Innovative urban Gardens

In today’s increasingly urbanized world with ever increasing growth of populations, the luxury of  having a garden where one can have some beautiful flowers or seasonal vegetables has become a distant dream.

With the very limited space at one’s disposal one has to come up with innovative ways of  growing things at home. If you have the luxury of a terrace, which we normally use for drying clothes on ugly clotheslines, or use them as secondary dumping grounds for useless things, but things hard to get rid of because of emotional attachments..well, its time to get rid of them and set up a terrace garden. The concept of terrace garden has caught up in many cities and the design, layout, landscaping, accessories… all depends on how deep your pocket is, the rest is left to the imagination- almost anything is possible.

Secondly, one can use containers for growing things. Pots have been the age old companions, however, one can use and recycle things like old tyres, split bamboos etc as containers. They may be hung or fitted along boundary walls, tree branches… The recycled containers like old tyres, bamboos may be beautifully decorated to give a pleasing look.

Another method is having compartmentalised, raised beds for crops, especially herbs and other vegetables.

Just remember:

• if you are having a terrace garden, make sure you have taken care of the roof against leaking
• ensure proper drainage by making slopes, outlets, judicial use of water etc
• be careful of the soil used as you won’t be growing the crops at “normal” conditions. They should be extra nourished and rich in nutrients
• be as organic as possible, in choice of fertilizers and/or pesticides

Well, a garden is a great place to relax after a hard days work. And if you can pluck a few beans, tomatoes, coriander while relaxing at the comfort of home, well, the economy would look up sooner rather than later!!

Personally, by the grace of god, I do have a large house with ample lawns and kitchen gardens. But I still utilize all the space available, including the terrace to grow flowers and vegetables…

Some of the veggies from my kitchen garden, especially for my manipuri palate, include: (for the flowers pics, go to the picture gallery…)

hangam (manipuri variety)           shougri

the u-morok                      morok atekpa

beans                                          beans

hawai mubi                         tengnou-manbi

bhelandri                                          shingju paan

yendem                                     yendem

nakupi                                    nakupi

napakpi                                   nungshi hidak

fadigom                           tilhou macha

tokningkok                                mayangton