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Chamanti Daaba
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Conifers, cycas and ferns create the right atmosphere for an early morning glance through the day's news in the daily newspaper, finds Ramesh Susarla
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AESTHETIC SENSE of arranging exotic and ordinary types of flowering plants and crottons in the right proportions in a small but cosy garden of Kalluri Rajyalakshmi leaves a lasting visual impression on any visitor's mind. Popularly known as `Chamanti Daba' in the J.K.C. Nagar the Kalluris with a special liking for the chrysanthemums have an assortment of 30 varieties of them to fill every inch of their terrace. Crowned with `Queen of the Show' award thrice at horticulture shows, she believes in nurturing plants of different types and species qualitatively. A paradise for the botanists and the horticulturists, among the 500 potted plants and scores of others blooming on the 500 square-yard plot she has a collection of 50-odd varieties. Uforbia and cacti in the trendy rock garden skirting the velvety green lawn are like icing on the cake with the umbrella fountain standing like the birthday candle at the centre of the garden.
Refreshingly green even on a summer afternoon the garden under the shade of a green net receives ample water thanks to the groundwater that has not dried up in the area. A yellow flowering plant - Tikoma Stance, welcomes anyone to the house with maximum greenery in the colony and stylish Silver Oak tree completes the picture. White Simhachalam Sampangi and the regular variety in the forntyard spread the fragrance as though the hosts had preplanned it. Ficus Repense, a creeper that clings to the walls for its growth had spread on the entire front wall providing a natural design to the front elevation years after it has been cut to limit the damage to the concrete structure. Ornamental palms and bamboo plants in pots sway along with a cane swing hung from the ceiling of the portico giving a feeling of swinging from the branches of trees in a jungle. Conifers, cycas and ferns create the right atmosphere for an early morning glance through the day's news in the daily newspaper.
Pepper vine creeps on the coconut and other tall trees and the monstrous deep green Philodendrons on the ground hide all masonry constructions. Both the sides of the house have been allocated for the ornamental fruit garden. Ornamental sapota, chilli, orange and a couple of other citrus varieties take the centre-stage, but with the summer heat increasing by the day, the fruits are visible only for name sake, waiting for the monsoon to set in.
The treasured ornamental fruit plant Ms. Rajyalakshmi has is the potted pineapple with orange leaves on the terrace with a green ball cacti alongside enhancing its beauty. ''It is the immense support of the family members that helps me maintain the garden,'' she says. The secret behind her success? -- Kolluri Muralidhar Rao.
A retired deputy director of horticulture from Khammam, he had given her immense support in developing a garden at every place of their stay during his service. "Fed up with the plants as part of my duty I used to discourage her in raising them at home, but my daughter Rajeevani is backbone of her hobby,'' confesses, Muralidhar. A mine of horticultural knowledge, at the drop of the hat he takes pains to help Rajyalakshmi excel in her endeavour as she suffered at disk prolapse a couple of years ago and cannot afford lifting heavy weights in the garden.
With his voluminous books he leaves nothing to imagination and instantaneously explains every doubt that crops up in their daughter's mind while designing the garden or deciding on the placement or nurturing of the plants. Peculiarity of the Kalluri garden is nourishing different kinds of plants that produce natural aroma.
Sai Cheritha, their granddaughter unwittingly gives them a lots of ideas and has begun imitating grandmother by participating in horticulture shows. Kellidiums, anthuriums and peace lilies surround their showpieces -- different kinds of Oxalis with butterfly-like leaves.
Hybrid Lilies, potted bougainvillea and Uforbia are what have withstood the summer heat on the terrace.
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