HYDERABAD : If you commute regularly in Hyderabad, there is every chance you might have noticed the otherwise grey Metro rail pillars and walls covered with a carpet of green. These vertical gardens not only act as air filtration units, but also inspire hassled commuters at traffic signals to rest a bit while taking in their beauty.
With shrinking space to plant trees, these green walls that have sprung up in areas like Khairatabad, Begumpet, Basheerbagh and Hitec City are the new lung spaces.The biodiversity wing of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has announced that they are developing vertical gardens on 31 pillars of nine flyovers to control pollution, increase aesthetic value and reduce temperature.
Talking to Express, Sonali Srikanth, founder of Fiora Designs LLP, said: “In 2008, we were among the first ones to bring the concept of vertical green walls to Hyderabad. We have decorated walls in Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, pillars under Durgam Cheruvu Cable Bridge and Metro rail tracks, hospitals and several IT companies. Vertical gardening allows you to grow a large number of plants without taking away floor space. Green walls can be used to beautify homes, offices and commercial spaces.”
Maintenance
Do vertical gardens require elaborate care for their upkeep? “Greenwalls are relatively easy to take care of as long as the selection of plants is right. The plants’ health depends on availability of adequate sunlight, water and other resources. We take care of the water requirements with a pre-installed drip irrigation system. However, sunlight plays a major factor in their growth. Some plants thrive in sunlight while others don’t need much of it. So, if you have a vertical garden inside the house, you can go for varieties like money plants and syngoniums.
In case of outdoor ones, varieties like petra, pandanus and duranta work better. There is no need to spray insecticides, but we do replenish the media at certain intervals. Regular pruning also helps them grow better,” adds Sonali. Last year, Hyderabad was the only city from India to have been recognised as a 2020 Tree City of the World by the Arbor Day Foundation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for its commitment to growing and maintaining urban forest.Through this recognition, Hyderabad joined a network of like-minded cities which recognise the importance of trees in building healthy, resilient and happy cities. The city earned the recognition in the Foundation’s second year of the programme along with 51 other cities in the world.
At home
One can grow vertical gardens at home to grow food. Dharmendra Vepari, a permaculture designer and educator, says: “You can grow vegetables in discarded plastic bottles and other containers. In case you live in an apartment and have scarcity of space, you can arrange the bottles in a vertical manner using ropes. There are vertical bamboo structures that can help creepers to grow. Pots can be arranged in shelves to save floor space. Irrespective of the layout, it is important that we use organic compost made in our kitchens to grow plants. Addition of chemicals will only add to the carbon footprint of the city.”
Benefits of vertical gardens
— Kakoli Mukherjee kakoli_mukherjee@newindianexpress.com @KakoliMukherje2