My little garden

ginseng flower

There’s a small patch of soil outside my window. I dreamed of planting roses there but it remains a dream to this day. Besides, I have never grown a rose in my life! Six years ago, when I was new in the apartment, I asked my mother to plant squash and ampalaya outside the window to shield the living room area from direct sunlight. I wanted to plant ivy to cover the exterior wall of the apartment but my landlord thinks it’s a bad idea.

I’m not really a gardener although I love flowers, admire gardens and enjoy being in one. My mother is more of the gardener in the family. She planted a hybrid blue gumamela in my garden but my landlord’s dog ate it. A friend gave me a bonsai but it died after 6 months in my care. So I’m not really ambitious when it comes to gardening. I like plants that grow on their own.

A few months ago, I got inspired and planted oregano because I love to cook pasta, and I also use the dried leaves to some meat and fish dishes. My oregano is now a small forest! Now, I’m thinking of buying potted basil, bell pepper and other herbs.

oregano

My mother planted ginseng because of its medicinal benefits---although we have not tried it yet. Ginseng roots are said to be adaptogens, aphrodisiacs, nourishing stimulants, and could treat type II diabetes, including sexual dysfunction in men.

There are also a couple of ‘alogbate’ (a slimy vegetable) stems my mother planted, and a bunch of other plants that I don’t recognize. My landlord also contributed bougainvillea and a few pots of red-leaf plants.

When I visited my grandmother in Fairview late last year, I saw an enchanting white flower at her neighbor’s garden. It’s an all-white flower, beautiful in its simplicity. Through my grandmother, her neighbor gave me a bulb that I planted outside my window. Yesterday, I was playing with my dog when I noticed the flowers. They’re pink instead of white, but I like them anyway. I don’t know what this flower is called…my office mate said it’s a Lily.

So, this is my lily.

"In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful."

~Abram L. Urban