My garden: Garden on the 17th floor balcony of a New Town skyscrapper brings peace
Telegraph | 29 March 2025
There’s nothing quite like a hanging garden. Petunias, Dianthus, Hibiscus all thrive on Kalpana Mukherjee’s balcony, which, by the way, is on the 17th floor of New Town Heights. Mukherjee has made optimum use of her space, creating a colourful corner that overlooks natural greens and upcoming high rises. From Poinsetia to Areca Palm and Syngonium to Pansies, there’s space up here for every species.
My husband and I are hoteliers who have lived all over the world, gardening wherever we could. Here in New Town, I started gardening during the pandemic.
I like exclusive plants, not common ones. And I try to plant evergreens as I feel sad if plants wither away after one season. I have Bromelia, inverted Hibiscus, a lovely yellow flower I had got from Kohima, and Black Wine — a creeper with dark, heart-shaped leaves that I find beautiful.
A star attraction is the Star of Bethlehem, also known as Brahmakamal. When we lived in Malaysia, I heard a legend that one can never witness this flower blooming, but that’s actually because it opens at 11 o’clock at night!
This plant takes two to three years to flower and the last time mine bloomed, I posted pictures in our building’s WhatsApp group, and a lady came to see it at midnight. I have a white Brahmakamal but would love to add the red and pink varieties to complete my collection.
I’m also in search of Poppies for two years now but haven’t found any. Eco Park has an enviable sea of Poppies, and every time I visit, I take a look; but I never seem to spot the gardener to ask where they source them.
One segment I do not touch is bonsai, as I feel it deliberately restricts natural growth. On the contrary, I have a Pine plant that I keep transferring to larger pots as it grows. If a plant gets too big for my balcony, I gift it to the complex administration to plant downstairs. As long as the greenery thrives, I’m happy.
My family laughs that we have only one veranda, and even that is so packed with plants that they can barely step into it! In winter, it’s filled with pots, and in summer, I hang an additional sheet over them like a curtain to protect from the heat. I also keep indoor plants in pots and some in transparent vases so their beautiful roots can be admired.
Gardening is a stress buster, and watching plants grow is as rewarding as watching one’s children grow. Speaking of which, every time my grandkids visit, I have to stay updated on all my plant names and details as they quiz me on any new addition they see. To truly appreciate nature, children must be introduced to it, this way.