BENGALURU : Gone are the days when gardening was considered a minimal job to earn a few pence. Today, for some people, gardening is a strong emotion, uncompromised passion and a full-fledged commitment. A similar commitment has driven Abhay Kumar Ghosh, a retired BSF officer, to set up his own miniature garden. Ghosh, who considers himself a newbie in gardening, started his journey nine months ago.
Having been born and brought up in a small village, he used to observe his mother planting various vegetables and fruits, which somewhere had an influence on him. “I guess that was the starting point for me. To me, plants are more like living creatures who deserve our care and love,” he says.
Ghosh spends most of his time with his plants. “Let’s say, as soon as I get up, I have to see them. All my life I never knew that the internet was such a powerful key. I’ve learned many gardening techniques from YouTube videos and newspaper articles. If I search for one particular thing, I get 10 different links to different techniques. It’s magical and truly helpful.”
His beautiful garden comprises various flowers, including peace lilies, hibiscus, jasmines and roses. “Rearing a rose plant is the most difficult job because they require a lot of care and attention. I never let anyone touch them,” he says.His dainty garden also has Mallika mangoes, Bangkok lemons, black pepper vines and two tall coconut trees.
His collections also include various Spider plants, Boston fern, snake plant, and few stress-reliever plants which he likes to keep inside his house. Gardening for Ghosh is a meditative activity that gives him peace of mind. “It is bliss. Gardening makes me happy keeps me calm,” he says.Ghosh also has his own rainwater harvesting and home waste decompose techniques. To ensure he uses organic material, he makes the manures for his plants himself. “I try to experiment with home techniques,” Ghosh says.Gardening can be a wonderful experience and the journey from the start to its end itself teaches us a lot of things, he says.