THE ROAD TO HEALTH

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 384, 19 June 1928, Page 5

THE ROAD TO HEALTH

By MRS. ABBIE HARGRAVE Open air and exercise are so constantly urged upon us by the doctors that no one can pretend they haven’t been warned of the danger of neglecting this essential part of “keeping fit.” Young people, restless and almost super-energetic, take exercise naturally. The man of business, who has to go into town daily by train, does not live too near his station if he is wise, thus forcing himself to take two walks a day. At the week-ends he golfs, walks or gardens, according to his state, or means. It is chiefly the weak, middle-aged woman, with her share of home cares, who grows slack. Some of her excuses are that walking tires her, or, if her circumstances force her to a busy life indoors, that she has not the energy left to dress herself for an outing, or time to spare for it when she is dressed. She may say that walking alone is dull and that she cannot always find a friend to go with her. As to games, she used to be fond of them, but now the young people consider her style old-fashioned! Thus—l speak feelingly—she gives up troubling, with the result that she gets house-nerves, or, dread fate of so many, gets fat! The garden being always handy, you can run out for half an hour, or less, and it is simply wonderful how much can be accomplished in those

odd moments in the way of weeding, planting, lawn mowing and so forth. It is just those little day-by-day attentions that keep a garden with a “smiling morning face”—all day long! For the more serious digging, if you attempt it yourself, a longer time is needed, but that only occurs at stated seasons. The fact is that once bitten with a gardening craze you will be tempted to spend more of your leisure on it than you can spare! At least that has been my experience.

Do you live in a town with not much more than a backyard? Hardly worth troubling about, you think — and so it becomes that saddest of sights, a mere “cat run.” Yet such delightful tiny gardens can be made from backyards—by covering them with crazy pavement, or bricks if the pavement is too expensive, with little creeping plants growing in the crevices.

The construction of a small oblongshaped pond in the middle is not so difficult as it may sound; a raised bird-bath for the centre, or other stone ornament is worth saving for. Then with goldfish in your pond, and water-lilies if it is big enough, a few large plans or shrubs in pots or tubs and a solid garden seat, what could be more attractive, or easier to keep in order?

Another idea for a very small space is an old-world herb garden where only the quaint-named old herbs and flowers are grown—this is very useful as well as entertaining. Also for the ordinary type of garden if you don’t want to attempt more there is much to be done with the hardy rock plants and ferns. I have heard some people hesitating about gardening because of their hands. Gloves, if you can manage with them, overcome much of this difficulty. But whether you wear them or not, it is wise to dig your nails deeply into soap before beginning. That prevents the dirt getting in and leaves them quite clean after a good wash. One woman I know who is a great gardener, always washes afterwards with fine oatmeal in the water. Certainly her hands show no sign of her occupation. Yes, gardening is good for the nerves, the general health, the figure, and, I think, the soul! It was wise old Francis Bacon who said: “God Almighty first planted a garden; and, indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.”