There are two ways to spot Debashis Das’s house on his GD Block street. One is to look out for the board of MB Homeo Enterprise. The other equally eye-catching trick is to look for the house with three lovely patches of green outside. Das runs several businesses and is occupied round the clock, but such is his passion for plants that he tends to them before work, after work and, if needed, in between work too. From pink Rangans and purple Orchids to bonsais and foliage plants, he grows them all.

When I started gardening some 15 years ago, I was armed with infinite love for plants but limited knowledge. So I appointed a gardener who would come all the way from the Agri-Horticultural Society of India in Alipore. I would sit with him on Sundays and watch him work.

Initially, I asked him to plant Marigolds, Dahlias and Chrysanthemums — the flowers I found the prettiest. But these were seasonals, and once winter bowed out, I started diversifying. Now the backyard has Adeniums, Chiku, and Lemons. But a towering Krishnachura tree has come up in the park behind our house, blocking direct sunlight to this patch, so I don’t expect much fruit from these.

Orchids smile down from his balcony

There was a time when the balcony alone had 200 pots. I used to water them with a hosepipe, but didn’t realise that the muddy water was ruining the marble underneath. It was also difficult to keep moving the heavy pots about to give them sun and shade alternately. So I’ve shifted most of them to the ground floor. Still, my wife taunts that I’ve turned the house into a nursery!

We have Togors that we offer for puja, and also smaller Chinese Togors in the balcony. There are Lilies, Monstera, Curry Leaves and a Lemon plant that bears so many fruits we never need to buy from the market. There are also several water plants that beautify while being zero-maintenance. I never thought I could grow delicate plants like Orchids, but inspired and guided by my friends from Bidhannagar Horticultural Society, I’ve succeeded and am even training bonsais now.

The front yard had a much bigger garden, but I sacrificed much of it. Patients visiting my medicine shop and the doctors’ chamber would have to wait outside in the heat, so I converted a part of the patch into a shed for them. But the remaining space has Rangans, foliage and a striking Manasa plant. Now, patients say they have no qualms waiting, as the view around is so beautiful.

As told to Brinda Sarkar