A kaleidoscope of colours

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 3

Lockdown gave ample time to people of all walks of life to explore their creativity and give wings to their hobbies.

One such family in Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar is of Bhatias’ which used this time to set up an exquisite garden with the collection of plants from every nook and cranny of the country! From the Ghuar Moti (in the Kutch district of Gujarat) to Chakum Pass, they are proud owners of all kinds of plants.

Dr Achla Bhatia, a former college Principal, and her family members joined in to set up a picturesque and scenic composition in the vacant spaces around their home. Now, their bougainvillea belt stretches to the roof atop. The snake plant popularly called `The Mother- in-laws tongue’ trenches its way around. The ficus bushes are making deep inroads into the rock-strewn wall with the togetherness of the desert plant adenium. Not only this, several varieties of roses at their home have been adding to the hues of their garden.

Bhatia proudly shows her floral paradise, “I have managed to get plants of diverse traits ranging from the appealing dollar plant, cheese plant, dracaena, spider lily, golden pothos, money plant and jade plant. Besides, I also got many medicinal plants primarily aloe vera, ajwain, elaichi, holy basil, mint and lemon etc recommended for good health and efficacy.”

It being the onset of summer season, she already has flowers such as zenia, sunroses, jasmine, periwinkle, trumpet vine, roses, lilies, portulaca and sadabahar. The ornamental Bonsai plants adorning her garden include those of ficus, adenium, banyan, mango and jamun, which surely invite the attention of many passers-by.

Besides the variety of plants, the stone-sculpted cats, the statuette two-horned bull and a collection of captivating clay pottery are eye catchers for everyone getting a glance into Bhatia’s floral paradise. It is in fact home to a several aesthetic collections of driftwood lamps and artistic tables that have been decorating corners and spaces of the house, besides various quarters to create positive vibes in the garden. Earthen lamps, clay mounds, terracotta pots from the shore of the river-banks to the mountainous ranges of the Himalayas speak volumes about the sparkling resourcefulness. Another distinguishing feature of their botanic paradise is the setting up of the compost pit from the kitchen and garden waste which is converted into manure.

Achla Bhatia’s son and practising lawyer Sameer Bhatia tells that the best thing that he likes since the makeover of the garden is the squeak of the squirrels, the coo of the pigeons, squawk of the parrots besides the low-pitched whistle of the various birds clustering around the green belt in the early morning. “Despite our hectic schedules, we all love to nurture this space and enjoy its serenity, efflorescence and blossoming every morning and evening”, he said. He praises his mom for being an educationist by vocation, a poetess by heart and a gardenerette by passion. “Winner of the `Women of the Year in Education’ in 2008, she still is an exemplar to many in pursuit of pioneering the true meaning of life”.