The Living Earth Project: Investigating Soil Revival and Plant Dynamics

Growing native wildflowers and planting ornamentals in between go hand in hand for me.

I love the biodiversity in my vegetable garden, and this summer I have a rich and colorful harvest that allows me to cook fresh, healthy dishes every day. I simply eat what grows — I don’t have to spend much time thinking about what to prepare for lunch or dinner. My garden takes care of that, providing food for the whole family.

Every day I discover something new. For example, I’ve learned that strawberry plants multiply on their own. At night, they send out a runner from their base and root it in nearby soil, creating a new plant. It’s an incredible process, one I should really study at night with a lamp, because it all happens while we sleep, without us even noticing.

My garden is a place where everything happens naturally. No effort, no outside interference. There are butterflies, bees, and even spider webs. A fascinating biodiversity that awakens life every day. I’m sharing a little piece of my garden with you to inspire you to create one of your own.

One thing I’m proud of is that 80% of the plants growing here I’ve raised myself. It’s almost an experimental garden, where you can study plants and see how they work. Observing all this has taught me about life. A garden is an art — it’s growth, connection, and a place where exciting encounters happen.

Qur’an 36:33–35: "And a sign for them is the dead earth brought to life: We give it life, and We bring forth from it grain, and they eat from it. And We placed therein gardens of date palms and grapevines…”

Botanical Insight:

This passage eloquently illustrates the process of soil revitalization and the emergence of plant life from seemingly inert ground. It underscores the fundamental roles of water, nutrient availability, and ecological conditions in enabling the germination and growth of crops such as grains, date palms, and grapevines. My experimental garden seeks to investigate these interactions systematically, enhancing understanding of sustainable cultivation practices and the intricate dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems.