The beautiful setting sun on the evening of 28th Dec marked the last meeting of 2022 for unit 7b of All India Kitchen Garden Association. An in-person meeting is always marked with fun and chatter along with lots of learning and exchange of ideas.
The speaker was none other than the charismatic host – Abha Batra whom we can proudly and undoubtedly call the “Orchid Queen”. A storehouse of knowledge, Abha has delved into a niche of growing Orchids in the heat of Delhi. Orchids have been synonymous with warm and humid countries like Thailand and Singapore – so the very thought of them growing them here sounds quite unbelievable. However, the unmatched beauty of the flowers prodded Abha to take up the challenge and she has successfully been growing them on her rooftop for the past many years.
The sweetness of success can only be experienced after one has tasted failure – which was also the case with Abha. Not the one to be deterred, she kept at it and has finally mastered the art of growing Orchids. She shared the various types of orchids which could be grown keeping in mind the oppressive heat as also the extreme cold weather that our city experiences. According to her, growing orchids is very simple as long as you can keep them well drained, well fertilized, and in semi-shade. Only over-watering can kill these plants which look like plain janes when they are not flowering. However, once they start to bloom, the flowers last for over a month and are a gardener’s delight.
The chilly afternoon winds did not deter members from taking a keen interest in learning the art as also admiring the beautiful terrace curated by the host. The meeting ended with a good round of hot snacks and tea served by the gracious speaker cum host who has also authored a book on the subject of growing orchids. As the saying goes – All good things come to an end – this meeting ended too, with the hope of meeting soon again in the new year !!
by Amita Bhuwania (9810085065)
