At a time when expanding urban spaces are leaving limited room for wildlife, Delhi-based nature enthusiast Aman Sharma has turned his home terrace into a thriving green habitat. What began as an effort to stay connected with nature during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 has grown into an urban jungle with more than 500 plants. Sharma says the terrace has attracted over 100 bird species and more than 25 butterfly species, demonstrating how thoughtfully planned green spaces can support urban biodiversity. His initiative also offers a practical example of how households can contribute to conservation through balconies, terraces and even windows.
From Birdwatching To Building An Urban Jungle
Aman Sharma’s relationship with nature began long before he started planting on his terrace. A wildlife photographer and birdwatcher, he had been interested in observing birds and exploring wildlife habitats from a young age. His passion encouraged him to spend time outdoors, observe different species and document the natural world through photography.
However, the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 brought his wildlife outings and birdwatching trips to a halt. With opportunities to travel and observe nature becoming limited, Sharma decided to bring a part of the natural world closer to home. He began transforming an otherwise unused terrace into a green space that could attract birds, butterflies and other pollinators.
The project gradually developed into a garden featuring more than 500 plants. Rather than treating it simply as a decorative terrace garden, Sharma focused on selecting plants that could serve different ecological purposes. The result was a space where flowering plants, fruit-bearing varieties and host plants could collectively support different forms of urban wildlife.
According to Sharma, the terrace has since become a place where he has observed more than 100 types of birds and over 25 types of butterflies. The transformation reflects how a household space, when planned with nature in mind, can become a small habitat within a densely populated city.
Three Types Of Plants That Can Support Urban Wildlife
Aman Sharma’s approach to creating a wildlife-friendly space revolves around three broad categories of plants: host plants, flowering plants and food-bearing plants. Each category serves a different purpose and helps make a terrace or balcony more welcoming to wildlife.
Host plants are particularly important for butterflies because they support their life cycle. Sharma recommends plants such as lemon, which can provide resources for caterpillars. Simply growing flowering plants may attract butterflies, but including suitable host plants can also help support their development.
The second category is flowering plants. Sharma recommends varieties such as sadabahar and bougainvillea. These add colour to a garden while providing flowers that can attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Including different flowering varieties can make a small green space more useful to visiting insects.
The third category consists of plants that provide food for birds. Sharma names chikoo, capsicum, pomegranate, brinjal and guava among the options. Combining these with host and flowering plants creates a more diverse environment, offering different resources to various species.
His message is that people do not necessarily need hundreds of plants to begin. Even a few carefully selected varieties can make a balcony, terrace or window more wildlife-friendly. Sharma has also spoken about the possibility of interconnected green spaces across homes helping butterflies move through urban areas.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Urban conservation does not always begin with large projects, extensive land or institutional initiatives. Sometimes, it can start with a few plants in a space that already exists. Aman Sharma’s terrace illustrates how individual efforts can contribute to making cities more welcoming to birds, butterflies and pollinators.
His approach also highlights the importance of choosing plants for their ecological value rather than appearance alone. Host plants, flowering varieties and food-bearing plants can serve different needs, making even a modest garden more useful to wildlife.
As cities continue to expand, encouraging households to create green spaces can help bring people closer to the biodiversity around them. A balcony, terrace or window may seem like a small intervention, but when similar efforts are taken up across neighbourhoods, they can create a network of spaces that support urban wildlife.
Aman Sharma’s journey offers a simple reminder: conservation need not remain distant from everyday life. It can begin at home, one plant at a time.
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