Anju Karthika:A brief history of her terrace garden

 Anju Karthika:A brief history of her terrace  garden

In the picturesque town of Kayamkulam in Kerala, a quiet revolution is blooming—one that doesn’t roar with engines or clang with tools, but rustles gently with leaves, hums with bees, and dazzles the eye with a riot of color. At the heart of this green revolution is a woman named Anju Karthika, who has transformed the terrace of her modest home into a vibrant rooftop garden—a lush paradise that embodies creativity, sustainability, and an undying love for nature.

A Garden That Touches the Sky

Anju Karthika's rooftop garden isn’t just a collection of potted plants—it’s a living, breathing ecosystem that thrives several feet above ground level. Perched atop her home in Kayamkulam, this terrace garden has been lovingly nurtured over the years. What began as a few flower pots and herbs has evolved into a carefully curated green haven teeming with vegetables, fruits, ornamental plants, succulents, climbers, and flowering species.

The garden is a visual symphony—rows of vibrant hibiscus, jasmine, and bougainvillea cascade from railings, while neat beds of spinach, tomatoes, brinjals, and green chillies share space with banana trees, papayas, and passion fruit vines. The air is fragrant, the colors are mesmerizing, and the energy is unmistakably vibrant.

A Labor of Love

Every inch of the terrace is a testament to Anju’s patience, determination, and affection for plants. Despite facing the limitations of space and Kerala’s tropical climate, she meticulously planned the layout to maximize utility and aesthetic appeal. The garden has designated zones for ornamental plants, edible greens, medicinal herbs, and water plants. Pots of varying sizes and repurposed containers—plastic bottles, old buckets, and wooden crates—are creatively used to reduce costs and waste.

Anju spends several hours daily tending to her leafy companions. From composting kitchen waste to preparing organic fertilizers and pesticides using neem oil, garlic, and green chili solutions, she relies exclusively on natural methods. Her belief in sustainable gardening practices is central to her philosophy.

Sustainable Living and Self-Sufficiency

What makes Anju Karthika’s terrace garden truly magical is not just its beauty, but its practicality. Her garden supplies her family with a steady bounty of fresh vegetables and fruits—pesticide-free, organic, and bursting with flavor. During the COVID-19 lockdown, when markets were disrupted, the garden played a critical role in feeding the household, underlining the importance of food sovereignty.

Moreover, Anju has implemented water conservation methods, using techniques such as drip irrigation, mulching, and rainwater harvesting. Greywater from washing vegetables or cleaning rice is reused to water the plants, minimizing waste and maximizing resources.

A Healing Space

The terrace is not just a source of food, but also a sanctuary for peace and mental well-being. For Anju, gardening is therapeutic. She has often spoken about how spending time with her plants calms her mind, eases stress, and lifts her spirits. During times of emotional turbulence, the garden has been her anchor—a place to reflect, breathe, and heal.

Visitors who step onto her rooftop often speak of a profound sense of serenity. Butterflies flutter among the blossoms, bees buzz industriously from flower to flower, and birds sometimes stop by to perch and sing. The rooftop garden is a sanctuary not only for Anju and her family but also for pollinators and other small creatures.

A Teacher and an Inspiration

Anju Karthika’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. Through social media platforms, local workshops, and community events, she shares her gardening techniques, DIY composting tips, and insights into organic cultivation. Her Instagram page and YouTube channel brim with engaging content—tutorials on potting, pest control, seasonal planting calendars, and balcony garden designs.

She has become an inspiration to urban dwellers, especially women, showing that it is entirely possible to grow food in small spaces, even on top of concrete roofs. Her journey has empowered others to take up terrace gardening, not just as a hobby, but as a way of life.

Local schools and residents often invite Anju for guest talks and gardening sessions. She has helped set up several community terrace gardens in and around Kayamkulam. Her story has been featured in local newspapers, radio shows, and online platforms dedicated to sustainable living and environmental conservation.

Weathering Challenges

Of course, building a garden on the roof in Kerala’s monsoon-prone climate comes with its challenges. Heavy rains, high humidity, and intense sunlight required Anju to innovate constantly. She installed UV-resistant shade nets to protect delicate plants, created proper drainage channels to prevent waterlogging, and ensured that the garden’s weight was balanced to avoid structural strain on the building.

The learning curve was steep. Plants sometimes failed, pests invaded, and water shortages created stress. But Anju’s unshakable commitment kept her going. With every setback, she adapted, experimented, and evolved.

A Vision for the Future

Looking ahead, Anju dreams of creating a model rooftop garden that can be replicated in urban spaces across Kerala and beyond. She envisions training programs for schoolchildren to help inculcate a love for nature early on. She also plans to collaborate with local municipalities to encourage eco-friendly urban agriculture projects, rooftop greening initiatives, and composting campaigns.

Her hope is that one day, rooftops across India will not just be empty concrete slabs but thriving gardens that contribute to climate resilience, food security, and mental well-being.

The Heart of Kayamkulam in Bloom

Anju Karthika’s terrace garden is more than a personal triumph. It’s a symbol of harmony between human and nature in an increasingly mechanized world. It speaks to the possibilities that lie in every home, in every neglected terrace, in every hand willing to sow a seed.

In a time when cities are gasping under pollution, food adulteration, and rising temperatures, Anju’s green oasis in Kayamkulam reminds us that hope can bloom on rooftops. It is proof that change does not always need sweeping reforms or big investments—sometimes, it begins with a single pot, a handful of soil, and a deep-rooted love for the Earth.

Her garden is not just filled with plants—it’s filled with stories, dreams, and the gentle promise of a greener tomorrow.