New Beginnings

Every new beginning involves change. Some to look forward to and others maybe not so pleasant. But it's our intrinsic nature to resist change. Maybe because they are unpredictable or they carry with them many uncertainties.

When we decided to move to Punjabi Bagh, both myself and my mother-in-law vehemently opposed the shift for it was not just a house we were to leave behind but a plethora of memories that we'd carefully built over the years - bit by bit, moment by moment, laughter by laughter, with few heartaches & tears too thrown in. It was not the love for four walls or an empty structure that was causing the tears to flow or an unexplainable heaviness in the heart but the grief of parting with the soul of our cozy space.

We moved into a new home but what we left behind was a home rich with memories, and a 500 square yard terrace full of my potted babies! I had spent not hours or days or months but years upon years tending to my plant babies thus (understandably) was reluctant to leave my prized possession behind as there was no way I could house 150-200 odd varieties in a meager space constricted to three balconies!

Nevertheless, the shift brought with it, its own happy tidings - bigger space, better neighborhood, the company of lovely people, and the beginning of some lasting friendships. Albeit it took away from me, my well-crafted urban jungle, and along with it my green fingers too! In absence of 'natural' cheerer-uppers, I started hoarding the 'artificial' ones to uplift all the dead spaces (shaft, backyard, utility area, stairs) ranging from a few stems to a complete vertical garden replete with a waterfall. But from the time we’d moved here, to the years that followed, there was not a single day when my heart didn’t long to turn the soil, grab the dirt, shear the leaves, dig the mud, pot the pleasures, or revel in the joy of watching the tiny saplings grow. Often I'd wonder if I'd lost the green touch and would itch to run my fingers through the soil again.
Green fingers or not, it took me six long years to decide that I wanted to turn whatever limited space I had, into a plant-loving home, just like old times.
Click this link to catch a glimpse of the terrace garden I'd painstakingly crafted and nurtured at our ancestral home.

Returning to the present, a visit to the Banjara market got me enough pots, to begin with. Youtube came in handy for gardening tips for beginners. A large chunk of vital information came from Rishabh, an ex-Columbian and an enterprising nursery owner from whom I’d purchased most of my plants. (there’s a link to his insta-handle at the end.)
The first place I wanted to work upon was my library, an obvious choice since most of my waking hours were spent here. I decided to turn it into a little green sanctuary. The minute I saw the twisted sansevieria cylindrica, I knew it had to go on my study. To match its exotic beauty, adonson's monstrea looked just perfect. I added a few succulents and voila, my den, happy with its makeover, grinningly winked back at me, haha!
Next on the list were bathrooms. A few succulents and some tropical plants did the trick. Prettily perched on the countertops, they sure seemed to be enjoying all the fuss and attention.
Our lazy lounger sleeping in one extreme corner of the living room came alive simply by sharing the space with a giant areca palm & a spread-out pink aglaonema. It had never looked more inviting!
The kitchen, my favorite place of them all, was where I enjoyed placing the pots the most. On the tea station, next to the detox water, by my ceramic pots, on the open shelves, the countertop, fridge top, by the sink, I placed them almost everywhere. It seemed as if missing pieces of a beautiful puzzle had finally come together.
They say green is one of the most calming colors on the spectrum, alleviating anxiety and inducing tranquillity. The energies of green bring harmony and balance to the mind, the body, the emotions, and even the electromagnetic field. No wonder it's placed at the center of the spectrum and is the color of our heart chakra, the seat of love.
I've not even begun to attune myself to its energies and I can already feel a positive flow in and around our home. My heart is bursting with happy vibes. Once again it's a new beginning but this time I'm all set to trust the magic of beginnings.

Pots: Banjara Market
Plants: https://www.instagram.com/instagardenindia/