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Green brigade

Photos: G.S. Unnikrishnan

Green thumb Members of Thanal at work (top); one of their landscape works

A green home with an attractive garden and a carpet of grass is every city dweller’s dream. Here is a green brigade called ‘Thanal’ that helps you turn that dream into reality.

It all started eight years ago, when K. Anoop Nair, U.V. Krishnakumar, M. Rathishkumar and S. Shibhu completed a course in nursery management and ornamental gardening at Vocational Higher Secondary School, Veeranakavu, and was seeking self-employment. As per the advice and technical guidance of their lecturer Suresh C. Thampi, they conducted a survey in the city regarding the feasibility of a landscaping-cum-gardening group. The outcome of the survey was highly encouraging. Thus, Thanal was born.

In addition to what they learned during the course, the four youngsters underwent rigorous field training in many aspects of gardening, right from land preparation to planting and maintenance.

“Thanal undertakes various activities such as home gardening, indoor gardening, roof gardening, vegetable gardening and landscaping of resorts and institutions. Even though the city is their main target area of work, they have worked in different places all over Kerala and even Tamil Nadu,”says Suresh.

Most of the work done by Thanal are home gardens. According to the requirement of the customers, garden designs are made using a computer programme. From these designs, clients can select the best option. The garden could include lawn, rock garden, water garden, statues, topiary (the art of cutting and trimming plants and trees into beautiful shapes), ornamental trees and a variety of plants.

The cost of making home gardens ranges from Rs. 6 to Rs. 40 per square feet, depending on the number of components and quality of materials used. Periodical maintenance of gardens and lawns are also undertaken.

If the customer wants to go for an organic garden, Thanal supplies organic manures, pesticides and so on.

Commendable landscaping works done by Thanal include Kumarakam Resort, HPL Office-Erumpanam, Kovalam Travancore Heritage, Kovalam Resort and Varkala Beach Resort.

Recently, Thanal has begun creating lawns on terraces also. For this, baby chips are put on the terrace over which a nylon net is placed. Planting medium is spread on this and lawn grass is planted. “All of us are from economically weak families and this self-employment venture has helped us generate money to help sustain our families,” ” says Anoop. Thanal is located at Sankar Nagar, Karamana. Contact: 94461 04163.

G.S. Unnikrishnan

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