readers imagine a colourful garden as a painting.

4. Support the view that the poet’s mention of the colour yellow, besides red, blue and green, would have lent effectively to the imagery.

Answer: The colour yellow would have added warmth, brightness and the feeling of sunlight to the imagery. It could suggest sunflowers, marigolds, golden leaves or morning sunshine, making the garden picture richer and more vibrant.

5. Considering the line “Gardens become paintings still”, what can you interpret about the poet’s view on the timelessness of nature’s beauty?

Answer: The poet suggests that nature’s beauty can become timeless like a painting. A garden changes with seasons, but its beauty can be captured in the mind like a still-life artwork.

6. Justify the title of the poem, “Canvas of Soil”.

Answer: The title is suitable because the poem compares soil to a canvas. Just as an artist paints on canvas, a gardener creates beauty on soil by planting seeds and growing flowers. The title expresses the poem’s main comparison between gardening and painting.

I. The poet refers to the shades of green, red and blue in the poem. Discuss in pairs any two things that you can associate with these colours.

Answer: Sample associations are given below:

II. Read the paragraph and discuss what the underlined painting-related words might mean.

I. You will listen to a young girl describe her school garden. As you listen identify which of the following 1–3, she does not talk about.

Answer: She does not talk about Picture 2, which shows a water pipe / hose.

II. You will once again listen to the young girl. As you listen, circle the correct answer from the options given below.

I. People wish to have a garden at home. Some like a flower garden and some a vegetable garden. Think and note some advantages of both these types, as gardens for homes.

II. Would you like to have a flower garden or a vegetable garden at home? Why?

Sample Answer 1: I prefer a flower garden to a vegetable garden because it makes the house look colourful and beautiful. The fragrance of flowers creates a pleasant atmosphere.

Sample Answer 2: I would prefer a vegetable garden rather than a flower garden since it gives fresh vegetables and helps us eat healthy food.

Sample Answer 3: If I had a choice, I’d rather have both a flower garden and a vegetable garden as one gives beauty and the other gives useful food.

I. Write a descriptive piece of two to three paragraphs describing the details and colours in the garden you have visited.

Sample Answer

Last month, I visited a beautiful garden near my house. The garden looked fresh and colourful in the soft morning light. The green grass shone like a carpet, and the leaves of different plants showed many shades of green, from light apple green to deep pine green. Red roses stood proudly near the pathway, while blue and violet flowers added a calm and peaceful touch to the scene.

The petals of the flowers were soft and delicate. Some were smooth like silk, while others had tiny folds that caught the sunlight beautifully. The red flowers created a bright contrast with the green leaves. A few blue flowers grew near a small water fountain, and their colour looked deeper because of the reflection of water and sky.

The garden seemed like a painting made by nature. The sunlight changed the colours every few minutes, making the leaves glow and the flowers appear more vibrant. The mixture of red, blue and green brought the garden to life and made the visit memorable.

I. Mini-Project: Select any two assignments. Any one from 1 or 2, and any one from 3 or 4.

Assignment 1: Famous Gardens of India – Sample Report

Assignment 3: Design Your Own Garden – Sample Answer

I would design a small eco-friendly garden with a flower section, a vegetable section and a butterfly corner. The flower section would have roses, marigolds and jasmine. The vegetable section would have tomatoes, spinach and coriander. A small pathway made of stones would pass through the garden. I would also place a bird bath and name boards for plants. My design would combine beauty, usefulness and care for nature.

Assignment 4: Interview with a Gardener – Sample Summary

I interviewed a gardener who works in a nearby park. He said that gardening requires patience, regular watering, removing weeds and understanding seasons. He explained that some plants need more sunlight while others need shade. He also said that gardens make people feel peaceful and help improve the environment. The interview helped me understand that gardening is both a science and an art.

II. Read and enjoy the poem “A Sea of Foliage Girds Our Garden Round”.

Suggested Response: The poem celebrates the beauty of a garden filled with varied greenery, trees, colours and moonlight. Like Canvas of Soil, it uses rich imagery to show nature as a source of beauty and wonder.

Question 1. What is the main theme of Canvas of Soil?

Answer: The main theme is the connection between gardening and art. The poem shows that a garden is like a living painting created on soil.

Question 2. Why is earth compared to a palette?

Answer: Earth is compared to a palette because it holds the possibilities of colour and beauty, just as a painter’s palette holds colours.

Question 3. What are seeds compared to in the poem?

Answer: Seeds are compared to brushstrokes because they help create the final beauty of the garden.

Question 4. What does the phrase “art and life coincide” mean?

Answer: It means that art and living nature come together in a garden. The garden is both a living space and an artistic creation.

Question 5. How does the poem use colours?

Answer: The poem uses colours such as green, red and blue to create visual imagery and make the garden appear like a painting.

Question 6. Why is the title Canvas of Soil suitable?

Answer: The title is suitable because it presents soil as a canvas on which gardeners create beauty through seeds, flowers and plants.