CHENNAI: Gardening is like believing in tomorrow. It is interesting to watch the plants grow from tiny saplings to mature plants. Then seeing the flowers bloom is pure bliss,” says 46-year-old Swastika Sahai.
For Swastika, gardening has been her passion as well as an ambition. She was engrossed in gardening since her childhood. For her, it is not a pastime rather, she considers it as her duty. She dedicatedly invests long hours for her garden. She draws inspiration from her father who was an avid gardener.
She has developed her own garden where every nook and corner has been designed carefully. According to her, every part needs to be unique. She says, “A garden is something that kills monotony. So I make sure that there is no repetition and each part of the garden has different plants and flowers.”
She owns around 200 potted plants. Containers can be hung from a roof, suspended on hooks, or mounted on walls, opening up a whole world of growing spaces. Containers have the added benefit of being beautiful, acting as showpieces in the garden. The varieties include dahlia, chrysanthemum, fern and petunia.
She believes that almost anything and everything can be grown in a potted plant if one gives the same love and care as they would give to a regular garden. She says, “Ideally, everyone could simply shovel soil right from the garden into containers and grow full healthy plants." Unfortunately, this is not the case. "Garden soil is usually too heavy and contains too much clay, which will hold moisture in pots, drowning the roots,” she adds.
She sharesany plant can be grown in any kind of environment. The soil requirements can be altered with several techniques. Anthurium, a plant species specific to the coastal areas of Kerala has been developed by her. She explains, “Nutrition can be added to the soil by using certain organic chemicals and then the proper amount of sunlight helps the plant to grow. Regular monitoring ensures that plant is having a healthy growth.”
Swastika also specialises in bonsai. She has grown around 15-20 bonsai which include ornamental plants, shrubs and trees – bougainvillea, phycus and banyan tree are among them. Each of these miniatures is a masterpiece developed with affection and patience. The plants that she owns are grown from cuttings and preserved seeds that are collected from earlier blossoms.
She has not only beautified her own compound but has also contributed in the beautification of the colony that she resides in. Cleanliness has been her priority. Therefore, she has worked extensively to maintain a clean and green area.
Under her guidance, herbal and meditation garden has been developed at Fire Service Training Institute, Hyderabad, as part of Green CISF campaign. The garden is located around a 150-year-old banyan tree to provide a conducive ambience for stress management in a natural environment. The residents can practice yoga and be at peace and tranquility in a relaxed atmosphere. Presently, 24 species of medicinal plants including aloe vera, musk mellow, maruvam and rosemary are available in the garden. The herbal saplings and other necessary assistance have been provided by the Forest Department of Telangana.She adds, “Gardening is soothing and it has a therapeutic advantage.”