The courtyard of Karunalayam House in Panavally is a burst of colour, with petunias and bougainvillea in full bloom throughout the year. Inside, ornamental plants lend a soothing green charm to the living spaces.

What began as a pastime during the COVID lockdown, when stepping outside was not an option, has today blossomed into not just a visual delight but also a steady source of income for Divya Shyam. Starting with flowers and gradually expanding into indoor plants and vegetables, her initiative has taken a more defined shape with the launch of her home-based nursery, ‘Haritha’, two years ago.

Divya was once a nurse at a private hospital in Kochi. However, she stepped away from her profession nearly a decade ago, as the demands of her job left her with little time for her children. She then turned to farming, following in the footsteps of her father-in-law. Slowly, their backyard came alive with plants and flowers, with petunia emerging as the standout favourite.

It was during the lockdown, when life was confined within the home, that Divya began to explore the commercial potential of flower cultivation. Through social media, she familiarised herself with the scientific aspects of growing petunias. Alongside the native varieties she already had, she introduced hybrid plants and went on to develop new varieties through artificial pollination. Her journey into commercial gardening began with the online sale of petunia seeds.

Orders were received through social media and fulfilled via courier. Petunia, however, does not withstand the monsoon. After the rains, fresh plants are raised from preserved seeds, which are then used to produce seeds for sale. Today, Divya cultivates around 25 varieties of petunia, including several she has developed herself. In addition, she offers 15 varieties of bougainvillea, along with a range of philodendrons and anthuriums.

Encouraged by the success of her flower cultivation, she expanded into vegetable farming by setting up a rain shelter near her home. A variety of vegetables, including tomato, okra, beans, snake gourd, cucumber and cabbage, are now grown here. Vegetable seeds, too, are sold online. Two years ago, the venture was formally registered as a nursery under the name ‘Haritha’. Adjacent to the house, even the car porch has been transformed into a treehouse-style living space, where ornamental plants create an inviting display.
Phone: 9745291432