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Blooming business
By Vidushi Seneviratne

Above: A growing clientele (right) some of the exotic exhibits (below) a citrus plant Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara

"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put a soul into."
- Henry Ward Beechen
Not only do some of nature's most amazing creations belong to the world of foliage, they also have the ability to touch us in a special way. Considering Beechen's words, the interest people have in flowers and plants shouldn't really come as a surprise. So why not bring home some of this splendour and have it growing in your own garden?

That's just what many Sri Lankans are doing. While some engage in horticulture purely as a hobby, there are others who have made it a profitable business. The huge crowds at plant shows held at venues such as the Viharamahadevi Park bear witness to the growing number of enthusiasts. What is most interesting though, is the fact that most of the plant growers are either housewives or married couples, conducting their enterprise from home.

"I decided to start my own horticulture business as it allows me to contribute to the family's finances, while at home. This way, I get to earn an income by doing something I love, while being able to perform my duties as a mother," says Chandrani Silva, from Piliyandala.

A former employee of United Motors, she holds a Bachelor of Commerce (special) degree from the University of Sri Jayawardenapura. But for her, motherhood takes precedence over all else.

"When I had my daughter, I decided that I was going to give her my undivided attention. I believe that the mother has a vital role to play in protecting the family unit. You don't have to do an eight to five job in order to earn. You can earn a sufficient amount through a domestic business such as this," Chandrani says.

Chandrani, who took to gardening as a hobby, says that at first she chose to grow anything that she considered "beautiful". Over the years, she realized which plants were in demand.

"When choosing flowering plants for my collection, I generally go for varieties that don't need too much care. Roses for example need a lot of attention, and grow best in cooler climates, so the majority of customers don’t care for them. The demand for flowering plants is usually higher, with Idda, Kapuru and Bougainvillea being firm favourites. But of late, many people ask for foliage plants as well," she added.

Since many customers living in urban areas, their garden space is quite limited. Landscaping that limited space, gives them the satisfaction of a larger garden. Foliage plants, such as palms and ferns are in huge demand, says Chandrani. For Janitha Boteju, it was her love of orchids, that got her interested in gardening. "I always liked orchids, so while I was still in school, I bought and planted about twenty plants. I've been at it since."

She learned the basics through a fulltime course in agriculture at the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Initially starting out by exchanging plants with others, she later began to sell the plants to those who were engaged in the business on a larger scale.
Now she runs her own business during her spare time while working at the C.W.E. Though she manages most of the chores by herself, she is helped by her younger brother.

"Since I live in a city area, and my garden is not so big, I have to use the available space very carefully. Usually customers ask for flowering plants such as Begonias, Bougainvillea, Kapuru, ‘Water Fall’ and Idda. People living in flats or apartments opt to buy their own vegetables and fruits and grow them in little pots. Medicinal plants are becoming quite popular as well."

Both Chandrani and Janitha are members of the ‘Eksath Mal Vavannange Sangamaya’, the society responsible for organizing flower and plant shows such as the one held at the Viharamahadevi Park from October 10-12. Under the rules of the society, fulltime members have to participate in exhibitions held every two months and maintain a stall. Each stall costs Rs. 4000. Considering family commitments and the economic factor, they both have opted out of becoming fulltime members and prefer participating in such exhibitions on a part time basis. This enables them to share a stall and the cost.

Prins Perera and Chandani Lokuge are a husband and wife duo from Piliyandala, who have put in an immense effort to make their business a success. "I was in the field of engineering earlier, but now I am fully involved in landscaping and horticulture. My wife works at a bank but gives me her fullest support," says Prins, adding that they both followed a course at the Vocational Training Institute, at Ratmalana in order to obtain a better knowledge of the field.

According to Prins, there are a number of plants originally from Bangkok that have acclimatised very well to Sri Lankan conditions. The problems faced by these horticulturists were by and large the same. Difficulties in getting bank loans, the high price of fertilizer and problems regarding soil and pests were common.

But they all see a blooming trade given a little cooperation from the authorities and relevant organizations. As one of them put it, "There definitely is a future for this business in Sri Lanka. You basically have to be able to bring out the inherent characteristics of each plant, for your customer to be impressed and end up buying it. After all, every plant is beautiful in its own way."

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