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Prize-winning blooms Flowering plants of all kinds have pride of place in Saraswathy Varma’s garden

While many of her contemporaries prefer to sit and watch time fly by, 72-year-old Saraswathy continues to cultivate prize-winning blooms in her house at Devaswom Board Junction.

The scenic splendour of a her well-maintained garden, full of annuals and perennials, welcomes visitors to her house. Cups, shields and bundles of certificates are a tribute to this avid gardener whose plants and blossoms have made her a familiar name among plant lovers in the city. She has been a constant presence in the flower shows for the last 32 years.

“However, many of the people who used to compete with me have dropped out,” she rues. Saraswathy says she was drawn to Nature and flowers even as a child.

Hailing from Kavalam, a beautiful village in Alapuzha, she “treasured the pristine natural beauty and rustic charm of her village in her mind” when she shifted to the city 50 years ago. “I prefer traditional floral beauties to orchids and Anthuriums,” she says.

“This is the best post-retirement activity. Hours spent on watering and nurturing my plants keep my mind active and happy,” says the mother and grandmother.

While her garden is always on show, it is the flower show that really has her moving into top gear.

“Nurturing plants is like nurturing a baby,” she points out. She knows the natural rhythm of each and every plant and she has her own techniques, perfected by trail and error over the years, to bring the best out of each plant.

Rooting for gardening Saraswathy Varma

Her large collection of roses in various categories of Hybrid Tea, miniatures, dwarf polyanthas, Floribundas ,and excellent range of flowering plants such as zinnia, marigold, torenia, petunia and bougainvillea are proof of her expertise as a gardener.

“I start preparing four to five months prior to the flower show. Growing plants for the flower show needs planning and preparation. To be a prize winner, one has to plan the sowing, pruning and so on well ahead in advance to ensure that the flowers are in full bloom during the show and the weather is a major factor,” she explains.

Perennials need round-the-year care while it takes three to four months to nurture the annuals.

Once the date is scheduled, the best quality seeds of annuals and miscellaneous plants are purchased from Fredi Surti, a company in Kolkata.

Right from sowing and potting healthy seedlings to attaining a plant in full bloom, she does a hands-on job.

“The plants meant for the exhibition need extra feeding and care for an attractive appearance, colour and number of blooms. Foliage and flowers should be healthy and free from pest and diseases.

“Pinching for annuals and pruning for perennials is very important for attaining the desired shape and has to be done with an artistic skill,” she explains.

Extra efforts are taken to showcase her masterpieces – roses. Two to three months before the scheduled date, the pruned roses are fed extra manure and hormones to enable the plants to bloom well.

Roses need bright days and cool nights to blossom. Pesticides are used on cloudy days to prevent black spots, scales, mites and worms.

Likewise pruned bougainvilleas are starved and then given extra manuring to bloom in full.

Saraswathy Varma’s pointer for healthy blooming plants.

Bright sunlight

Proper manuring

Pruning or pinching

Daily watering

Apart from exhibiting attractive plants, artistic and harmonious display in staging the exhibits is equally important, she adds.

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