Tribune News Service
Amritsar, June 14
Minna Bagga, Assistant Professor of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, SR Government College for Women, feels that one’s garden radiates immense spiritual energy. Nature has every element required to refresh, reinvent your soul and body. Hence, she believes in nurturing her garden with great care.
“My love for gardening runs in the family as my parents has always been avid gardeners. We grew up to love flowers. Surrounded by the lush colorful plants gave a fillip to our spirits. We automatically absorbed the beauty of nature into our growing minds. This was the osmosis which encouraged an aesthetic and spiritual love for nature which my brother and I share. For us it is a very relaxing and soul satisfying hobby,” she said. Minna is a member of several flower and gardening societies, including Dalhia Society, Amritsar Chapter, Gardening and Green India, the Adenium Group India and Euphorbia Group India.
“I have tried my hand at growing different varieties of flowers such as gerberas, carnations, chrysanthemums and annuals. But these days, I concentrate on growing adeniums or dessert roses as they are popularly known, succulents, indoor plants and bonsai. Recently, I have learnt to make ‘Kokedama’ a variety of Japanese bonsai out of native varieties of plants. I love to make fresh and dry flower arrangements and have won many prizes. I have helped my students also to participate and win top prizes in youth festivals,” she says.
She is also a votary of using organic material such as cocopeat, vermicompost, perlite, neem cakes, etc, for gardening. “I am happy to note that the younger generation is also turning towards this fulfilling hobby, yet, many efforts have to be made to make people realise the value of green environs. Oxygen generating plants are a fad now-a-days. They help in purifying the environment.”