MANGALORE: Progressive farmer Thirumaleshwara Bhat from Sullia makes two kind of trips. When not travelling to buy essentials or selling the produce of his 5.5 acre farm in Bellare Kodiyala village in Sullia taluk, he heads to places as distant as Thrissur in Kerala to meet the needs of his true calling.
It was 15 years ago when Bhat discovered his passion for ornamental gardening, an unusual hobby for a full-time farmer. The garden, now in front of his house, about 90 kms from Mangalore, is a visual treat even to the eyes of seasoned gardeners. The garden begins right from the road leading to his gate. The immaculately pruned Crape Jasmine (Nandibatlu in Kannada, belonging to the apocynaceae family), planted on either side of the path leading to the gate, is a giveaway of the visual paradise in store for the visitors.
The garden lives up to the standards of a well-maintained public park with a sprawling lawn, more than a dozen concrete statues, a life-sized boat-shaped pond, green cycad plants, many perennial and annuals bordered by a well-kept hedge to give an air of good grooming.
Bhat’s proud possession, however, is his 310 cactus varieties. And the collection of cacti is increasing by the day despite the fact that Bhat is in his fifties. The boat-shaped pond is sort of an aquarium with colourful gold fishes and statues of mermaids.
However, it is the pond built on the left side of the cobbled path near the gate that leaves all visitors speechless. More than a dozen concrete forms of birds and ducks (some among them appearing to take flight) all add to creating a surreal world.
The statute of a nymphet pouring water from a pot, strategic placing of perfectly shaped stones around the pond and many Red Pentas, good luck plants (sansevieia hahnie) in pots is sure to keep visitors enthralled.
Despite a hectic schedule, this Krishi Pandith awardee (2007-08) squeezes in an hour to mow the lawn, trim his plants and repot it. “As my wife and I derive immense pleasure from gardening, it is not a big task to run such a garden,” he says.