When you step into Sumesh and Meethu Nayak’s Bengaluru home, for a moment, you might forget you’re in the middle of a bustling city.
A thick canopy of trees sways overhead. Birds call to each other from hidden nests. Butterflies flit across flowering branches. In every corner, there’s green — not just leaves and creepers, but a that the couple has nurtured for over 11 years.
What began as a weekend gardening hobby soon blossomed into a full-blown ecological retreat. Their 1,500 sqft home now houses over 2,000 plants and trees, creating a self-sustaining, zero-chemical haven in the heart of the city.
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Their green patch has brought back the ecosystem too — attracting 49 species of birds and more than 30 varieties of butterflies and moths. Their chikoo tree is especially popular with parrots and bulbuls, birds that are rarely seen in the urban sprawl of Bengaluru anymore.
Seasonal fruits like mangoes, guavas, and starfruit thrive alongside mulberries, avocados, and even dragon fruit. Everything grows naturally, nourished only with organic manure made from kitchen waste and dry leaves. No chemical fertilisers, no artificial boosters — just patience and care.
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The Nayaks didn’t stop at plants. Their home is entirely powered by solar energy, with any surplus returned to the grid. Even during peak summer, their leafy oasis than the rest of the city — nature’s own air conditioning at work.
“I planted a few plants, and now they’re the ones taking care of me,” Sumesh says with a smile. With over 1.3 lakh followers on Instagram, the couple continues to inspire others to turn balconies, terraces, and backyards into food forests of their own.
Edited by Khushi Arora
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A thick canopy of trees sways overhead. Birds call to each other from hidden nests. Butterflies flit across flowering branches. In every corner, there’s green — not just leaves and creepers, but a that the couple has nurtured for over 11 years.
What began as a weekend gardening hobby soon blossomed into a full-blown ecological retreat. Their 1,500 sqft home now houses over 2,000 plants and trees, creating a self-sustaining, zero-chemical haven in the heart of the city.
Advertisement
Their green patch has brought back the ecosystem too — attracting 49 species of birds and more than 30 varieties of butterflies and moths. Their chikoo tree is especially popular with parrots and bulbuls, birds that are rarely seen in the urban sprawl of Bengaluru anymore.
Seasonal fruits like mangoes, guavas, and starfruit thrive alongside mulberries, avocados, and even dragon fruit. Everything grows naturally, nourished only with organic manure made from kitchen waste and dry leaves. No chemical fertilisers, no artificial boosters — just patience and care.
Advertisement
The Nayaks didn’t stop at plants. Their home is entirely powered by solar energy, with any surplus returned to the grid. Even during peak summer, their leafy oasis than the rest of the city — nature’s own air conditioning at work.
“I planted a few plants, and now they’re the ones taking care of me,” Sumesh says with a smile. With over 1.3 lakh followers on Instagram, the couple continues to inspire others to turn balconies, terraces, and backyards into food forests of their own.
Edited by Khushi Arora
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