Here are my lessons and observation from Day 2 of the workshop on Tropical Landscaping. I would encourage you to look at my lessons learned from Day 1 of the workshop.
Passion Over Perfection: You Don’t Need to Be an Expert to Begin
When Fayaz, a fellow participant, asked Musthafa, the founder of GreenAra, whether one should hire a professional landscaper or do everything on their own, Musthafa’s response was liberating. He compared it to an Audi car—some admire the advanced engineering and features, while others simply enjoy the drive. You don’t need to understand every technical detail to enjoy or build something meaningful. Passion, curiosity, and commitment matter more than formal expertise. Personally, I believe in a hybrid approach—doing a lot myself while taking professional help where it truly adds value.
The Real Joy Lies in the Journey, Not Just the Outcome
Building a farm is not a checklist project; it’s a long, evolving relationship. The real joy is not in “finishing” the farm but in figuring things out along the way—experimenting, failing, correcting, and learning. This mindset removes pressure and replaces it with playfulness and patience, which are essential when working with nature.
A Dream Farm Without Profit Is a Passion Drain
When I asked participants about their dream farms, most spoke about beauty, animals, water bodies, and self-grown food. Only one mentioned profitability. While these dreams are beautiful, ignoring revenue can slowly turn a dream into a financial burden. Without sustainable income streams aligned with one’s passion and skills, a farm can drain not just money, but enthusiasm. This is why profitability is a core focus of my two-day residential workshop, Build Your PROFITABLE Dream Farm, at Vaksana Farms.
Design Local, Live Modern
Architect Tony Joseph spoke about the importance of drawing from local architectural wisdom while thoughtfully integrating modern necessities. Local materials, climate-sensitive design, and traditional forms are inherently sustainable and timeless. This lesson strongly resonates with my plans for future farmhouses at Vaksana Farms—buildings that feel rooted, relevant, and resilient.
Niche Focus Is What Builds Strong Brands
GreenAra Life does not try to be everything. It focuses purely on tropical landscaping—not architecture, not multiple styles. This clarity has allowed their professional practice to grow directly from deep passion. It reinforced an important lesson: sticking to your niche and playing to your strengths creates stronger identity, better mastery, and long-term impact.
Rapid Implementation Beats Endless Ideation
I’ve been contemplating a talk series around farm life called Vaksana Vox. Coincidentally, seeing GreenAra’s Green Grid talk series drove home a powerful lesson—don’t overthink. Execute fast. Ideas gain value only when they are tested in the real world. Momentum often matters more than perfection.
The Power of Waking Up with the Sun
Faisal Kottikollon of Tulah Wellness spoke about waking up at 5 AM and aligning life with the energy of sunrise and sunset. There’s a quiet strength in early mornings—the clarity, stillness, and rhythm they bring. On a farm, this alignment with nature feels even more powerful and grounding.
When Passion Learns to Pay Its Own Bills
GreenAra began as a labour of love, but credit must go to Haneena for helping turn that passion into a sustainable livelihood. By identifying revenue models, GreenAra now supports full-time people who make the space and experience even richer. This transition—from passion project to self-sustaining ecosystem—is crucial for long-term success.
Mist Systems: Beauty That Builds a Micro-Climate
The mist system at Tulah Wellness was both aesthetic and functional. Visually, it creates a dreamy, almost ethereal atmosphere. Ecologically, it helps form a micro-climate that supports tropical plants. This reinforced how good landscape design can be beautiful and biologically intelligent at the same time.
Land Is Finite—Buy the Neighbouring Plot When You Can
Musthafa shared that he initially bought four acres and later acquired four more at double the price. The lesson is clear: if you have the opportunity to buy neighbouring land, don’t postpone it. Land doesn’t get cheaper, and expansion later often costs significantly more—financially and emotionally.
Continuous Learning Accelerates Farm Progress
This was my second time attending the Tropical Landscaping Workshop—the first was in September 2023. Surprisingly, nearly 80% of what I learned this time was new. Every edition injects fresh energy, ideas, and urgency to implement. Continuous learning doesn’t just add knowledge—it speeds up progress.
Right People Matter as Much as the Right Plants
One of the biggest benefits of such workshops is the people you meet. The first edition had more architects; this one had more farm owners. Being surrounded by like-minded people who understand the struggles, joys, and uncertainties of farm life creates a powerful support system where learning flows both ways.
Sensory Plants Transform Landscapes into Experiences
Plants like touch-me-nots, princess vine, and tattoo fern don’t just add visual beauty—they invite interaction. Touch, texture, and movement elevate a space from being seen to being felt. Tropical landscapes are sensory experiences, not just visual compositions.
Post Experiences Where They Truly Belong
Shihab Kunhahammed pointed out that I was sharing my GreenAra workshop experience on the Vaksana Farms Instagram page, which could confuse the audience. Since it was my personal learning journey, it belonged on my personal account. This simple but sharp feedback helped me realign my content strategy.
Boulders, Ferns & Water Plants Create Tropical Drama
The use of boulders around ponds, paired with ferns and water-loving tropical plants, creates a raw, immersive tropical aesthetic. While sourcing boulders in Tamil Nadu is difficult and expensive compared to Kerala, the takeaway is patience—collecting them slowly and intentionally over time.
Stories Preserve Legacy Better Than Structures
Haneena’s documentary And I Call Him My Father deeply moved me. It captured not just the making of GreenAra, but the emotional journey behind how her father created it. It reminded me that stories preserve legacy far better than physical structures. I feel inspired to create a similar transformation film for Vaksana Farms—an ode to Lakshmi Paati, Kasthuri Amma, and Sivaraman Appa.
Bamboo: The Backbone of Tropical Aesthetics
Bamboo adds instant tropical character—height, movement, sound, and texture. Sourcing diverse bamboo varieties from places like the KFRI Bamboo Nursery is essential, especially when local options are limited. Bamboo is not just a plant; it’s a design element.
Become a Collector, Not Just a Grower
Shihab’s advice struck a chord—be a collector of tropical plants. Make a list, build the collection slowly, learn propagation, and let the farm evolve organically. This mindset turns landscaping into a lifelong, joyful pursuit rather than a one-time project.
Ending Day 2 Inspired and Hungry for Day 3
Day 2 ended with physical tiredness but mental excitement. The lessons weren’t just about plants or design—they were about mindset, pace, people, and purpose. I’m genuinely excited to see what Day 3 unfolds.
