Meet the Kerala Woman Who Turned Her Terrace Into a Garden of 600+ Types of Roses & Adeniums
In the town of Kayamkulam in Kerala, a floral wonderland comes to life every morning, not in a sprawling estate or commercial nursery, but on the terrace of a humble home.
Here, 52-year-old Anju Karthika has built something magical: a vibrant garden of over 200 varieties of table roses and more than 400 types of adeniums, lovingly nurtured into a business that now reaches plant lovers across India.
What started as a childhood fascination with flowers has, over the decades, blossomed into a flourishing venture and a deeply inspiring story of how passion, patience, and a few pots of soil can transform not just a home, but a life.
From schoolyard cuttings to exotic roses
Anju’s love for plants began early. As a Class 10 student, she would collect rose cuttings from friends’ gardens and experiment with growing them at home. While most teenagers were busy with schoolwork or play, she found joy in the slow, quiet company of her plants.
This passion stayed with her through adulthood. But it was in 2013 that things truly began to take off. That year, new varieties of table roses, popular in Brazil and Thailand, started appearing in the Indian gardening scene. Intrigued, Anju sourced about 15 varieties and began growing them in containers on her terrace. The results were stunning. With the right care and environment, the roses thrived. Over time, her collection grew, first to dozens, and then to over 200 varieties.
A terrace becomes a floral laboratory
But roses were only the beginning. Alongside them, Anju began cultivating adeniums, also known as desert roses, plants that are hardy, drought-tolerant, and known for their sculptural shapes and vibrant blooms. These were grown from seeds, some of which she sourced from gardening groups and nurseries in Chennai and Pune.
What makes her adeniums unique is not just the volume — over 2,000 plants at any given time — but the intricate care behind them. Using grafting techniques and hand pollination, Anju has created stunning hybrids in shades of deep maroon, violet, orange, and even multicoloured swirls.
Anju began cultivating adeniums, also known as desert roses, plants that are hardy, drought-tolerant, and known for their sculptural shapes and vibrant blooms.
Over the years, her humble terrace and front yard have quietly transformed into a living laboratory, a place of experimentation, learning, and joy. “I never imagined it would grow like this,” she says. “But the plants kept surprising me.”
A business rooted in care
With growing demand from friends, neighbours, and online groups, Anju soon realised she could turn her passion into a livelihood. Through ‘Green Flora’, her home-grown plant brand, she began selling seeds, saplings, and mature plants, especially adeniums and table roses, across the country.
Each plant is carefully packed and shipped with detailed care instructions. She also offers tips to customers over the phone and on social media, making sure even first-time gardeners feel supported.
On average, she earns Rs 20,000 a month, and peak seasons bring in more. For some full-time gardeners she collaborates with, income reaches up to Rs 1 lakh. All of this, without any formal shop or marketing agency, just word-of-mouth, Facebook groups, and the undeniable charm of her blooms.
Sustainable practices = beautiful results
One of the most remarkable aspects of Anju’s story is her low-cost, sustainable approach. She reuses plastic containers, old buckets, and grow bags. Her main source of nourishment for the plants is cow dung compost, supplemented occasionally with NPK fertilisers.
The most remarkable aspects of Anju’s story is her low-cost, sustainable approach.
She does not rely on fancy tools or imported equipment. Instead, it’s her discipline, attention to detail, and daily care routine which make the garden thrive. Even in the face of Kerala’s unpredictable monsoons and strong summer heat, her plants remain vibrant, a testament to years of learning what works best for her space.
She also sends out video tutorials and quick guides for those who buy from her, helping them troubleshoot issues or identify pests. For Anju, it’s never just about the sale, it’s about helping others experience the same joy she does when a new flower opens or a seedling takes root.
Anju’s story is now inspiring others in urban India to look upwards, toward unused terraces and balconies that can become green sanctuaries. “Even if you don’t have land, you always have the sky,” she says. “Start with one plant. Just one. That’s all it takes.”
Edited by Khushi Arora
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