Anantapur: The eye feasting tall flower and fruit plants at the large nursery on the Bangalore road entices people who pass by, to green their front and backyards of their houses.

Raghavenndra who manages the nursery is happy at people's new found love for fruits and flowers bearing plants. A decade ago, this was unthinkable in the town. Income generation in every home has brought in new tastes and culture that is prevalent in coastal districts, at one time, he said.

For Vijayalakshmi, a housewife in Sharadanagar Colony in the town, gardening was her first love. She says that she is able to see a marked change in the tastes of people of the district as everyone is attracted towards fruit trees and flower plantations.

Tens of nurseries have sprung up in the town and women are making a beeline to these nurseries to buy plants. Two decades ago, one had to search for a shade giving tree in the town, says a retired government official Rama Rao.

There are now 15 nurseries selling flower, ornamental and fruit-bearing plants to residents for planting them at their houses. Besides, the municipal corporation is also engaged in greening of main roads, road dividers and in the avenues.

There are nurseries set up on the government hospital road, court road, Bangalore road and even railway station roads with scores of nurseries operated by people from Kadiyam in East Godavari district and Nellore district.

Veeranna and Obuleshu running nurseries on the Kalyandurgam road says that every week lorry loads of plants arrive from Kadiyam. The plants which are in demand include 10 feet long mango plants, Guava, Berry(neredu), Banana and Papaya plants which are ready for plantation. These plants reach fruit-bearing stage within six months to one year and therefore are in high demand. They revealed that for setting up a nursery, they invested Rs.4 lakhs for setting up pillars, trays, plastic sheets, bore-well and shade net etc.

The horticulture and forest departments are also running its own nurseries for supply of plantation to farmers. The department has a berry nursery in Hindupur, Pomegranate in Kuderu, Mango plants in Anantapur and Papaya at Chigicherla. The department is also promoting low cost shade net nurseries by offering subsidies and incentives etc.

Swetha, a house wife from Vidhyuthnagar in the city stated that she is very enthusiastic about her backyard flowers and fruits garden. Domestic gardens are creating a serene atmosphere and a cool climate during summer season. Besides they are adding color to life, adds Swetha while talking to 'The Hans India' at the local nursery.