His rare plant collection sets world records

Garden lover

City-based nature lover S Ramesh Babu has found a place in many prestigious world record books, including the Limca Book of Records, for his collection of plants.

Babu, a metallurgical scientist and resident of Kodigehalli, has created a garden spread across 700 sqft in his home in Tatanagar.

He has been featured in various world record books such as the Limca Book of Records, Assist World Record and Research Foundation and Unique World Records for his unique jasmine plant, ‘tallest hibiscus plant of 25 inches’, ‘longest Nitya Mallige branch of 36 inches’ and ‘biggest May flower of one-foot diameter’.

He has also bagged an award for the ‘tallest Dombeya Wallachi tree’ (locally known as Bettada Tavare tree or pink ball tree).

Babu, who is the founder and director of Top of the World Centre for Excellence, said: “Gardening is my passion. Earlier, I used to grow plants only in pots but after we moved to Tatanagar in 1999, I got more involved in gardening. Now, I have over 20 trees, a kitchen garden and 25 species of flowering plants. I have collected saplings from whereever I could. I got the Bettada Tavare sapling in 2008. ”

Babu is well-known in his neighbourhood for his unique garden. “Maintaining a home garden in the City is not difficult. But, today, people do not have the time or inclination for gardening. People are only greedy for land. They want to utilise every possible space for construction, because of which, gardens are becoming a thing of the past,” he added.