Nature’s splendor displayed in APD’s garden fair

Bengaluru: A beautiful variety of plants, ranging from ornamental to medicinal and indoor varieties, welcomed the visitors at the recent horticulture fair organized by the Association of Persons with Disabilities (APD). A Maravilas Aromatica. The programme, which was inaugurated on Friday, will run till December 17 at the APD center in LIC Colony, Jeevan Bhim Nagar. This space, which also houses the Horticultural Competence Centre, displays a diverse collection of plants, which are carefully cared for by the interiors of the center and displayed in elegant circular and rectangular designs. When visitors enter the centre, they will be greeted by a vibrant selection of ornamental and floral plants planted at the entrance due to popular demand. Moving on, one finds a variety of low-maintenance indoor plants, seasonal varieties, cacti, exotic species, flowers ideal for parterres, traditional herb plants, micro vegetables and plants encased in plastic, lists for transplanting . One section of the fair offers packages of fruit and vegetable seeds, conveniently located near gardening essentials, such as fertilizers and tools, available for purchase. Residents at the center have showcased their skills by showcasing hand-made clay vases and recycled bottles painted into creative shapes suitable for small plants. The profits from the sale will be spent on the training of persons with disabilities and the functioning of the centre’s facilities. One visitor commented: “They have shopped at this fair all these years but, to be honest, the prices are a bit high this time”. One of the employees reported that the distribution and quality of plants sold is now “better than ever”, and internal efforts have resulted in reasonable price increases. Most likely the organizers will hold a public meeting on gardening on rooftops and kitchens.