Hyderabadis going back to their roots: terrace dreams take centre stage at Nursery Mela

Hyderabad

The breezy expanse of People’s Plaza on Necklace Road has transformed into a vibrant urban jungle this week, playing host to the Grand Indian Nursery Mela 2026. The sprawling venue is a riot of colour and fragrance, featuring flora transported from every corner of the country from resilient local varieties to delicate exotic imports.

While the visual spectacle of ceramic pots and eco-friendly grow bags is drawing attention, the true showstopper this year is not a decorative flower, but a potent healer. The event has seen an unprecedented demand for the Insulin Plant locally called sugar plant. Alongside the Insulin plant, the air is thick with the aroma of rare medicinal varieties like Mint Tulsi and Lavender Tulsi, which are selling out fast.

J Sandhya rani , a gardening enthusiast and visitor at the mela, highlighted the practical benefits of these purchases.

“We often rush to the medical shop for every small ache, but we forget what our grandmothers taught us,” she said. “Chewing a leaf of the insulin plant helps manage sugar levels naturally, while Vavilaku is excellent for boiling in bathwater to heal skin allergies and body pains. Even Mint Tulsi is a lifesaver for digestion in our daily kitchen cooking. It is time we trust nature again.” said J Sandhya Rani. Stall owners who have travelled from Kadiyam, the nursery capital of the region, business is blooming report that “I have been coming here for ten years, but I have never seen sales like this for medicinal plants,” said Rao, a nursery owner from Kadiyam. “Earlier, people only wanted red roses or crotons. Now, the first thing they ask is, ‘Do you have the sugar-control plant?’ Our sales for medicinal herbs have skyrocketed by 60 per cent compared to 2024.”

Beyond the sales, the event is also fostering a community movement. In a bid to counter the busy city life, the ‘City of Terrace Garden Hyderabad’ initiative is distributing free saplings to the public. Their goal is to encourage every Hyderabadi to convert their empty roof space into a patch of green.

“The idea is to make gardening easy for the busy IT crowd,” said a volunteer at the stall. “We are giving them hardy varieties that survive the city heat, encouraging them to grow their own chemical-free vegetables.”

Vaishnavi, who was seen browsing the seed stalls, was impressed by the sheer range of biodiversity.

“The collection here is simply large,” she remarks. “There are so many exotic flower and fruit varieties that we usually don’t see in local nurseries.

I am especially excited about the desi green vegetable seeds it is a great opportunity to grow our own organic food.” With eco-friendly pots, rare seeds, and a renewed focus on health, the mela proves that Hyderabad is ready to go back to its roots one sapling at a time.