Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Of the Plants and Us...


I have always loved the green. Since I was a kid, as a Boy Scouts we would learn the name of different plants and its uses. So whenever we went camping we know what to use to make the environment of our camping site comfortable. We would always care for the plants and animals and insects that we knew are around us all the time whenever we camp in the wood. We would never cut tree or shrub unless we need to and only did so to make some makeshift gadgets and items for the camp. We would often collect dried wood for our campfire. And when we camp near the beach we would collect dried drift woods to use as stool or for the campfire. I soon learned that nature always has a way of giving back to us which in turn made our camping stay such a wonderful experience.

So when I bought this small house in Ampang Jaya I decided that I must have a small jungle in front of my house. And because the space was limited I planted various greens in front of my patio and these not only gave shades but also give me that greens look that I love to see. Over the years my little garden matured and I began to see small animals and insects start to come and go as it please. Birds would chirp on the branches and at time make wonderful melody as it jumps from branch to branch. The Bougainvillea that I had planted now cover my porch and would bloomed throughout the year adding color to the small jungle in front of my house. To get some wonderful aroma from the flowers I planted a Kenanga tree, its yellow flowers bloom throughout the years. Folks would stop by to ask for the flowers and I would readily tell them to just to plug it away. And to make it easy for folks to take the Kenanga flower when I am not around, I decided to wakaf [for public use] whatever flowers that are out-front or outside my fence to all. So if I am not around folks are free to take the flowers for their own use. It is my way of giving back to the society and I felt good about it. As I have said in my previous article, my little garden has become an ecosystem of sort. Above is an image of the little jungle in front of my house, a scene that I would see every morning as I opened the front door. Indeed a refreshing scene every morning. In the cool of the morning I often could see birds chirping and that elusive brown squirrel come to have its daily meals of cut fruits that I had placed on a plate there everyday. Folks, that view of my little jungle have become such a wonderland of nature and I am enjoying it.

All the greens that I am talking about are the plants, the largest species on our planet. Without it all living species including ours could not survive on this planet. Once the greens go earth would be barren and lives would be gone and that includes our species. The reason is simple for it is only the plants that could convert the Sun energy that we need to survive. No other species on this planet could do that. All living species need energy to live and that energy comes from the Sun. And only the plants could convert the sun energy into eatable produce that other species could consume and get that Sun energy. Other species could only get that sun energy by eating the plants or by eating animals that got its energy from the plants. And since all other living species could not convert the sun energy direct, to be able to survive on this planet all living species must eat and drink. Most of all living species need oxygen to survive and in this case again it is the plants that became our source of oxygen. It convert all the carbon dioxide that living things creates and convert it to oxygen that we so need to survive on this planet. So folks do give due respect to the plants that is a vital link of the survival of all species on earth. Without the plants there would be no energy for us and without energy we could not live. It is as simple as that. So the next time you walk on the grass just take a pause and think for a second in that it is these grass that provides the energy for the animals to live, as well provides us with the oxygen. When there are abundant of greens we just took it for granted so please remember that without the plants there would not be any living species on the earth. So do keep the earth green and we would be able to continue to enjoy living on this beautiful blue planet of ours. Have a nice day.

14 comments:

louis said...

Hello Idrus,

Although you and I live in very different climate zones we both value the scene at the front of our houses for the same reason, the lush green foliage. Washington prides itself as being "The Emerald State". You have seen why we make that claim.

Your beautiful Bougainvillea is exactly the same color I expect to see in my front yard when the lilac tree there blossoms, hopefully in a few weeks' time.

You are admiring your lovely greenery as you sit outdoors enjoying its shade as your sun sizzles. I have to look at mine from inside a livingroom warmed by a cosy fire. What an interesting world!

Jewelle said...

Hi Pak! Perhaps this post was brought on because of what I wrote in mine? :-D Actually what I meant was when choosing the kind of plants to buy/get for a garden. Since space is an issue, my preference is for plants with flowers.

As you might guess, I am also someone who cannot live without any sort of greeneries around.

And I would love to wake up with that kind of sight in my garden too! Right now, I'm being "restrained" (for my own good, they tell me) from getting bunga kertas until we get our own house and then I'll have my own mini jungle like yours!

~CovertOperations78~ said...

Salam, Pak Idrus! I support your call for more trees to be planted and more greenery to be sustained and protected, for the sake of the environment and for human health. Your garden and porch is a little piece of heaven indeed, with its fish pond, the visiting squirrels and the cool, lush foliage. We didn't need any air-conditioning when we sat on your verandah. Truly, man could never recreate what Nature does so well.

Pak Idrus said...

Louis, thanks for the visit and sharing your thoughts on the subject of this posting.

I have been to your cozy living room and could visualized what you saw all throughout the years from your widow. I believe you did enjoy the changing scenes from Spring to Summer to Fall and Winter and I know that panoramic views are never the same. It is the same here out front of my patio. It changes all the times and like you I am enjoying it.

Well that is life and we should enjoy it every seconds, for the present just passes by and then it just became the past. I know Washington State is green all throughout the years and you are lucky to be living there, the 'tropic' in the North West.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

Jewelle, thanks for the visit and sharing your thoughts on the subject of this posting.

I believe I did comment on your posting and at that time I already had a draft of this posting which I normally do in my blog posting. So when the time is right I just posted it.

Like you the green is part of my life and I do not believe I would be able to enjoy life without it.

As for the Bougainvillea when I was posted to Kuantan some years ago and live in a rented house, I bought the potted Bougainvillea and it just flowered very well. I got all the colors and when I moved back to my own house in Ampang Jaya, I decided to put the potted plant on the ground. This particular plant roots get into the ground and it grows very well at my porch, thus what you saw is that plant that has grown very well indeed. So I think you do not have to wait to move into you own house in order to enjoy the color of this plants.

Have a nice day.

Anonymous said...

Nice brief and this mail helped me alot in my college assignement. Thank you for your information.

Pak Idrus said...

~Covert_Operations'78~, Ee Lynn thanks for the visit and the good words on this posting.

Yes that little garden of mine does help is some ways in enhancing my quality of life. The quality of fresh air and the greenery does made my day, always.

When I grew up in the forties the life was simple, no fan, no air conditioning, no running water, no electricity and yet we all had a healthy living and I think a better quality of life. Anyhow that was that and there are no turning back, so in moving forward we could still contribute toward improving our greens. It is just simple, just plant any three and if everyone of us in Malaysia did that then we would have million of trees planted.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

Anonymous[2:58 PM] thanks for the visit and the good words on this posting.

I am indeed glad that this posting did help in your college assignment.

Have a nice day.

Pak Zawi said...

Pak idrus,
Having been to your house I could really appreciate the little greenery infront of your house. It really made your house cool.
The croaking frog is the only not green thing at the patio hehehe.

Temuk said...

Salam Pak Idrus
You have a really good collection of nice green plants to be around you, that help to make your life so meaningful. Now, I'm beginning to grow more plants around my compound too. The beautiful part is I don't have to worry anymore about chopping them down to make way for the kenduri kahwin canopies, since there's no one else in the house who's getting married! Have a nice day!

Anonymous said...

Nice brief and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Say thank you you for your information.

Pak Idrus said...

Pak Zawi, thanks for the visit and the good words on my home especially that little garden that you saw.

Living in and around a concrete jungle like Kuala lumpur we have to find a way to bring that green that we are used to enjoy during our growing up period. So I tried to bring that green close to my home, thus you saw that lush green in front of my patio. It is just a small space but it does do the job and I am happy with it. Like you say it does kept the house cool.

As for that croaking sound, that loyal frog of mine is always there to welcome visitor to my humble home. It still croaking as usual.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

Temuk, thanks for the visit and the good words on my little garden. In that small space I tried to put as much as I could so that my little jungle does look like a forest of sort.

Thanks as well for sharing your thoughts on this subject. You are indeed lucky to have ample space for you garden. Sir, I truly envy you on that. How I wished I had that kind of space to plant more green but as usual one cannot have everything that one want and I am happy for what I have got now. It is just nice for me to browse along every morning and enjoy the this and that of my little garden.

I am indeed glad that you are going to grow more plant in your garden. We do need that. If only everyone of us plant a tree, we would have plenty of trees around and with that more fresh air for all to enjoy.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

Anonymous[2:59 PM] thanks for the visit and I am glad that you enjoy this posting.

Have a nice day.