An Indian woman living in Ho Chi Minh City has turned her passion for environmentally-friendly materials into a unique vertical garden built from locally sourced bamboo.

The construction, named ‘Growing Bamboo,’ is made from over a hundred bamboo trees and cogon grass plants, curved and tied together.

The vegetable garden is the result of three days’ work by 25-year-old Indian Sameera Chukkapalli and a group of 30 carpenters, young engineers and volunteers from Ho Chi Minh City.

Preparations began as early as two weeks in advance, starting with curving the bamboo trees and smoking them to achieve the desired color.

The curved bamboo trees are then assembled into an arch that casts a shadow over the entire path leading to the garden.

Holes have been drilled along the arch to be filled with soil for growing vegetables.

About 2.5 meters from the ground is an overhang covered with cogon grass sourced from southern Tay Ninh Province, creating a large patch of shade suitable for picnics and power naps close to nature.

Spare bamboo is turned into vegetable pots. Photo: Tuoi Tre

“Everything is organic and environmentally-friendly,” Chukkapalli said. “The vertical garden is both a clean source of daily vegetables and a touch of green space for the urban landscape.”

According to Chukkapalli, who first came to Vietnam two years ago, ‘Growing Bamboo’ is her fifth major project involving locally sourced, environmentally-friendly materials.

She spent five months interning for world-famous Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia, who became known internationally for his masterful use of bamboo in several of his award-winning constructions.

Chukkapalli said her plan is to deepen her research into local materials and construction methods, as well as the use of digital technology in processing the materials.

She hoped to encourage local residents to use more natural, readily available materials in construction in order to fight pollution.

Chukkapalli’s vertical garden is currently open to the public at a youth career center in Go Vap District, just opposite the Church of Ben Hai.

Spare bamboo is turned into vegetable pots. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Sameera Chukkapalli (L) takes a photo with a visitor at her vertical garden in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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