SURVEY OF ORNAMENTAL GARDENS IN FOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF EDO STATE, NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT

Ornamental plants are plants that have visual activity or stand out with their aesthetic values. Operators of such gardens may depend on its success for subsistence and income security. This study examined ornamental gardens and plants in four Local Government Areas (LGA’s) of Southern Edo State, Nigeria. The LGA’s include Egor, IkpobaOkha, Oredo and Ovia North East. A total of 20 ornamental garden and their operators were surveyed across the study area. Their knowledge and practices were assessed using interviews and semi structured questionnaires. A total of about 130 ornamental plants species belonging to 55 higher plant families were encountered in all the gardens. More so, the study revealed that majority of the gardens is owned and manage by the Benin ethnic group and mostly male. The age distribution pattern revealed that respondents were mostly between 41 - 50 years. Information on the awareness of ornamentals as an environmental management tool was high with the major constraint been finance. Furthermore, it was revealed that majority of the gardeners prefer to situate their gardens by the roadside. It can be suggested from the study that the sector need support from government to provide basic amenities and encourage unemployed youths to venture.