Dharan – Flowers once planted for hobby in the courtyards of houses have now become a source of income in the Lahure settlement of Dharan. Once planted for decoration, these flowers are now providing income, which has encouraged many to engage in flower cultivation.

Bishwo Limbu, from Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City-19, states that his hobby of collecting flowers for decoration has led him to start commercial flower farming. He has been running the “Canal African Violets Nursery” for the past eight years. “Earlier, I used to import plants from abroad for decoration and plant them at home, but now I am producing and selling flower plants, generating a monthly income of almost NPR 100,000,” he says.

Shivmaya Rai from Dharan-11 also turned her hobby of planting flowers into a business. Six years ago, she brought two money plants to her home, and over time, she started collecting the flowers she liked. Today, she operates her own nursery, offering various species of flowers and plants. This has not only fulfilled her hobby but has also generated a good income.

“In the beginning, I used to give plants to relatives and neighbors for free, but seeing them not taking care of them properly, I felt bad. Later, I decided not to give them for free, and started charging NPR 50 per plant. Eventually, this turned into a business,” she explains. She reinvested her initial earnings back into the flowers and plants. Today, she is happy to be a businesswoman, earning up to NPR 200,000 monthly. Her nursery now houses more than a hundred species of flowers and plants.

In the Lahure settlement of Dharan, one can see flowers blooming from the gates to the rooftops. Some people have turned their courtyards into gardens. Due to the growing interest in flowers and plants, the trend of leaving small spaces in house construction to plant flowers and trees is also on the rise.

Pramila Rai, who has been running “Pavitra Nursery” in Dharan-8 for 17 years, says the income from the nursery has been supporting her family. She has also provided employment to a few people through her nursery.

Yumhenhang Rai from Dharan-20, who once enjoyed collecting flowers as a hobby, has also turned it into a business. He now runs “Everest Nursery” and says, “Initially, I used to get flowers from my friends, but later I turned it into a business. Now, this hobby turned business helps me cover household expenses.” His nursery has plants ranging from NPR 100 to NPR 70,000.

Dharan’s Mayor, Harka Sampang Rai, has also initiated a flower planting campaign in the city. Through the campaign, various species of flowers and plants have been planted along roadsides, riverbanks, and hillsides around Dharan.

“Flowers not only attract people but also make people commercial,” he says. “Flowers will also attract tourists to Dharan.” He added that the campaign is being run to establish flowers and plants as a symbol of Dharan.

Currently, there are more than three dozen nurseries in Dharan that sell flowers and plants commercially. Experts say that the annual turnover of flowers and plants in Dharan exceeds NPR 30 million.