Gardening

Exotic plants turn church into small paradise

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Starfish Cactus. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT

Once a forested place 15 years ago with coral rocks and sand, exotic flowers have turned Cross Roads Church in Mombasa’s Nyali estate into a small paradise.

Situated opposite Nyali Golf and Country Club, the church building is surrounded by unique flowers and trees planted on three quarters of an acre.

There are starfish cactus, Aloe Vera which are assorted ornamentally, used as the bedding plants. Purple moth orchid plants and lilies are mixed as border plants. There also royal palm trees scattered and on which some of the cactus plants lean on.

Job Ngule has been a gardener at the church for 15 years now. “Succulents make a great choice as bedding plants because they adapt to environments with very shallow soil of very low moisture and fertility—for example the sandy soil in Mombasa. The succulents can also look good even in the tiniest containers, from troughs and pots to even hanging baskets,” said Mr Ngule.

The church walls are dominated by bougainvillea flowers with pink, purple and white petals.

“I spend my time arranging the flowers, weeding and reading books about different plants. Top dressing with fertiliser also re-energises the roots and stems of the plants,” he said.

I could see people sitted on an open hall reading and others working on their computers.

Near the parking lot is a crowded layer of lilies mixed with other flowers to conceal the septic tank.

“Flowers can really work wonders in any space. No one wants to see a bare sanitation facility,” said Mr Ngule.

Behind the church, I confused the washrooms for an office. Plants with pink, white, yellow and blue petals, marked the path to the ladies while the green neutral easy colours in a row towards the gents.

“Knowing which flowers to mix and match and when to change or add flowers is a skill,” he said.