Yari Road’s green oasis

What if we told you, that an unusual V-Day gift is sitting in a nursery? Head to Andheri’s newest, cutest plant shop and go find the hoya creeper

It is during her lowest low that Sameena Abidi found her raison d’être. Two years ago, she remembers being “stuck in a rut”. Her job as producer with a leading entertainment channel had been unforgiving and stressful. “Life was pretty chaotic, and I was desperately looking for something that I could escape into,” says Abidi. At the time, she confesses, her knowledge about planting was zilch. “I can shamelessly admit that I didn’t even know what a fern was.” But, a jade plant that was gifted to her by friend and former colleague Rahul Sharma on her birthday steered her curiosity. “It was my first plant ever, and I felt responsible for it. I started browsing the web, attending gardening workshops, and even began propagating it. Within a short span of time, I had about 80-odd plants in my garden.”

Since Sharma is a self-taught artist, the duo decided to start Hey Bud!, an online plant nursery on Instagram, where they sold customised, hand-made planters with rare plants. “The idea was to encourage people to use anything and everything lying at home, as a planter.”

The online studio was just about picking up, when during the lockdown, Abidi lost her job. Instead of moping, she decided to dedicate her energy towards planting. “That’s the only thing I found myself thinking about. Plants, plants and more plants…” While she did end up getting a new job last year, Sharma and Abidi thought of setting up a physical studio. “We decided to invest all the money that we [had] made from the online studio into this project.” In January, the duo, with the help of their friends Megha Chand, Bhavya Shetty and Amal Solanki, opened a charming, nursery-cum-studio at The Little House in Versova.

We met the team on a wintry afternoon, and while we missed how the studio would have looked a few hours later, when fairy lights would be up, it was nonetheless a beautiful little trip into the green. Sharma recently sourced coir pots and planters from Kerala, which he says are more durable than the plastic ones. “They soak the extra water, and that keeps the plant hydrated,” he shares. The low-maintenance plants at the studio are the wide variety of succulents, which they’ve put together in tiny pots, hand-painted by Sharma. Since both of them have worked with a children’s channel, their larger approach is vibrant and cartoonish. They also explore other themes. On one planter, Sharma has recreated the galaxy in tones of black and blue. Another one, made for a child, shows an astronaut in space. 

We loved the Spanish moss that they had hung up on dried branches; it needs just light misting daily. “Upcycling is the main goal,” says Abidi. The duo wants to promote the use of discarded items, and because they are nature-lovers, this comes naturally to them. Recently, a friend gave them an antique dial phone with a wooden stand, which Sharma is going to convert into a planter. “In the future, we also hope to conduct workshops in this space, and spread the love for potting and planting,” adds Abidi.
 
Their first children’s workshop was held on February 7. They also offer services to nurse plants back to good health. “So, if your plants aren’t growing well, irrespective of whether you bought them from us or not, you can drop them at our studio and we will look after them for a bit.” Currently, an intern is present at the store all day. But, if you need a potting lesson, it’s best to visit in the early evenings, when you can catch the team.

For more on the workshops, follow@heybudstories, Instagram;
Call: 9819613860

For Valentine’s Day
The heartshaped hoya is a creeper which Abidi has styled in a terracotta pot. She calls it Love on Loop. “On Valentine’s Day, a lot of nurseries sell one leaf in a pot. But, it’s not a healthy way for a plant to grow, so, I created a hoop.”

What: Hey Bud! Studio
Where: The Little House, Andheri West
Price: Rs 350 onwards
When: 10 AM-8 PM

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