Hello hive gardener's, its me again cintilla.
Have you ever been to a place where the air feels fresher, the colors seem brighter, and everything around you feels alive? For me, that place is not a park or a forest, but my parent’s garden. It may not be the biggest garden in the world, like in the Mount Annan Botanic Garden in Australia but for me it's full of magic, care, and also a lessons about life. Because every plant tells a story and every vegetable shows the reward of their effort in it.
When I walk through our garden this morning before going to the school, I see plants that are not only beautiful but also useful for our family. The aloe vera stands tall with its thick, green, spiky leaves, and my parents often use it as a natural remedy for burns or to make our hair healthier and for me I use this for rubbing at my face with an ice cube.
The eggplants hang gracefully, their shiny purple skins glowing in the sunlight, waiting to be picked and cooked into one of our favorite dishes. The grilled eggplants and Eggplants salad that mix with onions , ginger and a lot of tomatoes.
The ampalaya vines climb high and wide, carrying their bitter fruits that remind us that even if something tastes unpleasant, it can still bring great benefits for our health. Honestly, I don’t eat ampalaya because of its bitter taste, but I do drink its juice as long as it is prepared with a little salt. Somehow, the salty mix makes it easier for me to enjoy and also reminds me of its health benefits.
On the ground, spinach and camote tops / kangkong spread out their leafy greens, filling the garden with fresh vegetables that we often cook in soups or stir-fried meals. The camote plants stretch across the soil, covering it like a soft green blanket, and when the time is right, their roots give us a sweet and filling harvest.
The violet chilis in our garden are small but bold, growing proudly among the other vegetables and giving our dishes a spicy and yummy kick that makes them more exciting to eat. And of course, there is the lemoncito, or what we called calamansi, with its small round fruits that are sour but so refreshing, it's perfect for our weekly juice, flavoring dishes, or even marinating some pork & chicken and also medicinal for cough when we need it.
We also have oregano in our garden, with its small green leaves that give off a strong, refreshing smell when touched. My parents often use it only for natural remedy, especially when we have coughs or colds. It’s amazing how such a simple plant can be a medicinal, making it one of the most useful plants we have. And sweet potato plant that rich in Vitamin A,C and Iron that fight for Anemia.
Watching these vegetables grow has taught me so many lessons in my daily life. I've learned so much patience from waiting for seeds to sprout, responsibility from watering them every day, and gratitude for the way nature provides for us when we take care of it. My parents often remind me that gardening is like a life if you give love, care, and effort to it, you will see wonderful results in time. Aside from food, the garden also gives me a total inner peace. Sometimes when life feels heavy or stressful, I sit on a small chair surrounded by the green leaves, listening to the birds and breathing in the fresh air, and suddenly I feel calm. It is like the garden has its own way of hugging me with comfort and reminding me that everything will be okay someday.
There are also moments when my parents and I sit together, talking and laughing while surrounded by the plants we worked hard to grow, and those times are simple yet some of the happiest in my life. Every leaf, vegetable, and fruit in it shows that life grows best when it is nurtured with patience and kindness.
Thanks for reading, Hive friends! I hope my parent’s garden brought a little peace and inspiration to your day.