Get your garden going

Veena Nanda, Partner, Sunshine’s Garden Boutique, underlines the benefits of having one’s own green patch.

What prompted you to open a garden accessories boutique in the city?
Gardening has always been my passion and making my garden look interesting came naturally to me. I always found ways of decorating my garden with unique objects. It was almost 18 years back when I first saw a garden accessory store, which swept me off my feet. I have ever since been dreaming of having my own boutique in this space. Over the years I noticed how there has been a huge growth and options are available to accessorise any space of a home or office, but gardens took the backseat. There were plenty of nurseries that offered a range of plants, but nobody focussed on the accessories that could go with the plants. Having realised that, I along with Maj. Robin Wohra, a fellow garden enthusiast, decided to launch this unique boutique focusing totally on garden accessories and Bonsai.

With hectic schedules, are people enthusiastic about having a garden in their homes?
With fast-paced lifestyles, people want a space to unwind. And gardens are great stress busters, within the comfort of one’s home. People are very interested in building their own beautiful gardens (ground, balconies or terraces) where they can sit back and relax. The mind set of people in India has so far been only to use plants in their patch of green. This is not so anymore. With the new trend of using accessories in a garden, the interest levels for the not-so-very garden lovers to start doing up their gardens has also gone up.

What would be your pointers for avid garden enthusiasts?
The concept of a garden is no longer restricted to just wide open ground space, but has moved on to include terrace gardens and green balconies. Having a garden is no longer about just growing plants, it means creating a green expanse that not only looks beautiful, but also has a utility value in terms of unwinding, relaxing or working out.

It is very important for us to consider gardens as an important space and make it a livable extension of our homes. I always recommend every individual to do up their gardens themselves, rather than letting someone else create his/her dream garden. It is very easy and a lot simpler now, as the products are easily available

Are there trends that you have seen increase over the last year?
People today are getting more conscious towards having a greener environment. More are now investing in Bonsai plants, garden accessories and artefacts, to enliven and bring a slice of nature into their homes and workplaces. Over the years, I have noticed a huge increase in the levels of interest amongst people from all walks of life. Every individual wants to do up a garden, be it small or big, in size and budget. One more observation is that men have also developed a keen interest and are very enthusiastic to come forward and get creative with their gardens.

What according to you are some key garden pieces that one can buy?
Creative garden accessories and artefacts, along with plants, add a lot of character to a garden space. Garden figurines create a considerable amount of beauty and drama to a green patch. Also, statues give breadth and depth to a garden and provide a focal point to a green space. To enhance a garden, one can have a collection of healthy plants along with a variety of artefacts like bird houses, bird baths, terracotta and stone artefacts, toad stools, chimes, statues, Japanese and Indian lanterns, water features, artistic planters, animal figures, stepping stones, plant stands, interesting furniture in metal, stone and wood, etc. The list is endless!