“Thank You Gardener”

I wrote how Japanese children learn about nature and environment before. Yeah there were few articles. It was when Japanese children learn about nature and environment at Kamisakabe West Park, Hyogo-Japan, a few months ago. That was such a inspiring activities. They were so excited and so happy. And these children sent some a letters to the gardener at Kamisakabe West Park. They said, “Thank you..”.

As you know, my friend is a volunteer in the botanical garden, named Kamisakabe West Park. She is one of gardener in there. My friend has shared many activities in her botanical garden. And I am so glad for it, Ryo-san…arigatōzaimashita..! Many thanks to my friend who shared how Japanese children learn about nature and environment. I hope many children in the world loves to learn about their home, “earth”.

Yeah I wrote it before. there were some children activities from elementary schools. They learn about nature in the botanical garden. They learn about fruit seeds, some of wooden seeds, smelled Judas leaf tree, made a toy from acorn, and yeah…they had fun in the nature, like climb the tree, played stilt, and played instrumental music made by bamboo. 

When my friend told me and sent me some a pictures about it, I know, yeah these children were happy and so excited to learn. And they appreciated it by letters. Letters?? Yeah, these children who came in the botanical garden few months ago, sent their letters to gardener and said “thank you”. That day it was rainy day, but these children studied well So these are their letters…

“While in rainy day, thank you very much told me many things. I surprised to know Cherry tree blooms in autumn on the first winter……I had a great time”

“I was happy, ‘cause ……..I was happy because I knew many kind of flowers again. unbelievable, it is spring, Cherry tree blooms. I knew wooden winter buds for the first time. Thank you very much for introducing me to flowers in the rainy day today. it’s study”

“Thank you very much told me many things today. I learned winter buds and scar leaf for the first time. I think I’ll search in another park too. I felt surprised, Cherry tree blooms in winter. But I thought it was hard to bloom and prepared for the spring. Even rain, Thank you very much”.

There are some of letters from children who learn about nature and environment at Kamisakabe West Park, Hyogo-Japan. When you read their letters, you know about something, they were enjoyed their journey and studied well in nature. Even it was rainy day, but they were excited to learn. And the gardener replied their letters

Note :

• Photographed by Ryo Rakusui
• Written by Acik Mardhiyanti / Acik Mdy
• Do not copy this article without permissions
• Do not reuse these photographs anywhere else without permissions

Creating Flower Park In Apartment

Like most of people who live in Singapore, I live in apartment too. I was stayed in tenth floor, before moved to another place three months ago. No yards, no garden, it was a serious problem. ‘Cause I love flower so much!! We only have a corridor in our door step. This corridor is the only one way for everyone in the floor to find a lift. Is that possible to create flower park in corridor??…I say, “yes it is!”. But, how??…So, let us see what I’ve done

• Choose your flower and plant

This point is very important guys….when you live in apartment. It’s not every kind of flower and plant you can put there. Before creating my flower park, I choose first my flower. I chose small flower plants, like Portulaca flower. It’s easier to take care Portulaca flower. They need full sunlight, but it’s ok if indirect sunlight. Besides, it’s easy to propagate them, and you will get more and more…! Why I was choosing Portulaca flower in our door step, called it corridor??…Portulaca flower is quite small plant, so they won’t disturb anyone else who passed through corridor.

Other than Portulaca flower plant, I chose Marigold flower. Why Marigold flower?? They are easy to grown and not require special treatment. I grew many of them at that time. So I can enjoy their yellow flower when it bloom. And do you want to know, what is the special thing they got??..No insects like to reach them guys! You know why??…Marigold flower plant doesn’t have good scent. The flower is not fragrant, and so are their leaves and branches. Worm doesn’t like Marigold flower leaves. And of course, mealy bugs doesn’t like Marigold flower plant. Plus…I could see butterflies and some kind of small birds reaching them. Yeah…I never thought butterflies and birds would love Marigold flower.

Another flower I chose at that time, was Sunflower. You know, it was not easy to grow sunflower in corridor. Sunflower needs direct sunlight, and they are bigger plant, so they need a bigger place as well, rather than corridor. So why was I choosing for Sunflower??…’Cause I like Sunflower guys Once I was trying to grow them for the first time. But I tried and tried again. Remember this, If you chose Sunflower in your corridor, don’t take many of them, one pot is enough. Or….you can choose teddy bear flower called it dwarf sunflower. It’s mini sunflower guys…just 30 cm high and they have fluffy flowers…I liked it so much!!

Anything else?? What are you thinking of??…At that time, I chose some small plants, like Jade plant, Orchid, Begonia, Jasmine, and yeah…once I planted Globe Amarathus flower plant. Remember this, you can’t grow all of the flowers to fill the corridor.

• Daily Maintenance

Daily maintenance is important too if we want to create flower park in the corridor. At that time, everyday I cleaned up the corridor from leaves. You know, many times the leaves or petal flower would be fell on the corridor floor. I did the best I could, never splash any water the corridor floor when I gave water to my plants and flowers. Especially, the walkway where everyone passed through.

I checked my flowers and plants many times. Everyday I checked them. Why??…Sometimes, I trimmed my plant, sometimes I threw out some of the falling leaves or flowers. In another time, I replanted  my Portulaca, or just moved some of plants and flowers to another pot. So maintenance is very important. Make sure, your plants and flowers is in good looking and not disturb everyone else who passing the corridor.

• Place your flower and plant the right way

What is that means??…Corridor is  a public space, right?? Everyone, everyday everybody passed through it. And everybody needs spaces when they walk. At that time, I  like to placed my Portulaca on the railway of corridor…and then tied them. And so is my Marigold flower too…I placed them in there. Why?? Marigold flower needs direct sunlight, besides they are tall plant, about 60 cm. So I thought it was the right way to place them in there.

How about my another plants and flowers??… I placed them on the floor of corridor, actually in the right side and the left side. I was never use a big pot, but I used a small pot. So the corridor get enough spaces in the middle.

Sounds difficult and more extra maintenance, huh??….For me, it’s difficult to grow plants and flowers when we are living in apartment. But, someday I realized, corridor in front of my door step was empty, nothing’s there. So, I decided to bring up some plant and flower. One by one I bought flower plant. And one by one I planted flower seeds, even had failed many times

The last time, I smiled and felt happy, my flower was bloomed, and my plant was grown very well, even insects destroyed many of my flowers and plants. Don’t worry if you got situation like this, just call it “experience”!! Once I grew Capsicum, and they’ve grown well. Failed to grow flowers and plants, it was nothing to me. But trying and trying again to grow flower and plant, it’s something I have to do You can create flower park everywhere you want.

The big question is…?? Why, why I did all of this, even had failed many times to grow some flower and plant?? It was just a hobby or something else??…Believe me, since I was a kid, I loved to grow flowers and plants. My father said, “the trees will keep your home safe, flowers will make a beautiful life”. Nature is beautiful, right??..and I’d love to keep my home safe and beautiful. So, even I live in apartment, no yards, no garden, but I’d create my own flower park 

Note :

• Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti / Acik Mdy
• Written by Acik Mardhiyanti / Acik Mdy
• Do not copy this article without permissions
• Do not reuse these photographs anywhere else without permissions