Chandra Shekhar Sharma lives in a ‘greenhouse’ in Agra as his home houses over 1,000 plants of 400 different varieties!

The retired banker has been growing plants in his house for over 40 years now. All the walls of his house are filled with pots and plants, covered in vertical gardens.

The fruits and vegetables he grows include pomegranate, lemon, orange, and flowers like jasmines, roses, bougainvilleas, and tulips.

Birds like sparrows and hummingbirds and insects visit his house thanks to the greenery. Water lilies adorn the water bodies across the house.

The reason to start planting was due to the rising pollution levels, shares the 64-year-old.

He states that in the excruciatingly hot Agra climate, the temperatures inside his house are always around 4 to 5 degrees cooler.

Staying in a ‘congested area’, this was a way of keeping himself cool.

When planting a new seed, he keeps certain things in mind, like where the sun’s rays will fall and which areas are shadowed.

Mindful of Agra’s climate, he carefully chooses plants that bloom for about eight to nine months a year.

“You know how people say we have a garden in our home? I wanted to do something different. There’s a home in my garden,” he says.

His morning starts with tending to his darling plants. He cares for all the 1,000 plants himself, without a gardener.

“Every morning I wake up and feel like spending time with my plants. Other people exercise. For me, this is my workout,” he says.

He steers clear of chemicals, and makes his own compost using kitchen waste and cow dung.

Besides the fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers, these plants supply clean, fresh air to the Sharma family in a region where air quality is poor.

The dedicated gardener has also started sharing his knowledge with others. He has gone to about 50 houses, offering advice, teaching people about gardens and helping them install their own.

“I want Agra to be beautiful,” he says. “Till we don’t plant trees, Agra’s temperature will keep on rising,” he adds.