A Garden in the Sky: How One Woman Turned Her Rooftop into a Flourishing Farm
On a sunny rooftop in Ludhiana, where the city hums below and the concrete heats up like a stovetop, something extraordinary is growing.
Step onto Poonam Wadhwa’s terrace, and it’s like entering a secret garden in the sky. Here, between the sunlight and shadows, tomatoes blush red, bitter gourd vines crawl confidently across trellises, and tiny mulberries dangle like sweet, purple jewels.
All of this — fruit, flower, and foliage — blooms not in sprawling fields, but a few feet above the family living room.
From Childhood Roots to Rooftop Revolution
For Poonam, gardening isn’t just a hobby — it’s a homecoming.
“I loved plants as a child,” she reminisces, “but after marriage, life took over. Something always felt missing.” That gap closed the day she brought a few pots of green onto her terrace. “The minute I added plants, it felt right,” she says with a smile that now stretches across beds of basil, plots of peppers, and blossoms of Barbados cherry.
What started as a simple effort to bring back some greenery has grown — quite literally — into a rooftop farm that’s both abundant and beautiful. And in the process, it’s not just her terrace that’s transformed. It’s her rhythm, her routine, and the life surrounding her.
The Soil and Soul of a Rooftop Garden
Poonam’s terrace is no Pinterest-perfect fantasy. It’s a working garden — living, changing, always teaching. She grows everything from chillies and capsicum to Barbados cherry, mulberry, and bitter gourd. But this isn’t just a story of yield. It’s one of care.
Take watering, for example. “Chillies are picky,” she laughs. “Too much water, and the flowers fall off. No flowers, no chillies.” It’s a dance — one step too far and the whole plant protests.
Sunlight, too, is non-negotiable. “Capsicums are easy if you give them six hours of direct sun,” she advises. Without it, the plants stretch tall and thin, with barely a fruit in sight.
And while pests are every gardener’s villain, Poonam skips the chemicals. Neem oil and sour buttermilk are her weapons of choice — safe, natural, and kind to the ecosystem.
Seven Lessons from a Garden in the Sky
Whether you’re dreaming of a mini-farm or just a few pots of mint, Poonam’s journey is full of small, meaningful lessons:
- Start in Summer
The heat is your friend — especially for crops like chillies, capsicum, and gourds. It’s when life bursts forth in color and flavor. - Water with Wisdom
Not every plant drinks the same. Observe. Learn. Adjust. - Soak Up the Sun
Light isn’t just a luxury — it’s a necessity. Most veggies crave six hours of it. - Keep It Organic
Nature knows best. Neem oil, diluted buttermilk, and a bit of garlic spray can keep pests at bay without harming pollinators. - Let Creepers Climb
Give your bitter gourd and cucumber vines a sturdy trellis. They’re climbers by heart and thrive when they’re free to stretch. - Grow for Nature, Too
Plants like Barbados cherry attract bees, butterflies, and even birds. “Sparrows have made nests here,” Poonam says, eyes twinkling. “It’s like they’ve accepted our home as theirs.” - Fertilise and Prune Wisely
Mulberries, she explains, are low-maintenance joys. “Feed them once a month, prune them in March, and they’ll reward you.”
A Garden for the Body — and the Soul
Poonam’s rooftop isn’t just about fresh food. It’s a haven. A sanctuary. A classroom. It’s where birds nest, bees buzz, and butterflies linger. It’s a space where patience is rewarded, and every leaf tells a story.
“It’s peaceful,” she says, “It slows you down. Makes you notice the little things. A bud appearing. A sparrow building its nest. That’s the magic.”
And perhaps that’s the real takeaway — that a garden doesn’t have to be grand to be great. It just needs a little space, a bit of sun, and a lot of heart.
So if you’ve ever thought gardening was too complicated, too messy, or just not “your thing,” Poonam Wadhwa’s terrace might gently say otherwise.
Because the only thing more nourishing than the food she grows is the life she’s grown around it.