-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Read Valmiki Faleiro's latest column on Goa's traffic entitled: | | | | Goa's appalling road sense - 1 | | http://www.goanet.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=418 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flower power
Ashok Dande shows Reema Kamat the arid patch of land that he transformed into a plant lover's paradise. A once-barren piece of land in Nagali, Taleigao, now stands transformed into a lush farmhouse garden, with the exclusive practice of organic farming. The winding paths along lush green carpets of fine blends of grass, colourful rock gardens in different settings, a specially designed pond with cascading water and gracefully floating lilies, exuberantly fruiting coconut palms, varieties of ornamental plants with lush green foliage, are some of the special attractions of this aesthetically laid garden and farmhouse. This is the garden of Ashok Dande, specialist in landscape gardening, horticulture and rock gardens. "A beautiful garden is a work of art. When designing a garden, one has to keep in mind personal preferences of aesthetics. Important to take into account is the position and movement of the sun during the year, technical aspects like the point of fulcrum and focal spot, demarcation of recreation area, etc." He is passionate about gardening because he feels we owe it to nature and society to keep the greens alive. THE MOST striking aspect of the garden is the burst of colour it is. "I have over 300 varieties of plants. I don't keep ordinary varieties, I prefer something unusual, something rare like hybrid anthuriums, orchids, crotons, exoras etc. Effectively, there are about 10,000 plants in my garden. Though my garden may seem a bit crammed, it is that way because it is designed to be a kind of landscape showroom." The varieties have been specially obtained by Dande from all over India. THE LIME TREE is bursting with bunches of the fruit and it is quite a pleasant deviation from seeing it in a basket at the marketplace. "I'm very proud of the yield that my tree produces because it is achieved by using compost manure, a basic solution to our garbage menace. Also, I talk to my plants, I touch them and handle them like they are children. Plants have extra-sensory perception and can perceive the affection in human touch. They bloom when treated humanely." LOCATED CENTRALLY in the garden is the artificial pond, which doesn't look artificial at all, incidentally. "The pipes and apparatus used to operate the pump that keeps recycling the cascading water have been hidden from view. Also, I have introduced lotus leaves and water plants and keep the look natural. There are some fishes in the pond too; these consume the mosquito larvae and algae and thus prevent the stagnation of water." THERE ARE ALSO rock gardens all over, that look quite elaborate, but are in fact very simple to assemble and maintain, says Dande. "All you have to do is imitate nature. People think putting together a bunch of stones makes a rock garden. But it is not so. You have to select the right type and size of stones to prepare landings or steps for them to rest securely. Special basins have to be made and crevices have to be packed with nothing but coconut fibre so that excess water filters out without taking away the soil." ONE FEATURE of the garden is that the placement of the placement of the plants is mobile and Dande affirms that this aids in changing the appearance and course of the structures overnight, if wanted. "This is possible mainly because we have introduced very little concrete and strived to keep everything natural. The concept revolves around arrangements and not construction of structures." Natural material like all kinds of rocks and boulders have been used to assemble them. Even mundane objects have been utilised; a grinding stone serves as a bird feeder. -- Would you like your home or part of your home to be featured on this page? Write to us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with subject-line HOME DECOR or via snail mail to GT Weekender Look, Gomantak Bhavan, St Inez, Panjim. Please include your phone number and a couple of photographs. (WEEKENDER/GOMANTAK TIMES) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 8000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. Send feedback to goanet@goanet.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. ----------------------------------------------------------------------