Ginny, Shenzhen College of International Education

I suppose we’ve all seen attractive, tidy gardens with diligent owners, right? Chinese Arbor Day last month brought a trace of the aroma of spring to Shenzhen. Most people buy potted plants to decorate their balconies. However, the balcony in my home focuses not only on the beauty of the items, but also the practicability of the greeneries.

In most cases, people will go to the pharmacy and purchase bottled medicine to drink when they catch a cold, which is not very pleasant because I believe no one likes the bitter taste. But my family have a bunch of citronella stuck in the soil, so I get a refreshing drink — boiled citronella water — every time I seem to sneeze more than usual. The smell and taste of citronella can relieve the symptoms of influenza as well.

In fact, most of the herbs that I use to treat little illnesses come from our balcony. Take mosquito stings as an example: If you get a mosquito bite, just pick up a leaf from a bundle of peppermint and grind it on the lump. With the cool feeling, the lump will disappear soon. In addition, when the plants all grow wild, we can get enough herbs to beat the heat.

One of my favorite dishes — chicken decoct with abalone — requires fantastic cooking skills and an amazing herb that ornaments the color of the dish and adds flavor to it as well. It is very common in markets but not in people’s verandas. This kind of herb is called basil. It can be used in a variety of cuisines, even in the simplest ones such as fried eggplant. It can also raise the appetite of people. Apart from basil, there are also garlic, spring onion and ginger planted in our little botanical garden, which are extremely convenient when we cook because we don’t need to go to the market and buy these.

Food wastes can be a special view in our balcony. Potatoes, pumpkin seeds, chilies and tomatoes have different appearance when they prosper. A sprouted, inedible potato placed in water can give you little branches with tender leaves in a few days. Pumpkin, however, climbs all the way up on the fences and makes you feel like you are in a miniature fairytale world, and provides a natural surrounding for my two little birds.

Chili and tomato plants grow short. Crimson-colored fruits with green stem make them look especially vivid.

Besides, when those tomatoes ripen, they are super fresh and organic.

This balcony of ours is eco-friendly since almost all the material is the leftovers and we give them life again. I think it is also a great way to show my love to Mother Nature, and to appreciate all the living things.