GARDENING, THE ALMOST EXTINCT PART OF DAILY LIFE.

By:

Akinlabi Makinde

Cell phones, PDA’s, and MP3 players have become the tools of our modern lives. But it wasn’t that long ago that a shovel, a patch of soil and a bag of seeds were the only tools needed to provide sustenance and satisfaction. Gardening was a part of daily life. Hence, it becomes vital I let you know a few of the numerous importance of gardening to man and his environment. A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. Gardening is the activity of growing and maintaining the garden. Ask any gardener today why they garden and you will get a variety of reasons why it’s important to them. The daily reports of food-borne illnesses emanating from unhealthy additives and preservatives in processed foods, contamination and growing concerns about pesticides in our food supply have led to an increased interest in organic gardening and availability of organic produce. The National Garden Bureau equally believes an easy way to avoid these illnesses is to grow your own garden. A garden is one of the sources of flowers, vegetables, herbs, and other crops that can be sold at local farmer’s markets and roadside stands to make significant income which is an evolving business in Nigeria at the moment. A house with a nice yard is a pleasure to look at and satisfying to live in. Make your home more inviting by simply adding a container of colorful flowers near the front door, just as the herbs brought to your kitchen will help to add freshness to the room and flavor to daily meals. Always think of your garden as another room to be enjoyed whether you are inside or outside the house. Tired of the gym routine or in search of natural means to burn fats and reduce osteoporosis? Go gardening. It activities provide both cardio and aerobic exercise. Studies have shown that an hour of moderate gardening can burn up to 300 calories for women, almost 400 calories for men. You see immediate results in your garden even as your physical health improves without being bored. I encourage you to discover your own reason to become a gardener just as David Hobson discovered his own and had this to say, “I grow plants for many reasons: to please my eye or to please my soul, to challenge the elements or to challenge my patience, for novelty or for nostalgia, but mostly for the joy in seeing them grow”.