Exotic herb gardens add aroma to city homes

Floral beds and manicured gardens sure have that come-hither oeuvre and magnetic appeal. But, our city gardening enthusiasts have moved a step ahead and added another aromatic edge to their green spaces. Welcome to herb gardens that are garnering a lot of interest these days.
Easy to grow
These exotic herbs can easily be grown at home. City entrepreneur Ashok Agarwala, who has a green thumb, reveals, “There are a lot of people who try and create special atmosphere for exotic herbs, but you can grow them easily at home if you give balanced love, care, light and humidity and not over indulge these delicate plants.I grow three varieties of basil, celery, lettuce and many other herbs with regular care given to them and the results are heartening. But yes, you have to shield them from extremities of weather.”
Seeds and saplings available
It is a myth that these exotic herbs can’t be grown in hot climes because the seeds aren’t available. Ashok Agarwala shares, “There are a lot of shops near Cotton Market where you get the seeds of almost all the herbs. And in certain cases, I order them online too.” Sanjay Lokhande, one of the owners of a nursery in the city, adds, “Seeing the growing demand for kitchen garden plants, we have started selling the saplings of various herbs. And we plan to add more of these herbs to our stock.”
Space no constraint
Those who stay in small apartments and cannot indulge in gardening due to lack of space, also have reason to rejoice. City artist Gunjan Khandelwal, who has turned her small terrace into a vibrant garden replete with varieties of fruits and vegetables shares, “I have a specific corner dedicated to herbs and they are the pride of my tiny garden. Right from thyme to green garlic, basil and oregano, everything grows in these tiny spaces. You can also nurture them in pots and bring out the gardener in you.”
DIY exotica
There are certain enterprising gardening enthusiasts who believe in the goodness of starting their own herb gardens from the scratch. Entrepreneur turned farmer Sudha Gandhi, shares, “You can start your own mini herb garden right at your kitchen window sill. You can grow fresh garlic by putting a few pods in a pot and grow mint and coriander without any fuss. Using the fresh ingredients picked while cooking can add that beautiful aroma to any dish. From bay leaves, basil, black pepper, lettuce to lemon grass and more, I grow them all in my farm and it is such a satisfying moment to see these glorious beauties grow right in front of your eyes.”