BENGALURU: The lockdown didn’t just heal nature but also helped Bengalureans grow closer to it. While some planted kitchen gardens, others found  a verdant and peaceful spot for ‘me time’ while being confined indoors 

Manasa B Thakur has always had a few plants at home but they’ve become an even more integral part of her life since the lockdown. The plant lover, who earlier had only one or two plants, today owns close to 40. The 31-year-old says, “I have a small kitchen garden where I have okra, eggplant, green chillies and different herbs.” Besides being a techie, she is also a food blogger with a YouTube channel, where she shares recipes. “Whenever I use my herb plants as a prop, it lifts the whole mood of the video I shoot or photo I take.” 

Thakur is not alone. Many like her have grown a green thumb in order to make the lockdown more bearable. Case in point: Rashmi Nath Sinha, who has brought 30 plants during the lockdown. The home-baker has made a ‘happy corner’ in her house, complete with ample sunlight and her plants. It’s no surprise that the spot soon emerged as her favourite for some ‘me time’ but now, the place is often taken over by her husband or her son. “The plants cut many negativity or stress around. My husband may not agree with that but I know it’s a fact,” says Sinha, who did most of her plant shopping online since nurseries too are going digital. 

For Ashtha Pawar, her visits to a local nursery was easily a weekly highlight, a joy that was  taken away because of the lockdown.  The 31-year old-marketing professional was pleasantly surprised to see nurseries deliver plants home with all safety precautions. “I have two balconies and both of them are filled with plants. The hall alone has 17 plants. Gardening is not just a passion but also therapy. Since travelling and stepping out of home was not allowed during the lockdown, shuffling the plants in the room transported us to a new place,” says Pawar. 

growing a green thumb
Divya Shirodkar, who originally hails from Goa, co-founded Happily Planted, an online nursery, with a Russian-origin Elena Revinskaya. They launched this venture during the lockdown and were glad to see people’s growing interest in adding plants to their home décor. Some of the plants that are fast moving, according to Shirodkar, are philodendron, foliage plants and creepers. For the time strapped, she suggests succulents and rare cacti that are resilient and do not need much maintenance. If you are looking to add plants to your décor, there are three thumb rules they suggest: Look for a bright space to place the plant, make sure the plant is in a visible spot, and lastly, select the plant according to the time you can spend looking after it.