Anyone who feels one can’t have a garden living in a flat, needs to visit Geetali Chakravartty. Her DB Block apartment is beautiful but more than curios and showpieces, the credit goes to her plants. She has them on the staircase landing, windowsill, in between furniture…all contributing with their varied textures and shades. And all this alongside the treasure of pots in the balcony and terrace.

Whenever we’re driving over to a nursery, my husband repeats the same line to me over and over again: “Don’t think of buying more plants; you already have too many!”

My son has the same song on his lips when I seek his help to change the position of heavy pots. But I’m incorrigible and continue to look for new plants wherever I go. There’s no joy like watching a flower bloom! 

I like growing seasonal flowers like Phlox, Petunias and Calendulas, leafy varieties like Money Plants and Snake Plants and fragrant flowers like Jui, Belle and Gandharaj. One of my favourite plants is this one I have on my staircase. It bears clusters of white flowers from pods in winter and releases a thick nectar that’s nothing short of sugar syrup.

In the balcony, I have cacti and succulents in pots and hanging baskets. Among bonsais, I have a Japanese Banyan and a 15-year-old Tamarind that the gardener and I are pruning, tying and toiling over to give shape to. 

I don’t grow too many fruits and vegetables as they take up a lot of space. Still, we have Lemons, Clementines, Capsicums, Tomatoes, Chillis and Pui Shak. 

Our building lies on the Metro channel and of late the pollution here has increased manifold. The leaves are getting covered with a coat of dust and grease. So I’m eagerly awaiting the monsoons now as the rains will wash the greens and breathe freshness into the plants. 

As told to Brinda Sarkar 

lIf you have a garden you are proud of and tend to yourself, send your contact number to 
The Telegraph Salt Lake, 6, Prafulla Sarkar Street, Calcutta 700001 or call 22600115 after 4pm or email to saltlake@abpmail.com