CHENNAI: A rheumatologist by profession, Dr Rajasekhar Gopalakrishnan is an environmentalist and an animal lover. When asked about why he chose to pursue terrace gardening, he says with a smile, “I love pets. But they require constant attention as opposed to tending to plants once or twice each day… and it gives you the same pleasure as having pets.”
Dr Rajasekhar says that even a tiny plant at home can send out positive vibes and contribute to a relaxing ambience. “The joy of watching your plants grow every day is unparalleled. You can derive satisfaction from knowing that something beautiful is growing in your house,” he says, adding that he has thorough knowledge of the plants he grows, owing to seven years of ‘trial and error’ gardening. “I plan the whole process keeping in mind seasons ideal for particular plant species,” he says.
Dr Rajasekhar likes to keep his kitchen garden — which boasts of brinjals, drumsticks, broad beans, and others — apart from his flower garden that has hibiscus, money plant and the like. “I’ve also got some tree saplings such as guava and papaya growing in pots that I plan to plant soon,” he says.
The tropical climate often acts as a hurdle, but Dr Rajsekhar knows well how to maintain his green lovelies despite the fickle weather. “The summer months are the most challenging… I either ensure shade for the plants that absolutely would wilt in those conditions or cover them with a net or a cloth to cool the area,” he says.
He does not believe in using fertilisers, or why call it an organic garden at all. “What is the point of having a ‘green’ garden if you use artificial products to speed up plant growth? One can easily use kitchen compost as manure,” he says. What are his future environmental pursuits? “Actor Vivekh is one of my very good friend and he is planning to organise tree planting on a mass scale in the city. I’d like to join that effort soon,” he smiles.