Doctor’s soothing tropical retreat
Wife Hansa trusted Harshad’s judgment to select a suitable site for the house, and after buying the section in a new subdivision, it took Calcott little time to draw up the plans.
‘‘The only I thing I said to Graeme was that he had to maximise sunlight in the house and the view of the water. The rest he did by himself. You can see the water from three sides of the house. I think he did a fantastic job, especially with the living, dining, lounge area, where the family spends a lot of time.’’
It was a huge and dramatic change for a family, who at one time had squeezed seven into one bedroom for over a year in transitional days.
‘‘We tried to make the house environmentally friendly without any toxic stuff in it, and wanted the home to be as warm as possible, using the free heat from the sun.
‘‘Graeme emailed us plans. I visited him only twice, but I was amazed at how many little bits there were to do, like lights, location of jack points, the phone, little things that still required decisions.’’
For this busy neo-natal paediatrician, time was critical, so the process of decision-making via email proved a perfect and time-effective solution, enabling him to work house matters around patient needs.
The individuality of Harshad and his passion for a tropical paradise were evident in his careful palm planting plan, determined before the house plans were even finalised with the council.
‘‘You’ve got to be a bit quirky. The palm trees had to be a part of it. Each and every tree and where it was going to be planted was planned,’’ he says. ‘‘That was a very important part of the process.’’
True to his word, the back garden layout – some palms and the pool – went in before the house was started.
‘‘The pool had to go in because that’s behind the house,’’ he explains, ‘‘and the garden area was built at the same time.’’
There are 44 palms in total, all transported from Kerikeri, species native to sun-drenched Uruguay, Senegal, Laos, Brazil, Queensland and India, and nikau from New Zealand – the only species more accustomed to the Hutt Valley’s weather. But despite the contrary climatic conditions, the palms have flourished and in just a few years are already creating that sought-after tropical ambience.
‘‘Yes, it does look more forested these days. The Indian wine palm [ Phoenix sylvestris] I bought specifically for my father. In India, where he was from, they use the sap, ferment it and make their own home brew.
‘‘It’s the one tree I would uproot and take if we ever had to move.’’
But relocation is unlikely for Harshad and his family. They all love the location and for the two years his mother, Vali, and father, Ravji, lived in the home it was a shared pleasure.
‘‘I needed to look after my father when he got sick. They loved it here with their own bedroom, bathroom and lounge and peace and quiet.’’
They are precious and fond memories for Harshad who feels he owes much to his parents and the wonderful upbringing he says he had in Zambia.
‘‘I wasn’t interested in gardening when I was in Zambia, but when you leave, it’s only then you appreciate what you had. We were nearly self-sufficient in fruit, with oranges, lemons, pawpaw, avocados, mangos, jackfruit, pomegranates . . . and everything grew so well.’’
His upbringing in Africa has proved influential in his career. Harshad did his medical training in Lusaka at a time when a huge investment had been made in the medical school, resulting in a hospital fitted with the latest equipment.
Like for any medic, it’s an ongoing process of learning as new discoveries are made in neo-natal care.
Today, Harshad says, at any one time there are 30 to 40 premature babies in Wellington Hospital’s neo-natal unit. On average, half a dozen are born every year at 23 weeks’ gestation or 17 weeks premature.
It’s understandable, therefore, with the weight of hope and expectation from the concerned parents of these neo-nates that Harshad has grown his tropical retreat to unwind amid nature.
Not that his garden is a sedentary affair. During Easter, he hand dug an area for a 5000-litre water tank, picking into a rock face, removing rotten rock wheel barrow by wheel barrow.
‘‘I love to push the boundaries in the garden. I don’t have sporting activities, so I find gardening de-stressing and I love to see things grow.’’
His vegetable garden, tucked along a minimal strip at the base of a bank behind the house, grows beans, peas, celery, fennel, radishes, lettuce, carrots, corn and, under glass, chillies and eggplant.
‘‘I’m not saving any money. It’s just the pleasure of growing your own.
‘‘I’ve been thinking of planting some wind-hardy roses and maybe some mature grapes, but I don’t want to tempt fate.’’
Then there’s that bank, but Harshad already has plans for that. FAMILY FAVS: Totally Devoted is a delicious new range of cookies that combines healthy, whole ingredients with added herbs that deliver vitamins and minerals essential for families, nursing mums or mums-to-be. The New Zealand-made range includes a Pregnancy Cookie, a Feeding Cookie and a Family Cookie, so there’s something for the whole team. All three products are handbaked by the woman behind the cookies - chef and mum of two Jesse Wilson - and come in a 235gm re-sealable bag – perfect for popping into your handbag or glove box. RRP $6.50
TO submit a new product or service for the home in this column send information to Belinda Kerr, Level 4, The Dominion Post, PO Box 3740, Wellington, or email details to:
Belinda.Kerr@dompost.co.nz