Growing up in the lush green tea plantations of Assam, Gargi Bhuyan, a software professional, relocated to Bangalore and found a way to incorporate some of that missing greenery in her apartment. She started with a balcony garden. Blessed with a green thumb, her plants thrived happily enough attracting enough attention and appreciation that she was encouraged to start a blog, sharing tips and information on small gardens meant for the urban dweller. Then she was inspired to downsize even further, creating tiny landscapes that could even fit into a five-inch tea cup — gardens that could be pruned with hand scissors and raked with a kitchen fork. “They’re inexpensive, can be created in a few hours, are accessible for all ages, and appeal to seniors who have had to give up their gardens … they’re so doable,” she beams.
Getting creative
Bhuyan adds pathways, patios, swimming pools, bird houses, picket fences, itty-bitty furniture and layered plantings — from ground covers to the tiniest of trees. “The trick is to use plants that not only start out small but grow very, very slowly. I customise each one to suit my clients’ taste and lifestyle,” says Bhuyan, who does not restrict her customers to Bangalore alone. “I will not be able to create a garden for you if you’re based outside Bangalore. But I am open to consulting,” she says, adding that with a few instructions, you can create a garden of your own. But even in her magical world of miniature gardens, Bhuyan is a realist. She likes to set a scene and create a garden that she’d love to be in herself. Now, if only she could get her hands on Alice’s shrinking potion. Prices start at Rs. 500. Details: gargi@gardenfairy.in