Dr. Anand's tree-plant 'prescription'

I would like to share my experience about sapling plantation. It was in the year 2004, I started in my present house from Jun onwards. Because of the construction work, a lot of leftover materials were lying within and outside the house. I got four truck loads of waste material removed from the opposite side of the house. The whole roadside looked ugly with the growth of wild bushes. Since I was busy with organising an international conference at Mysore, I was unable to devote much time as far as the subject matter was concerned.


When I thought of extending plantation of green hedge plants, some of the flowering plants and croton, my neighbors also took interest and asked me for some help. We knew a gardener who readily agreed to plant the saplings along the houses of at least five neighbors. The sixth one took the cue and got some saplings planted in front of his house himself. In the meantime, several early morning walkers who were observing the growth of these plants removed a few stealthily. The more I planted the more they removed. I could only console myself by thinking that the plant has after all gone to someone else's house!

Although the idea was to convert the entire stretch of the roadside into a garden a few were not interested and hence we did not succeed entirely in our mission. Nevertheless, I am glad that at least a part of the stretch of the roadside look nice now.

After seeing the Tacoma plants blooming in front of the Crawford Hall, I was tempted to plant similar ones in front on my house also. The forest department will not give those plants. I went to a private farm, bought a few of the saplings & planted them.

Watering is a big task. It takes at least 45 min daily to water these plants. I stopped my morning walks but do not regret since this is also a good exercise to keep oneself fit.

While it is true that these saplings are planted on the Municipal land, it is equally true that we are helping the corporation in keeping the roadsides beautiful, neat and clean.

How I wish the authorities encourage people to plant saplings in front of their houses as to make this beautiful green! If they encourage them to plant saplings of Tacoma or similar plants, it would be even more beautiful. Similar ones are available in at least three colors, Yellow, White and Purple, all very beautiful.