Laila Karim

Rooftop gardening ideas

After a long COVID break, I returned to the column receiving a request from one of our readers, Tusher from Narayanganj, who wrote — “I have a big roof that I want to decorate with a garden.

Palliative Care: the new healthcare frontier

I came across the terminology 'palliative care' while conversing with a young couple sometime in late 2017. Being a non-medical person, I was unfamiliar with the term and other jargons that came up in that discussion.

Boshonto eshe gechey…

Have you noticed that the celebration has already started with the changing colour of the morning sky, the sweet breeze from the south, and the smell of 'amro-mukul', the

Letter from a reader

Allow me to thank you for the wonderful articles on plants and everything related to gardening.

Siyara – the new age planter

It has been over one year since the day Siyara came to my office and expressed her desire to visit a nursery – home of the plants! She wanted to touch the seeds and soils and see by herself how the life of a plant begins.

Know Dr Tree — our very own shojne!

Today, while I was plucking some shojne daata/pods from our roof top garden, I just felt like sharing the thrill with my readers. I know many of you are fans of this yummy vegetable that has been valued by our ancestors for its health benefits and also for its place as a summer specialty. In the exhausting hot summer days, many of us find respite with this vegetable as it is soothing, light and cool enough to lure us to the dining table.

Being alive with plants…some moments of joy

It has been about five months since I have been away from many things special to my life– from my plants, my books and songs. My regular life was halted for a while due to a family health crisis, from which I, along with my family members, have gradually recovered. I returned from the self-exile soon after receiving some beautiful bulbs of Tulips from my daughter, brought from the Shiphol Airport of Amsterdam. We know southern Europe is the home of

Get winter veggies from your own garden!

The monsoon is prolonged this year. It is mid September – officially autumm, but the floating clouds seem inclined to stay a few more days at least.

October 11, 2016
October 11, 2016

Teresa – tale of an orchid lover

For over a period of three the sixth-floor balcony of a neighbourhood building attracted me so much that overtime I became its observer.

July 26, 2016
July 26, 2016

Flowers that beautify the home and soul

Flowers are a veritable gift of nature, with power to change a scene, decor and a person's mood despite their delicate fragility.

June 12, 2016
June 12, 2016

Lost childhoods

Back in 1972, my husband brought home Mugal, a boy of about 10 or 11, to assist me in household chores. Mugal's father handed him over to us saying, “I am giving my only son to you for his future”. Perhaps my husband's office assistant had

May 24, 2016
May 24, 2016

Succulents Rugged Beauty

I found her while passing through the pavements of the training institute in Faridpur district.

February 23, 2016
February 23, 2016

Passing winter, random thoughts

For the past few days, winter has been telling us that it is time for it to go and the calendar is reminding us to inhale the colour...

February 2, 2016
February 2, 2016

Understanding the rose

In response to the request of one of my readers, named Zep, today I am going to share my experience of dealing with the rose.

January 12, 2016
January 12, 2016

Loving and Living with Plants

Seniors in the family are unfortunately more or less confined to the four walls of their rooms in this day and age of of living in...

January 5, 2016
January 5, 2016

Essential herbs

Just think of a day when you have run out of essential herbs in your kitchen. They are such an integral part of our everyday cooking that we simply cannot imagine a day without them.

November 17, 2015
November 17, 2015

Loving and Living With Plants

The Lotus - the water lily symbolises beauty, majesty, grace, fertility, wealth, richness, knowledge and serenity.

October 27, 2015
October 27, 2015

The flower maryam comes with

Last month, while returning from the Prophet's Mosque at Madina after the morning prayer, I found this flower in the street side shops.

push notification