Chlorophyllic Scores I

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Today's homes are compact and have small gardens. The planning of such gardens then becomes essential.Benches, birdbaths, water-bridges and natural materials with their textures clad to walls complete the composition of a garden.

Tending to a garden can prove to be rewarding in the long run. The quality of space improves notwithstanding the quality of air. In our present times when water is a scarce resource maintaining a garden can pose challenges. Grey water from the house can be used to irrigate the garden. The addition of a rain-water harvesting mechanism is recommended in the garden. The pit is relatively easy to build. The 6 feet deep pit consists of 3 layers. The bed layer consists of 2" granite aggregate at the bottom, 1" aggregate in the middle above which is the layer of sand. Rain percolates through this pit into the soil. The setup recharges the ground water. A composed pit helps in creating manure as a fertilizer to the garden. Wormiculture is now done to improve the quality of soil.

Lighting a garden is also imperative. In an innovative creation, Vietnamese Landscape architect Andrew Cao used mounds of crushed, recycled bottle glass that he lit from below with fiber optics. The plant palette used by him is relatively simple. It consisted of banana, grass, agave, cannas and orchids. The recycled glass enhances the sculptural quality of the plant materials and brings vibrant new colors to the garden. Solar lighting panels can be used for garden lights. The lighting should be kept at a minimum with efficient results. Clear pathways in the garden make the space more enjoyable and prevent misuse of the landscape.

Vaastu recommends the presence of the garden in the north-east quadrant of the plot. This part of the house receives morning sun in which the plants thrive. Japanese traditional gardens are known to set the living spaces in a tranquil and calm environment. Cultivating a home garden braces another step in getting closer to nature and going by the Japanese tradition, it keeps the house deity happy.

Architect Yeshwant Ramamurthy suggests the following places from where plants and gardening equipment can be sourced:

Here featured are the gardens of Aruna Bhoopal and Malini Alexander.