Roots, shoots and a table top

Just because you live on the fourteenth floor doesn’t mean you can’t have tea in your own garden

As living spaces get smaller and farther away from the ground, the thought of gardens tends to creep closer and closer to that distant dream. But what if we told you that you can plant that garden you are dreaming of right in the centre of your dining table? Rani Devasar, who lives in a fourth floor apartment in New Delhi, and who specialises in bringing the outdoors indoors, is sure that with a little help from her, you can create a “green haven” for yourself right on the top of any table in your home.

Now Rani knows what she is talking about - after all, she did manage to recreate a miniature garden for former Miss India Manpreet Brar, an elaborate replication of her being driven away in a carriage through a garden.

So, anyway, back to that table garden you are planning to set up.

First, get a pot of your choice. The container can be in terracotta or ceramic in any shape - of any shape oval, round, rectangular or square, three to five inches in depth. The best shape is that of a tray because it allows you to play around with themes.

Go to a local nursery and get yourself some garden soil, mixed with a fistful of vermiculture manure, compost or leaf mould and a bit of sand, the ideal mix to nourish, retain moisture and hold roots firmly.

Line the bottom of your container with small pebbles or broken bits of old pots.

Next, decide on the theme. “The theme depends on you - a Chinese garden, an Indian forest, or even Christmas garden with a Santa and his sleigh,” says Rani. Pebbles, stones, shells, small figurines, huts, animals (those little terracotta frogs, for instance) and bird figures can be used to create an atmosphere. For Diwali, Rani created a forest like garden, complete with a little hut, a deer and figurines of Ram, Sita and Laxman.

Next, make a selection of plants you want to use; they must be small with tiny roots that don’t need deep penetration. Rani suggests something like sedums or decorative succulents (whose leaves are like flowers) and bonsai. “The pride of place is for the bonsai, or evergreen like ficus, peepal, pomegranates or china orange. On the periphery of the pot, you can grow a little hedge using cuttings of jade plant, or some variety of sedums (which have hair-like roots). “Seasonal plants like pansies, grown with perennials and evergreens make the gardens complete,” says Rani.

Remember to plant in a gentle season - September-February is best and as for time of day, dusk or dawn are best.

Since it’s a small garden, no elaborate tools are required, says Rani. A fork, a small knife, and a butter knife are more than adequate for digging up the soil now and then to air the roots.

Now, the biggest worry is that you’re going to make a mess and your dining table is look like a disaster area. For that, Rani suggests keeping a pretty table mat, a trivet, or even a plastic sheet under the container, anything that will not let the moisture through.

“A miniature garden demands love, time and attention. If you forget to water it, it may not forgive the lapse,” instructs Rani. That means water it when dry - never too much; dig it up gently, taking care not to damage the delicate roots; remove all dry and dead leaves. “And most important, see that the plants are happy in the setting you have put them in,” adds Rani.

Technorati TAGS:

bonsai bonsai news bonsai story