Malaysia has hope.......

Saturday July 19, 2008 MYT 4:03:32 PM

Cultivate edible gardens, says PM

By JANE RITIKOS

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians should cultivate their own edible gardens at home as a relaxing hobby which at the same time would supply them with nutritious vegetables and herbs.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said they would only be saving on expenditure when they consume their own homegrown greens.

And if their garden yielded a big produce, they could generate extra income by selling them, he said.

He was at the launch of the nine-day Malaysian International Landscape and Garden Festival (Laman 2008) at Perdana Lake Gardens yesterday. Themed "Rhythm of Nature", it is organised by the Housing and Local Government Ministry's National Landscape Department and hosted by City Hall.

Abdullah said the colourful edible garden with plants such as lemongrass, buah kantan (torch ginger bud), chilli and ladies' fingers (okra) would also beautify their landscape.

He himself shares a passion for gardening with wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah at their very own edible garden in Putrajaya.

In fact, for the first time at the festival an edible garden is on showcase, inspired by Jeanne. On exhibit is also an edible planter box for apartment dwellers to create their own indoor garden.

Other attractions are the Garden of Four Seasons, International Participants, Theme garden and Landscape gardens.

Abdullah also urged everyone to protect the environment and have a real passion for landscape beautification. "A beautiful landscape will also attract tourists," he said.

Citing events such as the Chelsea Flower Show and floral parade in California, he said Laman 2008 was the biggest landscape festival in the region and should be encouraged as a major tourist event.

"We should take advantage of nature and use it to attract tourists," he said.

Abdullah called on more people to get involved in horticulture, saying that it had a big potential to generate income and create industries.

Citing Holland, which is famous for its tulips, he said horticulture could become a big economic source for the country when carried out in large scale for export.

"People may think it is nothing but other countries are making lots of money from it and we are not although we are well positioned to develop this industry," he said.