Gardening is not just a source of pleasure for Durga Sankar Roy, it is also his way of exercise. After all he goes up to his terrace garden at least 10 times a day. And the effort shows. His garden is truly an oasis in the midst of Kestopur’s concrete jungle. He has corners for fruits, vegetables, flowers, bonsai and Orchids — lots and lots of Orchids. 

One of the plants under my care that I’m most proud of is the Dendrobium Nobile variety of Orchid. One has to be so patient and particular with Orchids that I waited seven years before these star-shaped flowers bloomed. 

Then again there are plants like Kamini and Karipata that I never planted at all! Birds must have dropped their seeds in my pots and now they’re part of the family. 

I hope the winter chill sets in quickly as there are flowers like Dahlias and Chrysanthemums waiting to bloom and vegetables like Tomatoes ready to grow. Tomatoes grow so well in our garden that we don’t need to buy them  at all between January and May.  

We also have Onion, Capsicum, Guava, Lemon and Dragonfruit — a new plant I’m trying to grow. This grows abundantly in southeast Asia and is delicious. 

Some of my Banyan and Pakur bonsais date back to the 1980s but I’m also trying a new one with Tamarind. For this, I’ve tied together four or five plants hoping they grow thick as a unit in some years.

I have a Lily pool too with a Tilapia fish in it and birds like Moutushi and Tuntuni are frequent visitors, sucking nectar from the flowers. 

Among flowers are Hibiscus, Sunflower, Adenium and Bougainvillea. In fact there’s a whole Bougainvillea corner that’s so colourful that my nephew once studied its photograph and asked me whether the picture was Photoshopped.

As told to Brinda Sarkar

♦ If 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