On a sunny February day, it is refreshing to see some colorful blooming plants amidst the lotus and water lily in pots. The grass has started turning green and Hakeem Shafaq’s garden will soon thrive with the beginning of spring season.
Gardening has always been Hakeem Shafaq’s hobby since the beginning but he couldn’t give much time to it due to his busy schedule at his work. As soon as the workload lessened, he started gardening. After reading and joining many gardening groups, he came to know about the concept of water gardening. In the year 2005, he started his own water garden at his residence at Peer Bagh, the concept which was alien in the valley.
He got his first collection of plants comprising water lilies and lotus from Thailand and Germany. The variety was not yet introduced in India back then.
“I got the then rearrest plant called Black Princess water lily from Germany. I was the first Indian to have black princess. Now in India many people have it but it doesn’t bloom well in other states because of the high temperature. In Kashmir, it gets the suitable growing conditions and blooms very well,” he said.
Today his garden has varieties of water lilies and lotus including Wanvisa, Colorado, Perry’s Baby Red, Arc En Ciel, Snow ball, Mangkala Ubol, Pinware, Peachglow etc. Now the retired engineer spent his whole time in the nurturing of his garden.
“Most of the Water lilies and lotus are imported but now available in India. I tried to grow water lilies from Dal Lake in my garden as well but that couldn’t bloom because it requires much depth and space but once in a blue moon, it blooms,” he added.
While taking us through the process of planting water lilies, he said that a mini water garden is created with the help of a pot in a pot where a plant is planted in a smaller pot. Growing in pots simplifies the gardening process and reduces the maintenance required. The mini water garden becomes an established habitat for the water lilies to grow.
The depth of the outer pot should be 18 inches. The rhizome of the water lily is planted close to one edge of the inner pot at an angle of 45-degrees with the growing tip pointing towards the center of the pot so that it can get ample space to grow. The potter’s soil is used for plating of water lilies. The top layer in the pot should be gravel or sand. The gravel keeps the soil from floating off or washing out of the pot. The gravel also avoids algae growth in the water.
On the other hand, lotus is grown in a single pot. The tuber is put in the horizontal way so that the tip can get enough growth and can move in a circular motion. The lotus seed has 300 years of lifespan.
Currently, the water lilies and lotus are in dormant phase right now. Hakeem said that the 25 degrees temperature will help them sprout and bloom. April to October are the ideal months for blooming.
Differentiating between lotus and water lilies, he said, lotus has two types of pads (leaves), aerial and floating, while water lilies have only floating pads.
To further beautify the water garden, he said that the fishes can also be kept which can keep the water clean.
He said that his water lilies and lotus are of hardy varieties that survive in climatic conditions of Kashmir. In the future, he is thinking of constructing a pond inside his garden.
His water plants were displayed in one of the exhibitions of the Floriculture Department where people had shown good interest.
A huge variety of succulent plants, cactuses, and other exotic plants make up the other collection which includes a Sago Palm of 20 years.
During the lockdown of the pandemic, with his plant collection, he started his own plant studio in the premises of his garden.
“I started getting other plants as well and provided those at reasonable rates to my gardener friends. I continue to learn about plants, flowers and gardens. I was the first one to introduce coral bells of different colors in Kashmir,” he said.
For his plants and flowers, he prefers ceramic pots over terracotta or plastic pots, because of their lower maintenance and the aesthetic look it offers.
The compost that he uses for the garden is homemade. The waste from kitchen, paper and cardboard goes in an air-tight plastic container for decomposition. “To feed your plants and improve the soil quality, homemade compost is the best. Onions, banana peel and egg-shells can be good for plants. We can also make bone meal but that is a bit difficult. Bones can be a good source of calcium for plants,” he added.
Gardening has kept him busy post retirement and he feels it reduces stress, anxiety and pain. “It’s a natural therapy for the soul, a medicine that doesn’t have side effects. It’s an anti-depressant and has positive effects on one’s physical, mental and emotional health,” he said.
He started a Facebook group dedicated to plants with the name, Kashmir Gardening group which has participants from across the world. In the group, he shares the know-hows related to plants in the form of articles and pictures.
“People from the USA, Germany and other parts of India are participants of the group. I share my knowledge with them and we cherish each other’s collection of plants and flowers every day,” he added.
In the coming blooming season, he is thinking of growing lotuses in small bowls. Talking about the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, he said that the place has potential for water gardens.
“Kashmir has everything what it takes for water gardens to thrive. We have gardens, natural good water sources and a conducive climate. Visitors visit Dal Lake for beautiful lotuses and lilies. Our Mughal gardens are famous so can be our water gardens,” he said.
With the warm winters and less snowfall this year, it is expected that the plants in his garden will be grown early. “First the daffodils will bloom followed by tulips, hyacinth, ranunculus and I will be busy soon,” he said.
