“I am a Career Counsellor, teacher, traveller and an avid Gardener. I have a terrace garden (2200 square feet) on the 7th floor where I grow more than 25 varieties of organic fruits and vegetables.
I was always fond of plants and when we bought the penthouse, I started gardening and growing vegetables. I was inspired by my grandmother and mother who were both into growing organic food.
Our apartment is in the middle of a concrete jungle. The biggest hurdle I face is extreme weather conditions in Kanpur where temperature ranges from upto 50 degree Celsius in summers to 3 degrees Celsius in winters. The concrete floor gets heated up and burns all the delicate plants. Though we got water proofing done on the terrace floor, sometimes there is seepage from the terrace into our house.
I haven't used any synthetic chemicals in the past 21 years and I make my own compost with biodegradable kitchen and garden waste. There is nothing like freshly picked organically grown vegetables and fruits from the garden making directly to the kitchen.
My efforts have been recognized by various digital and print media and radio platforms and it makes me happy that I have been able to motivate some other people to pursue this hobby.
Nature teaches us and inspires us a lot. Due to this pandemic lockdown period, mother nature has healed herself to some extent and given us a second chance to bring back the beauty of the Mother Earth and preserve it to the best of our ability.”
