From Rooftop to Rose Haven: How a Kerala Woman Cultivated 600+ Varieties in Her Terrace Garden

In the quiet town of Kayamkulam, Kerala, a 52-year-old woman has turned her rooftop into a blooming testament to patience, passion, and perseverance. Meet Anju Karthika, a self-taught gardener whose terrace garden now boasts over 600 varieties of roses and adeniums—each nurtured with care, creativity, and a deep-rooted love for flora. What began as a childhood fascination has blossomed into a thriving micro-business and a source of inspiration for urban gardeners across India.

Here’s a closer look at her journey from hobbyist to horticultural hero.

Seeds of a Dream: How It All Began

- Anju’s love for roses began in school, when she would collect cuttings from neighbors and plant them in small pots  
- In 2013, she discovered exotic table rose varieties from Brazil and Thailand, sparking a new wave of experimentation  
- Starting with just 15 plants, she gradually expanded her collection to include hundreds of rose and adenium hybrids  
- Her terrace became a living lab, where she learned to hand-pollinate, graft, and create new color combinations  

What Makes Her Garden Unique

- The collection includes rare hues like maroon, violet, orange, and multicolored swirls  
- Adeniums, or desert roses, add sculptural beauty with their thick stems and vibrant blooms  
- All plants are grown in recycled containers using cow dung compost and organic methods  
- Her garden thrives without professional infrastructure—just sunlight, discipline, and daily care  

From Passion to Purpose: The Birth of Green Flora

- As word spread through Facebook gardening groups, Anju began receiving requests for cuttings and plants  
- She launched Green Flora, a home-based plant business with no website or storefront  
- Orders now come from across India, with plants shipped alongside handwritten notes and video care guides  
- On average, she earns ₹20,000 per month, with peak seasons doubling that income  

Empowering Through Example

- Anju collaborates with other gardeners, creating a small but growing network of women-led green enterprises  
- Her story has inspired many to start terrace gardens, especially in space-constrained urban settings  
- She emphasizes that gardening doesn’t require acres of land—just a few feet of space and the will to nurture  

A Blooming Legacy

- Anju’s terrace is now a destination for plant lovers, students, and sustainability advocates  
- She continues to experiment with new hybrids and propagation techniques  
- Her journey is a reminder that beauty, business, and biodiversity can coexist—even on a rooftop  

As Anju puts it, you don’t need land to grow something meaningful—you just need the sky. And in her case, a sky full of roses.

Sources: The EarthView, Sakshi, The Better India June 2025