Boredom turns a gardening hobby into big success

She began documenting her gardening journey over four decades ago, inspired by her late mother, who was an avid flower lover.

Although she was unsure whether she would become a successful gardener like her mother, she was determined to pursue her passion and uphold her legacy.

At the home they inherited from her father-in-law, she has transformed the old, dry space into a beautiful and inviting environment.

"The place was just lying there. When we moved in in 1976, all we had was an avocado tree. It looked so bare, and I thought, why not do something with it? Besides, my mother was passionate about gardening, and I could always tidy up her garden," recalls Ms Shah.

In her courtyard, Priya has planted over 300 flowers in pots and countless stems in the ground. The impressive garden in front of the house is filled with plants that interest her, especially orchids.

She has a sentimental attachment to plants with a special meaning, such as the anthurium, a striking outdoor plant with oval, white-veined leaves that add vibrancy to her green collection.

This particular plant serves as a reminder of her late mother, as it was the first plant she acquired.

"When my mother died in 1995, I decided to collect all the pieces she had and bring them here. They have brought me joy ever since, and I love them because they are always in bloom," says Priya.

The plant before the anthurium belonged to the palm family, but this one has large leaves. It is her favourite.
"I just love the way the leaves fall."

Priya has a collection of potted orchids to screen the concrete wall in her front garden, next to her dining room. She uses the same screening technique with bamboo to keep people from looking in.

The advantage of a potted garden is that it can be easily redone.
The garden is amazing and full of life. Their anthurium garden is thriving with over 15 varieties covering the ground.

The garden is also home to bergonia, heliconia and various air plants, including the old man's beard, which is safely covered with a net to keep out the birds that carry it away to build their nests.

Abutilon, also known as Indian mallow, comes in red and yellow and is loved by bees for its continuous flowering. It thrives in hot weather. She uses the epidendrum flowers in flower arrangements.

Her 25-year-old cycad, which is now fruiting, is something she adores. Equisetum, also known as horsetail, is the only living genus of Equisetaceae, a family of vascular plants that reproduce by spores rather than seeds. Birds of Paradise add colour to the garden. Even the smallest plant is 12 years old.

Her love of succulents is evident throughout the garden. One is flowering for the first time in five years. Waiting five years for a plant to flower made me wonder why.

"I wasn't using the compost properly, but since I've changed the composition, it's doing so well," says Priya.

The Mucuna plants, which come in red, white and purple, are already producing seedpods. The fruit may not be edible, but the flowers are beautiful. They are strategically planted to screen the concrete of the jungle.

Some of her special plants include the lipstick plant and the shampoo plant, which produces a beautiful cream-yellow flower.
For 25 years, she has been receiving plants as gifts from friends and then propagating them.

What adds to her mastery is the fact that all her plants always flower. Interestingly, most of her plants are allergic to cold, but she waters them twice a week.
The soil is completely sealed with Zimbabwean grass, except for the footpath.

However, she lives with the pain of losing her plants after a plant show [where avid gardeners take their plants to compete and win awards] or having to wait longer for them to recover.

"My plants would not recover after the show, while some would take at least three years to flower. I think too many people looking at them affected them. So she stopped," Priya says sarcastically.

Her gardening skills do not stop at her home garden. Priya has another four acres of garden, just a few metres from her home garden.

What was bare and dry land three years ago is now home to beautiful flowers, fruit trees, and indigenous trees.
With the help of her gardeners, she has beautifully arranged white lilies, roses, and jasmine, bringing out her artistic nature. Dahlias and Coco leaves thrive.

Her Pemba grass cost her Sh100,000 and so far it is greening up.
At the far end of the garden, a serpentine stream whispers secrets to the plants and murmurs melodies, nature's symphony in flow.

"The sound of the river gives me peace. When I need to think things through, I come here. Nature inspires me," says Ms Shah.
To keep her garden alive, regular inspection of the plants is essential in an outdoor garden where plants are grown close together, as infections can spread easily.

Aphids are the most common pest the gardener encounters. Killing them with a mixture of ginger and baking powder has always been a sure-fire remedy.

At 55, Ms Shah wears several hats. She is the chairperson of the Kenya Floral Arrangement Club, now in her third term. She has also been a life member of the Kenya Horticultural Association for 29 years.

When she is not arranging her flowers for sale, this mother of three bakes bread.

What has a flower garden taught Priya?
"My peace of mind comes from the garden. Gardens have taught me to appreciate plants and patience. It calms me down," she says.

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