Denicah Aine, a mother of four, has turned her home into a food basket and plants selling centre.
Located in Ngalamye B zone in Gayaza Manyangwa, Wakiso district, the home spans 2.5 acres of land.
She divided it in such a way that the garden takes the biggest chunk.
She has a matooke plantation on 1.5acres which she screened off with a wire mesh fence. She also grows vegetables and ornamental plants for sale.
Aine’s husband, Justus Kabandize is a businessman.
They bought the land in 2011 and started developing it immediately. By December 2012, their five-bedroom flat was complete and the gardens were flourishing. They moved in.
The aesthetic split
To access the main house, one goes through two big gates connected to each other by a paved drive way that snakes to the front yard.
This also doubles as the parking lot; paved and adorned with rock gardens on the left and right. This space is bordered by lush thicket formed by shrubs, cactus and colourful ground covers to the left
. Between the right hand rock garden and the living room balcony, stands a cave-like gate to the gardens. Once through the gate, one steps into the walk way that divides the gardens into two asymmetric parts; the upper and lower.
Both gardens are well kempt. The lawn is neatly manicured. The upper garden has an outdoor light stand in its center as the focal point.
From this garden, one goes through a small gate to the green house which houses Aine’s plants for sale. It’s about 40X30ft. They include; indoor and outdoor plants such as ferns, succulents, cacti, palms, mums, lilies and begonias.
Maintenance
Aine maintains her gardens with her husband, children and a gardener.
“I have divided my time well. I spend two full days in the gardens and three days in my other business,” she shares.
During holidays, her children help with watering, cleaning, pruning and weeding.
She also grows celery, spring onions and tomatoes.
Venturing in plants
For years, Aine used to collect flowers and she would gift some to friends until she decided to turn this into a business two years ago.
“I advertise on social media every day and get clients,” she says.
She sells flowers to people who look to beautify their offices, apartments and homes.
On a good day, she can make sh300,000 from the matooke and flowers.
Aine also does landscaping for clients at a fee.
“My husband has been supportive. We work together on most of these landscaping projects whenever he is free,” she says.
