Growing Gardens in The City

It is very possible. A friend in an apartment has several pots, taking advantage of every bit of sunlight entering her little abode. We have a tiny backyard with formal bricked flower beds, but those beds can grow food, too. Why do it, when there are several grocery stores, including ethnic ones, within easy driving distance, and the food is cheap in season? Why continue to battle the slugs (I have picked 4,798 as of last night), and the cold, and the heat, and rain storms and drought?

It is fun. It is a way to get out in the sunshine and get a little dirty after a long day in front of a computer or an experimental bench at work. The exercise does not require a gym or expensive equipment. You don't have to endure MTV or ESPN while exercising- the birds overhead in the flowering trees are far better entertainment. The quietness and stillness seep into your mind to calm the fretting of a difficult day. Gardening can be an inexpensive hobby (without the "eco-friendly"gear and endless gadgets) that actually results in short-term gratification, after a few months: food. Good stuff.