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Gardening – The Perfect Hobby Essay

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Gardening – The Perfect Hobby

Think of a hobby that has been around for centuries that people ages 5 to 95 can partake in. Gardening is that very hobby. As long as there is earth to plant and grow in, gardening will be around. “For nearly... well ... forever, gardeners and farmers grew plants using common sense, careful observation, and the resources nature provided” (Organic Gardening,1999). Just as technology has modernized our daily lives, it has also improved and eased methods of gardening as time has evolved.

Organic Gardening states evidence of gardening and horticulture recorded dating back to 8,000 B.C. “The staples of Native American cuisine, corn (maize) and common beans, are cultivated in the …show more content…

Some gardeners take the hobby to the highest level and create vast arrays of aesthetically pleasing scenery for professional reasons. There are competitions of gardening and growing from the county fair to garden club shows to professional shows.

Gardening is practiced for many reasons. In the 18th century multiple forms of gardening and growing of certain plants became trends. “In any case it was from the Indians that these early southern settlers received the key crop that would unlock gold from the poor red soil. Tobacco (American Gardens, 1976). Other plant sources were discovered and devoured by early settlers such as roots for medicines and certain drinks. The Native Americans were not the only plant-use trend setters, as travelers would ship plants from abroad to show culture and wealth.

A craze of raising gardens in the 18th century struck and soon after was perfected by a young and wealthy daughter of a plantation owner named Martha Logan. Logan was the “Martha Stewart” of gardening and various techniques in horticulture in her time. Wealthy people weren't the only ones who sought out plants, but those who were famous had their vegetables, succulents, and flowers sought out by the public. There are records of what vegetables grew in George Washington’s garden and also recorded was his interests in other plants.

A more modern and newer use for and reason for gardening is therapy. “Horticulture has

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