Fresh veggies, healthy food source and walking through a garden

The scorching sun showed no mercy as it beat down on all and sundry. I should be indoors but I couldn't reject the call of my girlfriend whom I had not seen for quite a while due to work issues but now that she was on work leave, it seemed a good time to pay her a visit.

After waiting endlessly for a bus to convey me and other passengers, finally a bus came with hiked fare. I couldn't be bothered after understanding that these transporters now buy fuel at one thousand two hundred naira per litre as opposed to five hundred naira per litre only a few months back.

_{mango tree}

Thirty minutes later, I alighted at the bus stop and began trekking to my friends house which was not far from the bus stop. I arrived at the gate and gave it two sharp knocks to which someone replied with an "I'm coming". Soon she came and opened the gate for me whilst we shared a hug but something behind her caught my attention and I could not help asking "when did all this happen?!".

_{Fluted pumpkin leaves popularly called Ugu leaves}

She laughed as she took me to a part of her compound covered in green. Her garden was filled with so many green vegetables that it could be mistaken for a green house. I stood for several minutes simply admiring her lush gardens with a radiant smile on my face.

_{a pineapple plant}

"How and when did you start a garden and get it to this stage?" I inquired. She let out a small laugh and began to narrate how one of her paid hired hands began to plant fluted pumpkin leaves just for fun but that little act led to the lush greeneries in the garden.

_{pruned lemon tree 🍋}

I watched her as she went on talking about the initial hurdles she encountered but with much help, she was able to pull through and can now call herself a garden owner. Hmmm, her smile was broader than London bridge and very contagious too. I couldn't help the sighs of pleasure, the "oohs" and "aahs" that escaped my lips while she talked.

_{harvested pineapple}

Walking around the garden, I could see a mango tree, a guava tree, pineapple, fluted pumpkin leaves, bitter lea,f okra and a lemon tree. There was also some water leaf (Talinum triangulare) scattered around and a particular plant fondly called tree of life by the locals. I don't know it's English name but the leaves of that plant helps to lower high blood pressure when brewed and taken as plain tea.

_{tree of life}

She also went on to tell me that she wanted to start planting yam tubers in sacks once the rain starts and some bell peppers. With these she would be able to save money as she would not need to buy these items anymore from the market. I agreed with her and urged her not to relent because I'll also come to harvest some veggies as well. This caused both of us to erupt in laughter as she led me inside for some catching up and girl gist. I was so proud of her efforts in beating the current food price hike and inflation in the country and who knows, maybe I just might follow suit.

_{pruned bitter leaf tree awaiting the rains to pour}

I reside in a semi- rural community and I have come to cherish sourcing fresh farm produce over processed food items. Not only do they taste better but fresh farm foods are more nutritious than the chemicalized processed foods in stores. I'm certain that if I had the means and opportunity, I would go into large scale farming and food production. The benefits are endless.

Thank you all for reading and walking through this garden with me.

This is my response to the #mayinleo initiative for day 2 and also my submission for the May #gardenjournal prompt for the @hivegarden community..... cheers

All images used are mine.