Kathmandu:

Enjoying a nice walk in a park to de-stress is a luxury very few Kathmanduites can afford. Being close to nature helps one relax as having greenery around has a calming effect on one’s brain. But there aren’t any parks around in most of localities in Kathmandu, plus most of the houses don’t have enough space for a garden.

Hence, the concept of terrace garden is more appropriate for a place like Kathmandu. Although it sounds simple, a terrace garden needs a lot of planning and infrastructure maintenance. It is important that before starting a garden on a terrace one has to visualise exactly how the design is going to be like.

Design for such garden should be in proportion to shrubs, potted plants, lawns and a nice sitting area. And if you have enough space, you can think of some accessories like a small water body or other artefacts.

Proper water flow

Suraj Kumar Pradhan from Chameli Nursery and Kumar Shrestha from Kathmandu Nursery point out that having a proper drainage system is a must for terrace gardens.

“It is very important to have a good drainage system, otherwise the seepage will destroy not only your terrace but your entire house is at risk. So decide beforehand which way the water should flow,” said Pradhan.

Shrestha added, “If you are planning a garden in your terrace, it is better if you talk to your engineer — during the construction phase itself — for special outlets.”

There has to be enough number of drainage chambers/ pipes leading to the main drainage pipe so that all the water finds an outlet for unobtrusive flow. Lack of proper drainage will

cause stagnation of water, which will lead to a damp terrace thus damaging the whole building.

But while building these drainage pipes, make sure they are not visible. One can cover it with carpet grass or some other plants or accessories.

Building the base

Taking care of the drainage system is not the only pre-requisite for building a terrace garden; creating a base is as vital. The fact is that the floor of the terrace is the roof of the house, and so having a waterproof base is necessary to avoid seepage. There are ways to prepare the concrete floor to host beautiful plants in the best manner.

The first or the lower most layer of a terrace garden should have a layer of burnt bricks. Unlike normal bricks, these will not turn into mud that could collapse the drainage system.

The next layer should be of wire mesh. This would prevent the soil from reaching the bricks. Shrestha advises the use of geonet.

Selection of soil

In a terrace garden you don’t have the liberty to use any kind of soil. Here the soil should not put any pressure on the base structure. Peat moss or soil rite is most appropriate for this purpose. You can also make your ideal terrace garden soil by mixing garden soil with manure and peat moss.

Plant choice

Now that the basics are taken care of for the terrace garden, the most important decision to be taken care is the choice of plants.

Here again one should not only think about what looks beautiful. Plants with a fibrous root system rather than a tap root system should be planted in a terrace garden. With taproot plants you run the risk of harming you house as

the root might grow through the terrace.

Shrestha said that if you opt for carpet grass, you should add topsoil. “Aeration is necessary for carpet grass, so one can use one layer of charcoal and another layer of soil on top of the bricklayer,” he added.

As for selecting the plants, a beautiful balance can be obtained by choosing some colourful fragrant flowers, shrubs, money plants and maybe a couple of exotic flowers to make the whole place a little more attractive.

While creating a sitting area be sure of the plants that are around it. Think about the rate of growth and the mature size of the plants. Also plants with thorns are not advised around the sitting area.

All you need to bring the beauty of nature to your home is some planning

and imagination. With a

nice little garden on your

terrace, you can steal some moments from the chaotic life for a peaceful evening tea or breakfast.