Start a Garden to Live to 100?
Merl is an interesting street. It follows along a route just north of the railroad tracks intersecting with 9 different north-south streets. Some of them are quite busy (like Bunts and Nicholson), while others are quiet dead-end streets. I had previously walked 8/9 of the crossing streets (Nicholson being the only exception), which made it feel a bit like walking down memory lane. I really did recall my earlier Lakewood A to Z adventures as I passed each of the other side streets.
I was particularly impressed with the signage and the Adopt-A-Spot Garden marking the corner of the Merl Bunts Park. The garden area was anonymously maintained by someone that had the following quote on the sign, “Gardening adds years to Your Life, And Life to Your Years”.
Several online sources did indeed suggest that gardening could help you live longer by:
- Helping you connect with nature
- Providing some moderate exercise
- Reducing stress
- Helping you eat healthier – if you eat what you grow
There were also two standout houses that I passed by. One was on the corner of Merl and Bunts, and I snapped a picture of their backyard that had the look and feel of a patio at a sports bar. The other amazing home was on the corner of Merl and Nicholson. Intertwined amongst their gorgeous landscaping was a “Doggy Snack Shack” with treats and an entire gnome neighborhood. Both are worth a gander next time you are walking this neighborhood.
