She owns a garden for all seasons

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 22

Residing on the second floor of a flat with not much sprawling space to grow plants does not deter Harleen Gulria from pursuing her passion for gardening.

Her abode at Green Model Town has more than 120 potted plants ranging from medicinal herbs to organically grown vegetables and several seasonal flowers. As the winter has set in, her pansies, marigolds, chrysanthemums have already started blooming. “When I come out in my balcony and stand amid these flowers to sit in my cup of tea every morning and evening, I really enjoy the fragrance of these flowers. It is so refreshing,” she quips.

Serving as Deputy Director at Innocent Hearts School, she says that she enjoys spending her evenings and Sundays to repot the plants, sow new seeds, and shift them around for a better arrangement. “Since both my daughters are married and busy with their own lives, gardening has become my favourite time pass. I have been keeping plants for more than 15 years but I have increased the number more recently. I am also up cycling all those items in the house which can be used as planters starting from curd pots, bottles, disposable ice cream buckets, bath tubs and even steel utensils,” she tells.

Gulria shared, “I know which plants can be regenerated from twigs and which ones from roots, seeds etc. I keep on multiplying them and even share them with my friends whenever they want a similar variety. My tulsi, mint and curry leaves are doing really well. My hibiscus shrubs with a variety of different colours have always been the main attraction. I have some permanently growing bushes and shrubs but it is the seasonal flowers which give me more joy. I am especially fond of winter flowers and waiting to see my dahlias, sweet peas and dog flowers to bloom as well as the winter progresses.”