Rajasthan is generally associated with desert and sand dunes and therefore it is astonishing to know of a city known as City of Lakes and this surprise reaches dizzying heights when one comes to know about a huge farm with exotic varieties of flowers, fruits and vegetables.

Plant Kingdom Garden Centre, a farm at Sisarma Road is a unique kingdom of plants where floras of various habitats are flourishing in hot climate of Udaipur region.

Rakesh Bolia (52), the owner of Plant Kingdom got this inspiration from his father who was keenly interested in gardening and thus Plant Kingdom came into existence on a barren piece of land 11 years ago. Presently the garden is blooming due to the joint efforts Rakesh and Neena Bolia, his wife.

They have installed techniques like green house effect, fogging apparatus etc. that give the plant their natural climatic condition to grow. In future they also plan to build a cold storage for plants which are originally from cold climate.

There are about 400 different species of plants and they are nurtured through organic farming method. The striking phenomenon is absence of chemical fertilisers to support growth of plants.

This part of the year is the right time to sow, and therefore, seeds of flowers like Impatience, Mandeville, Pitunia, Ranunculus, Narcissus, Gladilious, Gerbera, Daffodil, Tulips and Orchid have already been planted and they will flower soon.

In fruit segment, strawberry, litchi, peach, varieties of mangoes, cherry, lemon, guava, green apples, green and red sugar apples will also bear fruits in a month or two. Parsley, Potatoes, Chinese Chart, Yellow and Red capsicum, Broccoli, Purple Cabbage and Ornamental chillies are some of the fresh exotic vegetables that can be found in this garden.

“With the help of internet based research and guidance from people who master in gardening, I experiment and try to grow every fruit and flower in this farm. I don’t give up on a plant at least for 2 years,” said Rakesh.

This year they have also planted spices like Cloves, Black pepper, Green Cardamom and other uncommon spices.

By profession Rakesh is a Senior Assistant in Department of Computer at Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals Limited (RSMM). Everything he learnt about gardening is from his father and internet. While surfing net whichever International flowers and fruits he likes, he imports its seeds, mainly from Holland.

Rakesh said, “After 11 years of rigorous gardening today I have reached to a stage where I can recognise a plant by the fragrance of its leaf.”

Rakesh also gives free consultancy and a helping hand on Landscape designing and garden development. A few months back he helped in growing Strawberry plants at Hotel Udai Villas.

Rakesh and Neena Bolia have dedicated most of their time to nurture this garden, it’s all because of their passion and dedication towards nature that they have made the impossible, possible. Their work has not only been featured many times in various media circles but has also inspired many nature lovers of the city.