When Hillary Rugut cleared a maize crop in Nandi County to plant flowers and trees, many of his neighbours thought he was insane. They wondered why he had not even planted tea instead.
Most farmers in that region rely on farming as an economic lifeline, and in any small space, they grow maize or tea.
But Mr Rugut wanted his retirement home to be beautiful, surrounded by grass, trees, and flowers.
"This used to be a maize plantation. When I built this house in 2017, the land was all sandy and dusty, with not a blade of grass in sight," he says.
His passion for gardens started at a young age. His father loved to grow indigenous trees and also planted flowers around his thingira (a man's hut) although in a small space.
"I love ornamental and exotic plants, a passion I inherited from my father," says Mr Rugut, a surveyor by profession. His first tree seedlings came from a friend.
"After college, my friend Amos asked me to survey his land. He also loved flowers and had a seedlings nursery. Amos would give me seedlings that were of no use to him for me to plant," he says.
One tree after another, he completely changed what his home in the village of Chematich looked like.
"Some people told me that I should have planted tea or maize on all those acres. But in life, do what you love, and not what people want you to do," he says.
What has worked for him is that he only plants trees and flowers that are easy to propagate, smell nice, and are colourful. On the half-acre garden, he now has about 500 plants.
A wide view of Hillary Rugut's compound in Nandi County
Photo credit: Pool
The space appears much larger than it is due to the variety of flowers, including reds, yellows, pinks, and greens, and the presence of tall trees that act as windbreakers.
His garden also contains roses, succulents, heliconias, birds of paradise, snake plants, various coloured durantas, Jacob's coat, coleus, and many others. Most of these plants are from neighbours and then propagated.
"Most people are not aware of the value of the plants in their compound; Some often consider them to be weeds," says the 37-year-old.
His first three plants—the Italian cypress, benjamina, and golden palm - which came from his friend Amos, still stand as masterpieces in the compound.
He loves each of his nearly 500 plants, but it is the hardy Dahlias plant that makes his heart sing with joy when it blooms.
"Dahlias is my favourite plant because it comes in many varieties, it is easy to propagate and is resistant to pests and diseases," says Mr Rugut.
Near the gate, he has planted cypress trees, trimmed beautifully. The walls of the house are lined with roses in shades of pink, red, and white.
"The internet has been a resource for me. I learned how to organise and plant," he says, "It is not as if I saved money to build it. It was a gradual process, so it's hard to say exactly how much I spent because I didn't keep any records."
With over 50 species of plants and flowers, the front yard is designed in different shapes, with upper, middle, and lower parts. In the upper section, there are yellow and green duranta, greenish-purplish Moses in the cradle, and the giant herb-Robert.
He opted for Kikuyu grass, which has generously covered the garden. He has also grown flowers such as Japanese spiraea, moss campion, red amaranth and sweet William.
The lawn is not just a large, grassy area. To bring the garden to life with colour, he has created mini garden designs to spice up the overall look.
"I love linear, curved, and circular designs because they create a unique and beautiful view and are also easy to maintain," says Mr Rugut.
He has also created islands on the lawn by grouping plants. Copper leaf and Jacob's mantle stand out.
"I don't have any exotic lawns; the one in my garden is a natural Kikuyu grass that grows naturally in Nandi. I just maintain it," he says.
His wife and son help water the lawn twice a week. Pests such as aphids and diseases tend to undermine their efforts, but they keep them at bay with fungicides.
During dry spells, some plants wilt because they have to compete for the little water available in the spring.
On weekends, besides using the garden as a relaxing place, Mr. Rugut also invites paying guests who come to take photos and videos. The garden has hosted three events so far, including photography, videography, and benchmarking.
A collection of flowers at Hillary Rugut's home in Nandi County
Photo credit: Pool
"When I put my garden on the internet, more than 100 people expressed interest in having their gardens look like mine. I am now becoming a landscaper," he says. He designs the garden to suit his family's needs.
"My goal is to make sure my family lives in a peaceful environment and is happy. I love to see the children running around with their friends and feeling at home," says the father of four.
He has set up a nursery and is now propagating most of the plants to set up a business selling ornamental plants and providing landscaping services.
