Garden-Lou visits Chandan Mahanta

Chandan Mahanta is a keen observer.

This is apparent from the first moment you pull off the rural, winding road, and the exceptional house Chan designed rises high above an incredible prairie full of color, texture, and the sounds of nature.

His eye for detail is fed by observing, studying, then finally applying what he has learned. All this comes together beautifully throughout the 6-acre property Chan shares with his wife, Banti, after they moved from Creve Coeur in 1999. Chan, a retired Architect, and Banti, a retired Radiologist, chose the Old Jamestown property with its impressive view high above the Missouri River and sloping hillside leading away from the bluff. The land was covered with trees, plenty of invasive honeysuckle, and poison ivy. The 1.5-acre prairie in the front yard began in 1998 before the Mahantas even moved in.

Now fully mature, the prairie requires vigilant observation for invasives like Japanese stilt grass, Italian ryegrass, lespedeza, euonymus, and of course, Japanese honeysuckle. The work amounts to about 40 hours per year. Every February brings a controlled burn with brush-hogging, which amounts to another 24 hours, plus another 40 hours of routine maintenance. This is compared to the amount of work in the standard American yard with its routine weekly mowing, weeding, mulching, and trimming. Low-maintenance is not ‘No-maintenance.’

Part of living so close to nature is compromise.

Pawpaw and apple trees are grown, but deer and other wildlife enjoy most of the fruit. The herons and other creatures kept helping themselves the fish in the pond, which is now home to leopard and bull frogs. Stunning Asiatic lotus, which reminds Chan of his childhood in Eastern India also call the pond home.

When he’s not tending to the prairie, Chan is focusing on edible crops. He grows the standard peppers and tomatoes, (he highly recommends Shimmer tomato-very sweet) but also exotic foods native to Eastern India. Lately, he’s been hybridizing gourds, and they climb the assorted unique trellis work he created to keep the fruit off the ground and make harvesting easy.

Chan’s interests and talents are not just limited to prairies and edibles. He’s a talented photographer and water-color artist. Even still, most of his artwork centers around the natural world he lives in; the plants, the river, and its wildlife.

White lotus watercolor by Chandan Mahanta

And when it comes to wildlife, the overlapping of multiple ecosystems allows for plenty of diversity. Yellow finch, indigo bunting, red-tailed hawk, turkey, bald eagle, and 3 types of woodpeckers have all been observed. Bee-keeping is another passion–Mahanta Aviary Honey is sold locally.

The beauty and diversity have not gone unnoticed. The prairie has achieved Platinum level in the Audubon’s Bring Wildlife Home program. Missouri Wild Ones and the Missouri Prairie Foundation have brought groups through, and he is a regular on the St. Louis Sustainable Backyard Tour. KSDK, St. Louis, St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The Gardens of NOCO have all featured the property.

Behind the house and office, the clever, bi-level deck overlooking the river has a sister deck far below amid a shady ecosystem opposite of the sunny prairie in front. Here, mature oak, sycamore and maple create a shady, peaceful spot full of birdsong and the sounds of the river. The Mahanta grandchildren prefer to walk down to the sandy river shore to fish, and Chan takes his stewardship for the land serious here as well, making sure invasives or aggressive plants are kept in check.

Because being a steward is what we all are when it comes to our gardens, and part of being a good steward, is to sometimes just observe.

QUICK FACTS

Favorite time of day in the garden-“I am an early riser. With coffee in hand, I walk the 200 yd. driveway to fetch the paper and walk around examining and enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells.”

Favorite garden tool-Kubota tractor.

Beehives- “Started in 2009, and this year I have 11 working hives. Best honey crop ever this year, over half a ton so far.”

Words and photography by Jo Batzer. Additional photography and “Born of Fire” video curtesy of Chan Mahanta