Ivy Chatterjee By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: “I’m always delighted to follow green paths, pausing every now and then to take in fragrances,” says 45-year-old Parveen Singh. Originally from Haryana, she grew up surrounded by lush and open fields. But, she never thought of gardening until after her marriage.

Motivated by her husband, who did his post-graduation in plant pathology, she started gardening unsure how well she would do. Soon she bagged the first-prize in a district-level contest.

She believes you must pick plants that suits the climate and availability of water. Therefore, she prefers growing perennial plants and trees. In and around her home there are gulmohar trees which provide shade and aesthetic pleasure. She grows pumpkin, bottlegourd, banana, jamun, burflower and cashew nuts, among others.

Parveen has used a section of her compound to to grow fruits, vegetables and herbs, and another section for roses in varied colours including red, crimson, yellow, white and cream.Gardens demand love and patience. Parveen is very conscious of the damage poor soil quality, insects, low lighting and inadequate water can cause her plants. She, along with her domestic help, makes compost from kitchen waste. She explains, “Weeds and termites slow down a plant’s growth but I do not use pesticides. It is harmful for the environment and one’s health,” she says. “Weeds are picked by hand and to keep termites out, we dig a hole into the soil and pour water mixed with organic pest control medicine into it.”

She uses her harvest to make jams, chutneys and health drinks.Parveen believes in encouraging everyone to garden and gifts people plants for their birthdays. As a resident of National Industrial Security Academy, a training centre for paramilitary force, she has been trying to green the largely concreted space. She is currently planning to install a rainwater-harvesting system here, to tackle scarcity of water. Her pet rabbits skip around in the garden.

She has designed this space with ornamental plants such as palm, Indian basil, aloe vera, dark purple opal, bougainvillea, marigold and daisy. Parveen has also added colourful planters and garden swings in her backyard, where she enjoys her morning coffee, does yoga and listens to retro music. She says, “I feel contentment rising up from my toes, awakening my body and escaping as a wide smile on my face… This is what Nature does for you.”