As cities grow taller, people find themselves longing for nature. With limited space, many turn to balconies and terraces to create their own green havens. In Pune, a techie has transformed her small balcony into a lush jungle with 500 plants.
Manasi Dunakhe, a data scientist with 15 years in IT, always dreamed of having a garden. In 2018, when she moved into her own house, she finally started her journey. However, it wasn’t as easy as she expected.
“The plants I brought home from the nursery looked great at first, but most didn’t survive. It was discouraging. I realized I needed to unlearn and relearn a lot,” she said.
“The plants I brought home from the nursery looked great at first, but most didn’t survive. It was discouraging. I realized I needed to unlearn and relearn a lot,” she said.
What began as a hobby became a passion. Gardening helped Manasi stay grounded during tough times. “It gives me a sense of calm and clarity. It slows me down, teaches patience, and gives me something to return to when life feels overwhelming,” she said.
Manasi now cares for 500 plants, including philodendrons, monstera, thunbergia, tillandsia, dieffenbachia, fiddle leaf fig, radermachera, pothos, calathea, ferns, lilies, mogra, bougainvillea, and ranjani.
Managing mosquitoes in a small apartment with so many plants can be tricky. “Neem oil sprays with Azadirachtin help a lot. They control pests and mosquitoes without harsh chemicals,” she explained.
She encourages others to try gardening. “Even a few pots on a windowsill can bring joy, calm, and a sense of connection,” she said.