From sugarcane to roses: Meet UAE expat who turned his backyard into a farm in Sharjah

From sugarcane to roses: Meet UAE expat who turned his backyard into a farm in Sharjah

When Siddique Arakkal first walked into the bare house in Fayha three years ago, he knew that it was his dream home. Today, he has transformed it into a mini farm. From colourful flowers to nutritious vegetables, he has grown several varieties of plants in his villa including plantain, sugarcane, tomatoes, eggplant and papaya.

When you walk into his villa, you may wonder whether you have strolled into a botanical garden. Lines of potted plants, creepers and flowers are neatly intertwined in the backyard. A beautiful well is situated in the middle of the greenery. A peek inside will reveal dozens of Thilapia fishes.

Siddique, who works at Rashid Hospital as a lab technician, said that growing plants became a stress buster for him. “After a long day at the hospital, the immense amount of greenery and my experiments with different plants helped me relax,” he said. “It also helped me connect with my three children on a different level. Away from screens and all things digital, my wife and I were able to bond with our children over the love for plants.”

A medical practitioner, Siddique’s wife works with him in the same hospital. His elder sons are in university in Ras