Gardening as my Recreational Activity at Home
What’s up Hive! It's me again 
I love flowers. I take good care of my plants like taking good care of my love ones. I never get tired of taking good care of them every day despite of the high heat index that my country experience right now here in the Philippines. I always make sure that they are in good condition.
During summer, I wake up very early in morning to water them and after work in the afternoon. I water them twice a day because when I am home in the afternoon, I have observed that the leaves of my plants started to lose its rigidity. Maybe it is because the surroundings are too warm.
However, during the month of June to January, which is typically a period of rainy season. I just water them when I have observed less moisture on the soil.
My house is surrounded with different species of plants. Sometimes, my mother asks me if I do not get tired of watering them every day and she always say this phrase to me.....
“It is a good thing that you do not get tired of collecting and carrying water just to water your plants despite of the shortage of water supply that we have right now”.
Now that it is El Niño, I wake up 3 o’clock or 4 in the morning or I sleep late at night just to collect water. I collected one barrel of water every day just to water my plants. I am also blessed that I just live near with my brothers because there son and daughters are helping me in collecting waters and watering my plants after doing their school outputs and activities.
I am not really an expert gardener, but every time I have a new species of flowers or ornamental plant, I search on the internet on what type of soil they grow best and the type of area that they much preferred like in a sunny or shady area.
I never throw away any vegetable or fruit peels at home. Moreover, every time I trim my plants and cut the dry stalk, leaves, and branches, I never throw it away. I cut it into smaller pieces and mix it on the soil of my plants.
Some of my plants are just given from friends, relatives, and neighbors. But some, I bought it through online in facebook or sometimes I buy a live plant in Lazada. I tried to buy flower seeds online before, and I am so unlucky because none of it germinated. So, I decided not to order seeds through online shop again. I do not know the reasons why not any of it sprouted, maybe the seeds are not good or maybe I was not able to do the proper way to grow it.
My mother sometimes are complaining of me for the reason that in the afternoon when the surroundings is getting dark, a twilight, there is a lot of mosquitos and other insects roaming around the house maybe because there are times that I forgot to trim some of the plants especially the vines, the bonsai, and the bougainvillea.
I understand her because she is just concerned about our health and her grandchildren. So, I decided to always make a fire in the afternoon to get rid of mosquitos and other insects around the house. I also make sure that the windows and doors are close during sundown. Furthermore, I assure that my son, my nephews, and nieces are already inside the house.
Every time I went to town, if I have extra money, I bought flower pots and my mother always told me if I am not contented of the plants I have at home because I bought new flower pots and she already expected that I will plant more and more flowers and ornamental plant again. But, I am not only interested on flowers and ornamental plants. I also planted a lot of vegetables and herbs on the flower pot.
My mother also loved gardening, but she is more focus on vegetables and fruit trees. The only flowers she likes are orchids. The rest, she preferred planting those plants and trees that can be eaten and benefited by her children and grandchildren.
In fact, she is the one who planted the fruit trees around my house such as bananas, coconuts, avocado, pomelo, orange, lemon, mango, guava, sugar apple, and sour sop. She also planted a lot of moringa around my land. I appreciated her a lot.
On the left side of my house, I place together my cactus and dwarf plants. I am also fun of collecting different types of Caladium plants. I used a scrap and broken tiles as a mat for my plants. Every time I have a broken mugs or empty cup noodles, I used it as a pot for my small plants or it is where I planted the seedlings.
I also checked regularly the leaves if there are caterpillars underneath because it affects the nourishment of my flowers. When I water the plants I always make sure that I also spray water on the leaves to look the plants more freshly and better.
When I am alone, I talk to them like I am talking to my child. I feel happy every time my plant gives off a beautiful flower or grow healthy. I consider it as a success and all the tiredness that I have is vanish, during the time that I sleep late at night or wake up at dawn just to collect water, and carry the heavy pail of water for the plants.
The plant is the most significant species here in our planet. The flowers and the ornamental plants cannot be eaten by humans; on the other hand, it helps us a lot. It absorbs the greenhouse gases in our surroundings that affect our atmosphere. Furthermore, it absorbs the heat from the sun and releases Oxygen, the fresh air that we breathe every day and it added colors and beauty in our environment.
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