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I want green fingers, please! Sudha Somanathan I am a doctor and am training to be an eye surgeon. I love to surf the net, one thing that I will sorely miss when I return to Chennai, my home. I am presently residing in the UK. I am a mother to a lovely 1&1/2 yr. old who makes me laugh, cry, angry, and frustrated in turns and sometimes at the same time, as only toddlers can. I believe greatly in the strength of the ' family unit ' and never fail to thank God for making me a part of my family.

I am a great lover of plants.Leafy ones,flowering ones,indoors,outdoors,hanging baskets,creepers,crawlers-you name it!Only the feeling is not reciprocated.One would assume it'd be an easy enough task, especially for a plant lover, to feed and water them regularly and then all that's left is to bask in the beauty of one's botanical efforts!

But I tell you and I do so with great feeling-it is not so simple. Many a plant has been buried with my hands.In fact,I think all the potted plants which came to my home are part of a larger conspiracy;they are all following the instructions of their boss-Madame Flora-"if you end up in this lady's house you should never give her the satisfaction of seeing any of you thrive"!!

I have to confess that my knowledge of caring for plants is quite minimal. I know they have roots, shoots and leaves and that they need sun, water and food but that's about it. I know nothing about the soil types or about repotting or the seasons in which certain plants thrive etc. You will get a clearer picture when I tell you that till a couple of weeks ago I was blissfully watering the weeds!But I somehow thought that this ignorance would be made up by my love for plants. I swear I love them dearly. I am even willing to talk to them (I was told talking to them is an important part of their care).

I discovered my love for plants quite recently, about 3 yrs ago when I came to UK. When I saw all the supermarkets flaunting their plant collection right at the entrance in the most eye-catching manner-it was love at first sight. But I did not make my approach for quite a while, my zero knowledge about caring for them making me hesitate. But their pretty colorful faces won me over eventually and I brought home my first pot of daffodils.It was an utter disaster.Apart from the flowers which were already there,I saw a few more buds bloom and then suddenly there was just the compost left in the pot!!I was crushed, especially since I had followed the instructions to the letter-keeping the soil moist, feeding once a week, turning the pot regularly etc. I was slowly gathering myself after this tragedy when as a balm to my wounded soul, my friend who has a v.envialble collection of houseplants, told me that daffodils grow only for that limited period of time during the spring. I was greatly relieved that it was not me who had killed them.

After this there were several other floral guests-chrysanthemums, roses, primulas-all of which for some unknown reason died under my care!!By now, I was quite sure that I've some kind of a toxic effect on floral specimens. Hence, though my love for them grew I decided to love them from a distance. But God would not leave it at that-another beautiful specimen was thrust into my hands as a farewell present. And so I started all over again,but this time I could not devote much time as there was another little person in need of my care;my gorgeous little girl.Between bathing and feeding and changing nappies,I have to admit the plant on many days went without a drop of water!I know that's unpardonable but most women who remember their 'new mum' days would forgive me.But the plant did have another saviour-my mother. My mum who had made her maiden transcontinental journey alone at the the age of 60 to help me with my first-born, found that she had not just her grandchild to take care of but also the lonely and wilting botanical specimen on the window-sill!And she got into it straight away and I have to add,she did it with great gusto.For the next time I saw the plant there was a small puddle on the window-sill!!Between my neglect and my mum's overzealous care, the plant somehow managed to survive and even bore flowers.

After a while,my mum returned to India once she was sure that I was capable of taking care of the little one on my own and I did keep an eye on the plant as well, but it became a sad victim to the biting British winter that year.

We moved house again. I was totally absorbed in child-rearing and desperate attempts to fit in studies into my schedule when one fine afternoon I went to answer the door to find myself holding another potted plant!!This time,hubby dear had decided to give me a plant for my B'day (wonder where they get their gift-ideas?!!)All was well for a while, I was talking to my 'begunias' regularly and they seemed to appreciate it too but I write with greatest sorrow that they did not accompany me when I moved to the city last month.

But fate has presented me with the greatest challenge this time- this house has an actual garden!The first thing I did was to buy the garden claw and a few seed packets!I have been logging on to gardening websites everyday and whether my toddler daughter has her meal or not,my plants get fed and watered!! I can even see the small leaves making their way above the soil, I've never been this anxious before-so guys, please wish me luck!

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