My garden inspires and motivates me. I like to have green all around. Be it in my office, factory or home, I need to be in the midst of nature always.”

Mahendra Kumar Jalan sits in his 11th floor penthouse overlooking 4,700 sq ft of uninterrupted, lush green. When he moved into this Belvedere Road residence in 1991, he chose the top floor of Sreeram Gardens because the adjoining roof-space was perfect for a terrace garden.

“My garden is not for show. It’s made according to my tastes, which is why you won’t find exotic imported plants here, nor a thick carpet of Chinese grass. I have ensured that I use only what suits my taste and not that of my visitors,” says he of the place that serves as his platform for early morning meditation and exercise.

But the modesty belies the magnificence of the collection, with over 1,400 plants including bonsai, cacti and palms of various kinds.

“Those who live amidst nature have nothing artificial about them,” reasons Jalan. Even his latest housing project, he adds, has kept “80 per cent of the landed area out of reach of concrete”.

In fact, the freshness his garden emanates helps him think clearer and de-stress, he emphasises. “It’s been over 14 years since we moved into this house, but the garden looks as fresh as ever,” says a proud Jalan.

Whys and whats…

“It’s the most relaxing place in the whole house. My son Mayank and I have hosted parties on the terrace and they always go off very well. The city does not need any more concrete. What it needs is more and more greenery and proper use of natural resources. The younger generation is going in for these plush homes. Even if they have a little space, they should create at least a small green corner. Anyone who has a car should have at least two plants,” he says.

Terrace gardens can be of two types — planted or potted. The upkeep of the planted variety requires more care and effort. This involves making a bed of soil on the terrace on which the greens are planted, which is more difficult to maintain and can be a little dangerous for the building once the roots spread.

A bed of grass is fine as the roots don’t take on major dimensions, but sometimes a larger plant might have to be removed if the roots are strong enough to crack the floor beneath the soil.

Potted plants are easier to maintain. In Jalan’s house only the bed of grass is planted, everything else — hedges to smaller plants — is potted.

The artificial soil needed for the planted version is not easy to make. The most important aspect is to get a proper drainage system in place so that when the plants are watered, the water can be channelled out, otherwise it’ll start seeping through the terrace floor.

Layers of sand, pebbles and at least two feet of fertile mud on top is required to get the artificial soil in place.

Every two years, the weight of the whole body of the garden has to be measured to ensure that it’s not becoming too burdensome for the building on which it is.

Choose the right plants. If you are a person who believes in flower power then you could go for seasonal flowers. However for a large part of the year, the flowers are not in bloom and the garden looks dull.

So, it actually makes more sense to have green plants which are soothing for the eyes and the look of the garden remains more or less the same.

Dos and don’ts...

• Roof has to be waterproof and given a protective surface.

• Water drainage has to be effective.

• Junction between the roof slab and parapet wall must have a rounded surface.

• The door between roof and landing should open outwards if it is on the same level and must have a sill.

• The rainwater pipes must be covered with gratings and cleaned regularly.

Glimpses

Clockwise from above

• The rooftop offers a splendid view of the Calcutta skyline. The statuettes placed at various points in the garden have been picked up from Orissa.

• There was once a fountain here which is now closed.

• The glass-walled conference room on the same level as the terrace offers a grand view of the greens.

• The terrace garden is the favourite haunt of Jalan’s son and daughter-in-law, Mayank and Neha, for hosting parties.