They have a house in Jadavpur, but as it does not have garden space, they keep returning to their Salt Lake home. Siddhartha Basu is a plant physiologist by profession and, clearly, by passion too. Despite dividing their time between two houses, he has planned it in such a way that there is greenery in the house throughout the year, with seasonal flowers adding
colour in winter.
I grew up in Jhargram—riding on buffalo backs, playing the flute, and wandering through sal forests. Not only was I surrounded by nature, but my father would also grow trees at home. I remember plucking sweet potatoes from our garden and the cold slithering touch of a snake that I brushed against by mistake. Then in college, I flirted with different streams before finally finding my calling in horticulture, specialising in ……”
We moved to Salt Lake in 2000, and my brief to the architects was clear: the interiors need not be lavish, but from the outside the house must look opulent. To achieve that, they designed ample gardening space around the house.
Morning Glories outside his house
My wife and I oscillate between our two homes in the city, and we are never quite sure how long each stay will be. I planned for this early on and created flower beds on the terrace using a mix of soil, vermicompost, charcoal, and the like. It’s a potent organic mixture that allows water to percolate well and also retain moisture. Otherwise, the soil would crack if I was away at the other house for long stretches.
The system works beautifully. Usually, work on Petunias must begin by late September or October but this time I started only in November and am thrilled with how well they turned out. I chose Petunias because they require less effort and can thrive even if I’m not around. Dahlias and Chrysanthemums on the other hand would need watering twice a day. One secret with Petunias is to gently pluck out a flower once it dries — then another blooms in its place.
We also have a rare white Aparajita, but it’s in the terrace. I don’t like keeping flowering plants outside as morning walkers steal them. But then there was a Morning Glory that grew so aggressively that I had to move it out. In the driveway, there are Heliconia and foliage like Crotons and Dracaena as they are less likely to be pilfered and also do well if I’m away for a while.
As a landscape gardening expert, I appreciate the landscaping in the twin township, especially Eco Park. Perhaps it would be even better if concretisation was minimised.
As told to Brinda Sarkar