Last Sunday, I was strolling through a neighborhood in Patiala when my eyes caught a glimpse of a vintage home with a garden dotted with an array of trees. In it, I spotted two bamboo huts and a pebbled path that snaked between them. At the center was a small fountain, partially hidden by a hedge and long branches of bottle brush trees with their red flowers swaying beautifully. Birds fluttered in joy, singing and bathing in its uppermost pool. To me, it was no less than a beguiling painting, which simply made this house so charming.

Continuing with my walk, I began thinking about homes with gardens and wondered how dull they would have been without them. One of them was a short stroll away, my aunt’s home, where I was being hosted. Their garden may be a petite one but its frequent winged guests are not only the butterflies but also peacocks. During one visit, I was quite fortunate to spot two of them, just at the crack of dawn from the living room window.

The garden too becomes our living room, especially when the evenings are pleasant. Thanks to the alfresco kitchen in one corner, the tandoor of which has made many dinners memorable. During winter, its green carpet is the favorite of almost everyone for sunbathing and for many other simple pleasures.

The magnificent garden of my friend’s home near mine in Amritsar is also stunning. Flanked with colorful and creative pots on all sides, its attraction is a large swing set where tea and conversations are always so heartwarming. During spring, my aunt keeps sending me pictures of smiling flowers, describing them as her ‘children.’ Often she just wants to talk about her garden, rolling along poetic praises.

At my maternal village, Butala, interestingly, one home has turned their balcony into a garden, which offers a breathtaking view of the fields. I discovered it just three years ago when I went to deliver my grandmother’s book. The grass may be artificial but infinite potted plants make you feel as if you are in a plant nursery. A middle-aged couple, who lives there, and whose children live in Canada, terms it ‘their favorite place at home’ and it’s also where they feel comfortable whenever they miss their kids. Being a nature lover, their balcony connected me warmly with them and on every visit to the village we always meet in the balcony.

My aunt at Khasa village, too, has made a garden on her first-floor courtyard, just like the balcony at Butala but she has added a special touch with her creativity, using bottles, broken cups and even piggy banks for growing plants. Her balconies remain hanging with flower pots and every month, the creativity in her green oasis takes another turn. Guess the fertilizers? Mostly, waste from the kitchen, be it egg shells or fruit peels, which she believes is the secret of her healthy garden. She also has a little kitchen garden, the produce of which often makes its way to her kitchen.

And then there’s the garden at my home, where we begin the day. Just sitting there is so meditative. I take myself there even after dinner for the calmness I experience. “If you have a garden and a library you have everything you need,” concluded Marcus Cicero, the celebrated Roman writer. Thankfully, my home has both. rameshinder.

sandhu@gmail.com

,The writer is an Amritsar-based freelance contributor ,