Gardens of delight
Corporate Landscaping
Aruna Chandaraju catches up with M B Krishna, reputed ecologist, ornithologist and consultant whose advice on urban-wildlife-friendly gardens is sought by many corporates, individuals and organisations.
M B Krishna who holds a doctorate in zoology has research interests in monitoring and bird-community ecology and wildlife biology in general. He has been associated with the birdwatching movement in Bangalore for the last 35 years.
He started the first email discussion group in the region to enhance interest in birds and other wildlife. It is now the largest discussion group for the subject in South Asia.
Krishna who is currently a consultant with Robert Bosch has interesting insights into corporate landscaping. First, he believes that the picture-postcard landscapes that we see in many corporate spaces are just that, ornamental and pretty to look at. But if you look closely, many are not designed to serve pedestrians’ needs or be eco-friendly.
They lack utilitarian aspects like winding paths down which to stroll, they don’t really offer shelter from the sun or quiet corners for time with oneself, and most times they don’t attract birds and butterflies. What is more, they are energy-intensive, and also require much manpower, time, pesticides, and money for maintenance, he reveals.
“Considering that currently the government is cutting down a lot of trees on Bangalore to support urban projects, it is all the more important that people who hold land especially corporates who actually own a lot of land, should effectively put that land to multiple green uses,” Krishna says.
So, what is the solution? He replies that gardens should be taken beyond being merely ornamental pieces and converted into a functional entity which provides shade, and reduces heat, dust and noise.
There should be emphasis on a better microclimate and ambience given current world environmental circumstances. “The focus should be on the use of the green space and not so much to create a piece of eye-which pleases the passersby. Such eco-friendly gardens will also support a lot of urban wildlife.”
Any such garden should have greenery in multiple layers, trees, shrubs, grass and flowerbeds. That is because variety supports variety ie a variety of plants attracts a variety of animals and birds. So avoid a monoculture. “Besides the above structural variety, there should also be a variety in species; as many as are practically possible.
Shade-providing trees are essential. A small added advantage is that if vehicles are parked in a shaded area, there will be less fuel consumption when the car is started. Allow grass to grow taller and bear seed. That will also make the grass cover more dense for the same amount of water,” he continues.
Attract butterflies & birds
Even urban areas can attract small animals and birds if the greenery is right. Bangalore has recorded over 150 butterfly species and 330 bird species in the past century, reveals the ornithologist. And even a small garden at your home or in an office, if appropriately designed, can attract nearly one-tenth the number of these winged creatures.
Right design
And what is that right design? Krishna’s handbook Composing Corporate Garden Landscapes provides details. These work for both home and office gardens.
The vegetation should have variety in form and composition. This will not only contribute to visual appeal but also attract small wildlife. A garden should provide a rustic semi-wild corner with shrubbery, piles of loose stones in small heaps (which for eg, encourages lizards) and by dripping taps (drip nozzles) which encourage bees and birds to come for water.
Birds come for the nectar in flowers, parakeets for tree seeds, bees for fruit trees and scented flowers, fruit-eating birds come looking for fruits and squirrels come for all this and tree-bark too.
Diversified landscape
The landscape should be diversified in several ways. Hedges, shrubs and shrubbery, which are bushy in places, need to be planted. They provide cover and a sense of security to birds and bees. Many birds like warblers and tailorbirds prefer shrubbery over trees just as doves or thrushes which fly down to the ground for feed. Creepers, climbers and leaners are also great ideas. Species like Ficus Pumila or Ficus Repens stick to flat, cemented and stony surfaces and form an effective green layer.
Leaners like bougainvillea and quisqualis can be used to cover corners in busy thickets and help attract munias, sunbirds and flowerpeckers to build nests in them. Arches, trellises and pergolas with appropriately chosen climbers not only create a multidimensional look and ambience but encourage birds to come and build their nests. These are especially relevant to small spaces.
So, for example, if all you have is a gate, not a garden, then you can have an arch over that gate and a bushy climber over it, explains Krishna. Flowerbeds and grasses attract and support many varieties of butterflies and other smaller forms of life. Doves eat grass-seeds and these seeds are available only in untrimmed lawn, he points out.
Stone heaps
It also helps to have small piles of stones at some unused corner or the demarcation of walls with holes and gaps to create a habitat for small animals like lizards and insects which birds could feed on.
In fact, gravel and stone-lined paths aid seepage of water into the ground and recharge it. Leaf litter is effective mulch and provides a good habitat for insects and earthworms. Birds like babblers and mynas feed on these insects. Damp areas and ponds with dripping water can attract bees, insects and even birds during dry weather. Krishna points out that the structure of a pond or depression should be such that they have at least half their shoreline with a very gradual slope. The slope should reach up to the very top, so in case toads, frogs, shrews and such small animals fall inside, they can easily clamber out.
