The terraces of Chennai are increasingly becoming green havens.
Residents living in individual homes as well as apartment complexes are putting open spaces to good use as terrace gardening catches up.
G. Ramakrishnan, a horticulturist, says his phone does not stop ringing these days, with people calling him up with doubts on mastering the art of terrace gardening.
With the space allotted to gardens in apartments rapidly shrinking, the terrace is being transformed to make up for the lack of green spaces.
People prefer to grow vegetables and ornamental plants, says Mr. Ramakrishnan. “Brinjal, ladiesfinger, tomato, mint, coriander, green chilli and curry leaves are staples one sees in the city. Moreover, these are all grown organically so people get toxin-free vegetables at the end of the day. With prices soaring, growing one’s own vegetables is never a bad idea,” he says.
Padma Naik, a resident of CIT Colony who also nurtures a terrace garden, says: “All you need is the interest and a little time. Once you start looking after plants, they almost become like your own children. Right now, my garden is in full bloom as many of the plants are in flowering stage.”
Mr. Ramakrishnan says there are certain things people should keep in mind. “Being on the terrace, the plants require frequent watering, at least twice a day during summer. Getting the right containers for each plant is also very important. Moreover, when travelling, people must find someone to maintain the garden, otherwise many plants could wither. This is a challenge even I grapple with, with my own terrace garden,” he says.
