Srinagar, Dec. 24 -- The winter of Kashmir is not merely an onset of a season change but an understated transition of rhythm and responsibility. When Chillai Kalan descends upon the valley, life paces itself outward but deepens in introspection. Preparations begin within households, and the kitchen adjusts. And then, of course, the kitchen garden, which is easily neglected, becomes an area that needs both foresight and attention. A land of snowy bliss and destruction warrants both.

Preserving a kitchen garden with flowers during winter requires serious preparation and sensitive care, but most of all, it needs an understanding of precisely how such plants react to cold. Winter is the time of year that slows down the rate of plant growth a...