Tag: native plants

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blog Sustainable Gardening Basics

Introduction to sustainable gardening

The definition of being eco-friendly in some way starts with plants.

Technically speaking, planting a tree contributes to greenery around us. One would imagine that the greener spaces we create, the better our world feels. More oxygen, improved air quality, cooler atmosphere, mental well-being among several other positives. When we grow a plant, we feel that we have taken the first step towards building a sustainable world.

But what if, someone told you that planting any tree isn’t enough? What if, gardening in the modern world is doing more damage than good to your green vision?

As it turns out, sowing a seed or growing a sapling isn’t enough to create a truly green, sustainable world. The complete knowledge of gardening and study of our natural world determines how well we are inching towards our green goals.

To create such a garden, one must remember these 3 principles where it should:

1. Support local biodiversity and the natural ecosystem

2. Self-sustains itself without constant human intervention

3. Creates minimal negative impact on the local habitat

In short, you must know what you are growing, where are you growing it, how are you growing it and what impact it is generating in this process.

Simply put, a sustainable garden works with nature, not against it. Such a space encourages co-existence among other habitants of our planet in form of other species of plants, birds, butterflies, bees, etc.

While creating or sustaining an indoor or outdoor garden, one must consider the above principles. From the choice of plants or seeds to the kind of materials, one uses in the garden, determines the sustainability factor in it.

In our Introduction to Sustainable Gardening series, we will talk about the three principles in detail. Watch out this space.
Next in this series: How home gardening can support local biodiversity and ecosystems
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blog Peepal uncategorized

Why I chose Peepal as the brand name?

One of the most difficult tasks in creating a brand is choosing the right brand name. In addition to being different, it also needs to reflect a brand’s philosophy in a simple and relatable way. A real tough challenge to crack.

Like many others, there were in-numerous brainstorming sessions to arrive at a logical conclusion. And one fine morning, I woke up to the name literally.

But before that, what is the brand and the business, one would ask.

As it turns out, sowing a seed or growing a sapling isn’t enough to create a truly green, sustainable world. The complete knowledge of gardening and study of our natural world determines how well we are inching towards our green goals.

In simple terms, my brand aims to make a difference in the lives of people, plants and the planet we live. Not that simple, right? Let me break it down for you.

Good health is often described as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not just merely the absence of a disease.

One of the most underrated enablers in achieving this state are — plants. Several global studies show that gardening promotes physical health through activity, mental health through self-care, and spiritual health through discovery. To that effect and coupled with the Covid-19 lockdown, gardening took the centre-stage in our lives, globally.

While this may seem all known and good, there is bad news too.

Thanks to the internet, we can now buy these living things online — just like any other (non-living) thing. Thanks to technology, we can mass produce them in almost any climatic condition — making them exotic and aspirational. And thanks to cheap transportation, we can introduce them in any part of the world — making them invasive in the local ecosystem.

Plants, the genesis of a sustainable world, are creating a negative impact on our environment, if planted without knowledge and wisdom.

Consumerism and commercialization in the gardening, horticulture industry has given rise to the most unsustainable practices today, be it opting for exotic (non-native) plants or non-eco-friendly gardening materials (plastic, concrete, fiber).

Peepal was born out of this observation.

Since the roots of these challenges lie in our past, we turned to the ancient wisdom and combined it with the present knowledge.

Peepal is not a tree — ficus religiosa but a combination of many things that universe has packed into one. And our brand aims to embody the many qualities that it has to offer:
  • The spiritual connection: a sacred, native, indigenous plant of India representing enlightenment
  • The health connection: a healer with medicinal properties that cures several diseases
  • The social connection: a common place for ‘people’ to celebrate and convene
  • The emotional and mental connection: a symbol of perseverance and adaptability
  • The sustainability connection: a key player in maintaining the ecological balance
Above all, it is humble unlike its sibling — ficus benghalensis also known as a strangler tree which is famous for building its foundation on someone else’s.