On the first-floor balcony of Kerala University’s botany department, a 50-square-foot space has been transformed. It is now a green corner with plants, pebbles, wind chimes, a small waterfall, and chairs.
Research Inspires a Green Space
Reshma PR, a fourth-year PhD student, created this garden. Her research focused on indoor air-purifying plants. She studied how these plants could remove formaldehyde, a common indoor pollutant from paints and detergents.
Her experiments showed that certain indoor plants can get rid of formaldehyde. Reshma noted that people spend most of their time indoors, whether at home, in offices, or in vehicles.
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Start Your News DetoxViridescent Haven: A Healing Garden
The garden, named Viridescent Haven, was built with guidance from Dr. Bindu R Nair. It uses local plants known for their purifying abilities. These include sansevieria, spider lily, hemigraphis, drosera, and lucky bamboo.
Reshma chose the plants based on a NASA study. The garden also follows Kerala University’s "green protocol," using biodegradable and eco-friendly pots and materials.
Reshma calls the 50-square-foot area an indoor healing garden. Every part, from the plants to the waterfall and wind chimes, aims to relax and refresh the mind.
A Place for Mindful Relaxation
Visitors are encouraged to put away their phones. They are asked to relax mindfully for at least 30 minutes. This includes enjoying the plants' aroma, their visual beauty, and the calming sound of wind chimes.
Shoes are also left outside. Visitors walk barefoot over pebbles. Reshma explains this is for an acupuncture effect, which is good for the nervous system.
Dr. Bindu, who helped create the garden, said it offers a peaceful break. "When people come to the library, naturally they’re saturated. They can come and sit here and enjoy some peace of mind," she noted.
