My Hobby : Gardening

                                             
                   My Hobby

         
Basic Points:

I.       Introduction to Hobby and its types.  

II.     My hobby and why I chose it?   

III.    Charms of Gardening  (Greenery, flowers, nature etc.)                  

 IV.   How I take care of plant and diseases.           

 V.   Conclusion

  

      A hobby is a favourite free time pursuit. It may be defined as an alternative spree for a brainstormer in order to restore his psychic equilibrium. It fills our leisures  with something admirable and pleasing. Its saves us from dull routine of work and give us thrill when we actually have nothing to do.

                                      “Hobbies are alternative mental interests.”                          

    (Winston Churchill)

  

    Today, man lives in a world of strenuous and excessive efforts where he is to toil from dawn to dusk. Physical and mental exertions leave him exhausted and enervated after the whole day’s rat race. The constant drudgery of daily routine life rusts his talents and efficiency. In order to avoid worries and mental overstrains, the tired parts of brain must be given rest. The method of achieving this objective is using other parts of brain – those other than the tired ones. This method of restoration is called hobby.

                                               

                                         “A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away.”                   

                                                                 (Phyllis McGinley)

   

      There are many types of hobbies. Some hobbies are outdoor and some indoor. Indoor hobbies like photography, stamp-collecting etc. provide us mental relaxation without any physical effort. On the other hand outdoor hobbies like gardening, hiking etc. give us physical exercise as well. Hobby, being a personal pursuit, undertaken in isolation than in company, varies from person to person in accordance with the individual taste, temperament and resources. Different people do different things as their hobby. I do at the time of my leisure; the thing that attracts all of my attention, gardening.

              

                    “Gardening is an active participation in the deepest mysteries of the universe.” 

                                                                           
                              ( Thomas  Berry)  

  I live in a big city where life is much dull, mechanical and dreary. Sometimes, I want to do some recreational activity to get rid of this tedious and boring life-style. For this purpose, I have planted a garden in the front of my house. Little or large, a garden benefits the environment in many ways. Not only plants are lovely to look at, they also play a very important part in keeping the natural world healthy.

                                                    

                                                  “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”                                                                                                            (Audrey Hepburn)

   

          Green leaves of trees; lush grassy lawn and the thick mistletoe covering the front wall, enhance the beauty of my house and add colours to the surroundings. The clean brown soil presents a sharp contrast to the lush green grass of the lawn. The fragrance of flowers and their soft colours transfer me to another world. When I see a sapling sprouting, I feel thrilled. This is actually a message of love and friendship from the innocent plants. My heart beats with the rhythm produced by the song birds.  This whole atmosphere is a complete world of perfect relaxation and peace of mind.

  

  “A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Its loveliness increases. It will never pass into nothingness.”

    

                                                                          (John Keats)

   

       The fascinating fountain in the middle of lawn sprinkles its sweet shower, the water of which flows subterraneous to the beds of flowers and trees. The sunrays reflected from these pearl like drops, present a very charming sight. It presents the scene of a rainy day of monsoon.

                                                

                                                       '
                       “Man is the artificer of his happiness”                                                                                            (Thoreau)

   

     To extract pure pleasure out of the act of gardening, I conduct most of the work myself. I prepare the soil during the sowing season. The rich loam has very soft and silky touch.  I add manure to it. Then I sow seeds and when the saplings start to peep out of the ground, the piece of land looks very beautiful. As they grow bigger and bigger, they make the landscape even more charming.

                          

                                          “One who grows a garden, plants happiness.”                                                (Lady Bird)   

  

        The growth of plants needs great care. I have to dig soil around these plants once a week. This improves their growth and reinforces them. This activity also gives me an opportunity to get rid of weed. Regular trimming is another feature of gardening. Properly trimmed plants look elegant and impressive. In contrast to this, wayward growth gives an ugly look to the plant itself and to the surroundings also. The plants must be watered regularly 

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“A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness. Above all it teaches entire trust.”

                                                                                                                                 

         (Gertrude Jekyll)

            

           Moreover, some of the plants are vulnerable to certain diseases and pests. They need proper care and protection. Their diseases can be judged only by those who develop a close relationship with them. My attachment with my plants tells me when they need my help. A slight change in their bearing is noticeable to me. I take every possible measure to keep them healthy. Their proper health is a source of satisfaction for me. Sometimes, I also make some mistakes while gardening but it is said that :

                                               

                                 “There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments.”                                             (Janet Kilburn Phlipps)

    In a bird’s eye view, my hobby serves me as an oasis in the vast wilderness. It refreshes my mind and removes my grief and sorrows. The joy my hobby gives me is permanent. Every day, there is new happiness with the new flowers. It is a panacea against the boredom and monotony of life.