Why do people need gardens? As far as doctors are concerned, they believe that they are good for mental and physical health. At least Shobha Chakravarty, a gynaecologist leading a hectic life believes so. Though she hardly tends to her plants on the weekdays, the few hours spent in her three gardens on weekends are more than a cathartic experience.

Her weekdays are busy enough ? around 7.30 in the morning she leaves her home. Returns around 5 o?clock and rushes to her chamber where patients are already waiting for her. But her home on Booty Road, a short distance from Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, bears her stamp and the proof of her love for nature on its corners. As mentioned before, Chakravarty is the proud owner of three gardens ? one before her home, a smaller one adjacent to the outhouse and a third one that is also a part of the complex that houses her chamber and a hall for academic discussions. The most striking feature of all three is the lush green and soft Korean grass carpet that invites all visitors to stay a while and have a cup of tea. And Chakravarty agrees ? to her nothing is more relaxing and invigorating than a stroll in the garden after the morning?s cup.

My garden: I feel happy and content when I am in my garden. After working for hours I find that this space provides me the best opportunity for recreation. It is relaxing to be able to spend some time in the company of the beautiful flowers. Right from my childhood, flowers and plants have been a passion. But my profession is such that it leaves me very little time to indulge in it. Reading books and working in the garden were favourites always and yet, today, I have very little time for any. Though books may wait, watering the plants, providing them with proper diet or fertilisers and keeping them healthy with pesticides and regular trimming can not. These are the ABCs of a good plant health that any gardener must follow.

I come into my garden every morning after my morning cup of tea. For some strange reason I never developed the habit of drinking it in the garden. I walk around the garden for an hour or so, talking to my gardener. A sort of an inspection, a time when I don?t touch the plants myself unless there?s some sort of emergency.

But the second half of a Sunday is reserved only for the gardens. During that time I meddle with my plants, a trim here and a snip there.

Though as a doctor I am supposed to be good with names, I am rather awful with botanical ones and can?t recall a single name of any plant.

But I remember what?s important, the characteristics ? what makes them grow, what harms them ? in that aspect they are every bit like my children or my patients should I say.

Over the years I have added some 200 varieties. Though keeping them together is some task, I never felt the need to consult any expert in landscaping, for an individual?s garden should be the reflection of that person?s taste and personality. Thereby whatever good, or not-so-good, that is here, is me and myself alone. I do have a weakness for bonsais and I have a collection of some very old trees.