She nurtures ‘test-tube plants’

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 11

While everybody has heard of test-tube babies, ‘test-tube plants’ is a trend which is yet to pick up in the district, but Reena Gupta (50), a homemaker-turned entrepreneur, has nurtured these miniature beauties very meticulously and is giving gardening goals to many. She is also known for her vertical gardening skills. From utilising coconut shells to test tubes used in the hospitals, she makes the best out of waste and decorates her green bed.

Though she grew up watching her ancestors grow vegetables and fruits at home, she discovered her green thumb at a very young age. “I never forget to shop plants and saplings from the places we visit on the family trips,” added Reena. She turned the space outside the entrance of her house into a green spot in the year 2000. With over 200 plants and planters, her house is a delight to watch.

“Nothing gives me more peace than nurturing plants and increasing the green cover around my house. It feels like finding solace in green heaven. Nothing calms me more than seeing the buds grow out of a plant tended by you. They give you hope,” said Gupta.

Among the variety of planters she has, piggy banks converted into planters, test tube planters on a cup stand, banyan tree bonsai village, living stone plant (lithops) succulents and cacti garden, broken pot garden, ceramic cups and pots, vessels formed of baked clay, used trays and kithchen containers and broken pots corner enhances beauty to her green delight.

Apart from the regular decorative plants, her miniature garden also houses various types of succulents, cactus, wild flowers, stone plants and vertical plants. Gupta, a resident of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Nagar near Sodhal also says that there is no better gift for your friends and family than a plant.

She revisited her hobby of painting in the beginning of 2019 also and by the time pandemic knocked onto our lives, she regained her flair for giving colors to her imagination. While facemasks have become a basic necessity in these trying times, she adds a pinch of her dyes and crayons to make them look more vibrant. If given a chance, nobody would refuse to wear a mask, if its painted by her.