home-grown greens

I really appreciate my Dad's little herb-and-vegetable garden. I kinda thought that was just his thing, something he does for his recreation -- it was only until recently that I realized I was harvesting its benefits as well.


First of all, growing herbs saves a bit of money. If they were grocery-bought, they would have been a bit pricey and i would have had to use them sparingly.

I love Italian-esque recipes, and I love that I can go crazy on the herbs. I'm free to experiment and it doesn't hurt to use as much as a cup of basil in one preparation of pasta sauce.

Secondly, the obvious: When I need them, i can just pick them fresh.

So many times I've had sudden cravings for pesto, or tinola with malunggay, or soup, and I love that I don't have to drive to a store to buy the greens. It saves me a lot of time.

Thirdly, my rabbit-friends benefit from the garden too. Every now and then I serve them a treat of a fragrant herb salad. (The bunnies are not allowed to stroll in the garden though, because they will attack everything in sight). When we're out of pellets or the staple kangkong, it's refreshing to know that I don't have to run out and buy some because I can give them some garden greens.

Davey and Pepper know how to give back to the garden of course; they provide a daily supply of natural fertilizer. ^_^

Fourth, because they're home-grown, I am assured that the greens I eat are pesticide-free. They even have the holes to prove it.

Fifth, some of the other plants have medicinal or have some other practical use aside from being pretty. The tea trees, for example, ward off mosquitoes.