VOLUNTEER TO GREEN: Adopt a Garden Space

Are you a green thumb longing to be one of the many happy and proud Plantitas y Plantitos but have limited or no garden space at all?

Consider volunteering to adopt an unattended public space, park or playground near you. There are many of these lying idle, unmaintained or unattended and all it takes is to coordinate with your local community council and encourage others to participate with you in small ways than one.

ADOPTING OUT OF NEED

My first adopted garden space was a small strip of land by the sidewalk opposite our property. Since our village caretaker’s hands were full and the unmaintained area was getting to be an eyesore, I decided to clear it of dirt and weeds and prepared the soil for planting. Concrete blocks from NAWASA diggings carelessly left behind by contractors provided a free source of soil barriers. 

Initially, this space served as my temporary rooting area for plant cuttings that could not anymore be accommodated in my limited garden space. 

After patiently cleaning, planting and nurturing, on this space now grow additional moringa trees - the source of my malunggay powder, banana trees that provide potassium-filled stalks for my compost, noni tree which bear fruits that help in the healing of puppy wounds, sambong which I use for tea and relaxing herbal bath after a hard day’s work, my mother’s excellent quality Avocado, raspberry, sampaguita, blue ternate vine, gumamela, song of India,  and other colorful, flowering shrubs. 

Since this area is just across our house, the plants enjoy a regular splash of recycled water from our kitchen and laundry which help minimize water consumption.

This garden space also proved to be an ideal place for my composting bottles for our biodegradable kitchen refuse which need a lot of sunlight to hasten decomposition. Our garbage can is free from wet, stinking garbage and I get a constant supply of organic fertilizer for my plants.

ADOPTING FOR BEAUTIFICATION

In August 2021, while everyone was locked up and hiding away from the upcoming Covid19 variants,  I started planting in our village park at the back of the basketball court in coordination with our Village Maintenance and Administration Team. 

The rainy months of September and October allowed the plants to grow un-watered. These plants were cuttings from my garden which initially I planted to sell but decided to donate to the village park. While daily upkeep and regular watering is a challenge given that the park is about three hundred meters from my house and the association has limited funds to maintain a regular gardener, this garden space is a living proof  of the old adage that you can make things happen if you will it.

WHY VOLUNTEER

Many of us have volunteered to help out in times of calamity or disaster, election campaign, medical mission, feeding program, tree planting and similar efforts.

Aside from the feeling of fulfilment and personal satisfaction that one gets when able to extend a helping hand without any compensation, volunteering expands our network of friends and social contacts. It also provides new learnings and unique experiences in our interaction with strangers. 

Volunteering provides an opportunity to express our passion like gardening and discover our mission in life while working together with  other members of the community.

VOLUNTEERING IN THE LAND DOWN UNDER

Back in New Zealand where I stayed for one and a half years, I was surprised to learn that a significant number of unpaid volunteers are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of parks and botanical gardens. 

After experiencing the unforgettable Festival of Roses in Auckland, I volunteered for the Rose Garden of the NZ Botanical Garden but was informed that the slots were full until the winter. This was not surprising because aside from the fact that virgin lands and forests still abound in the country where the number of sheep and cows far exceed its total population, New Zealanders value nature highly and are very passionate about protecting the environment.

As a Human Resource professional, I appreciated the fact that volunteer work in general is given credit and recognized by New Zealand employers as an indication of industry and community consciousness among job applicants - positive values which they consider important to workplace productivity.

LOOKING FORWARD

The construction of the first public Children’s Park in Paranaque is now ongoing.  I have volunteered my gardening skills and look forward to working with other volunteers and members of the surrounding community for greening and upkeep of a designated portion of the park. Come to think of it - even a pail of water a day will definitely go a long way in making this park green and beautiful for the children to enjoy all year round.

Go and keep on greening!

Please feel free to email  me at greencraftivist@gmail.com.

Apple Bleza-Morales 

About the Author:
Apple (or Maybelle in the corporate setting) is an HR Professional who is passionately immersed in home and community gardening as well as related arts and crafts. She completed post baccalaureate studies in Human Resources and Organization Development at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde and holds a Master's Degree in Industrial Relations from the University of the Philippines with focus in Human Resources Development.