A gem amidst high-rises!

In a fast paced metropolitan city like Bengaluru, which is surpassed by tall buildings and has become a concrete jungle, stands this heritage home of proud owners Priya and Mohan Mascarenhas.

It is inevitable that such kind of time and effort must be rewarded; Priya Mascarenhas’ mansion and luscious garden have bagged the outstanding shield for the best ornamental garden on August 15th Independence day garden contest. Priya says, “I have won this award for the past 43 years and it took a lot of research. But as an avid traveller, I managed to learn more about exotic flowers. Initially I would bring back samples of tropical flowers but for the past few years they are available in Bengaluru.”

A tour around their lush green garden which is spread over a whopping half-acre will transport you to a mystic land with an exotic habitat. Mohan Mascarenhas the founder of an international and global engineering marketing company inherited this 135 year old mansion.

Speaking about how she manages to tend this well-manicured garden she says, “I have over 11 staffs to help me, but I personally walk around the garden everyday to see if everything is in place. Besides, gardening needs a lot of attention and patience because it depends on a trial and error basis. “

Coming from a family of coffee planters Priya believes to have inherited a green thumb. Home to over 25 kinds of fruits including the classic varieties of mango, custard apple, jackfruit, wood apple, guava, chickoo and others, this lush green paradise is nestled in the heart of bustling Richards Town.

Wading through the aesthetically pleasing space, the sound of the soothing waterfalls is quite the experience. Addressing a very pertinent issue like climate change Priya speaks about how she has managed to contribute towards a greener ooru. She says, “The waterfall was set up for my daughter Champa who is a special child, as the sound of water is therapeutic. However, we do not use the corporation water for this. We have installed a rain water harvesting and water recycling system.”

Priya concludes with an important note, she says, “I planted a few trees outside my house that was objected by several people. But, that doesn’t stop me from contributing to the green belt. Our country is in dire need to stop deforestation, considering the groundwater depletion, it’s time we take this serious.”