At first glance, Peter Koros' home in Raiya village in Bomet County may look like any other iron-sheet house scattered across the countryside.
But step through the makeshift gate and you enter a vibrant world of colour, texture and deliberate beauty, a floral display created by a man with no formal training but an unwavering vision. He proudly calls it "The Hustler's Mansion".
"I’ve loved gardening since I was young—it’s more than just a hobby for me. It’s a passion that started in childhood, helping out in the family garden and learning how nature works. Over the years, it’s become my therapy, my creative outlet, and a way to bring beauty and meaning into everyday life,” says Peter.
Built in 2020 for just Sh250,000, Peter's semi-permanent house sits on an eighth of an acre of family land. The walls are simple iron sheets and the roof is modest, but the surroundings are anything but ordinary.
"I didn't wait until I was rich to make it beautiful. I had no space, no money and no gardening bills. But I had a dream," says Peter.
Five years later, that dream has blossomed - literally. His garden, grown entirely from cuttings, gifts, and, as he humorously admits, "a few stolen stems from people's fences", is now one of the most captivating private gardens in Bomet.
Despite being only an eighth of an acre, Peter's property feels anything but confined. Instead, it feels charmed. He has mastered the art of vertical gardening, using stacked pots and hanging baskets to maximise space.
Old tyres are painted and transformed into flower beds, while broken buckets and basins are creatively reused as colourful planters. A narrow stone path, lined with repurposed tiles, curves between his flower beds.
What started as a passion has turned into a career. Now 33, Peter is a self-taught landscaper whose work attracts visitors from near and far.
His garden is now a location for photography and videography. The fee for photo shoots is Sh500 for two hours, while videography or music videos cost Sh5,000 per session. From engagement photos to gospel music videos, the ‘Hustler's Mansion’ has hosted them all.
"People used to laugh at me and say I wasted my time with flowers. Now they're paying me to shoot music videos here," he says with a smile.
What makes Peter's garden truly unique is not just the flowers, but the heart behind each design. Not a single plant has been bought; all have been gifted or rescued. He turns limitations into greatness, and what others discard into decoration.
"I believe that everyone can create paradise," he says. "You don't need money - you need imagination."
Peter has no fancy irrigation system; rain water serves him, and the plants are also hardy and therefore doesn’t need much water. But the garden thrives because Peter treats it as a way of life, not just a project.
Five years after he planted his first rose, Peter's 'Hustler's Mansion' has become more than a home - it has become a landmark. It stands not only as a shelter but also as a living reminder that beauty, creativity and dignity do not require wealth. All they need is vision - and the willingness to nurture it, one flower at a time.
Peter's garden is not only aesthetically pleasing but also deeply functional and diverse. Among his most prized flowers are bold red and pink roses, some of which grow above his knees from single twigs picked on walks through the village.
His hibiscus bushes line the fence, providing both ornamental beauty and soft shade, their wide petals swaying in the afternoon breeze.
He has planted durantas in green, yellow and white along the edges of his walkways and on the fence, creating a vibrant colour that welcomes every visitor.
At the side of the house, clusters of aloe vera stand tall, prized not only for their medicinal properties but also for the way they frame and protect smaller, more delicate plants.
Among the taller plants, he has tucked in marigolds, which brighten the scene with their orange and yellow hues and naturally repel pests.
In a spiral herb garden near the gate, you'll find mint, and basil, all thriving in soil enriched with homemade compost.
The hanging recycled buckets above his windows are overflowing with ivy and creeping portulaca, their spiralling tendrils softening the edges of the tin walls.
Despite the limited space, Peter cleverly mixes vertical and horizontal growth - hanging plants from repurposed metal rods, training climbing flowers such as morning glory on strings tied to wooden poles, and using tiered containers for smaller succulents.
His edible plants, such as avocados are interspersed with ornamental ones, ensuring that every inch of his garden serves the purpose of nourishing either the body or the soul.
His garden is a testament to how plants can redefine poverty, improve mental wellbeing and inspire the community. Neighbours stop by not only to admire the beauty, but to ask how they too can start from scratch.
For Peter, each flower is a form of protest - against limitations, expectations and the idea of giving up. His garden is a place of peace and purpose, and proof that change can begin with just one stem.
