Their little haven of greenery

LUDHIANA: Ludhiana resident Brij Thaman's residence is a pleasant change from the grey, industrial environs of Ludhiana.
Thaman, 51, and his wife Rosie, 48, have a garden that has 100 plants and an aesthetic arrangement that is comparable with the work of a professional landscaper. Thaman, with his creative bent of mind and his wife's support, has been nurturing the 900-square-foot garden for eight years now."I find it therapeutic," he says. "We started with four saplings eight years ago, and have never looked back since."
The plants are not the only elements that Thaman has used in his garden. He has given it a unique look and used 300 soft drink bottles, painted in red and yellow, to decorate the garden.
On how he manages the garden, Thaman says that he spends two-three hours every day on the plants. "It helps me stay positive in life," he says.
Though Thama may not know the names of the plants in his garden, he continues to give a tough competition to other landscapers in the city.
"My love for flowers grew over time. We had ample space in front of the house, so it all started from those four plants and later it became a hobby," he says.
Thaman learnt to garden via the good-old trial-and-error method. "If I would fail, I would try again. I did not give up," he says. "The idea for the bottles came from a magazine. Initially, I bought bottles from a junk dealer, and later a friend who owns a restaurant helped me with the bottles," he says.