University of Bahrain’s Green Home Garners Visitor Admiration at Garden Show

The University of Bahrain’s booth at the 13th Bahrain International Garden Show (2017) received praise from visitors for the arrangement and design of the miniature garden within the home. Visitors expressed comfort while viewing the house’s walls and the corners that were transformed into a green environment.

The exhibition is held annually under the generous patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, may God protect him, and with continuous support from Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of the King of Bahrain and Chairwoman of the Advisory Council of the National Initiative for Agricultural Development, may God protect her. This year’s theme was “Miniature Gardens.”

The University of Bahrain participated by designing a small house that included various types of indoor, outdoor, and mobile gardening. It showcased types of home gardening that require minimal water and simple care. Through this design, the university aimed to demonstrate how small home spaces can be used for agriculture and to encourage expanding green areas in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The university’s booth also included hydroponic farming methods.

The walkway between the two exhibition halls was well received by visitors. The university focused on showcasing green spaces in Bahrain as they were around 25 years ago and their positive impact on the environment, health, psychology, aesthetics, and education. The design also reflected the current agricultural reality and its environmental effects. The National Initiative for Agricultural Development had tasked the University of Bahrain with designing and implementing the walkway between the exhibition halls this year.

The university also presented an application titled “Landscape,” developed by university students, to help the public with methods and types of home gardening. It distributed brochures to educate visitors on the importance and benefits of home gardening for physical and mental health and for reducing carbon dioxide and other harmful gases.

The university’s booth also included a survey to study the relationship between people in Bahrain and the environment, and to understand past lifestyles when green spaces were more abundant compared to the current situation, where green areas have decreased and health issues due to increased gas emissions have risen. It also explored how to encourage citizens and residents to adopt a more positive lifestyle and move away from negative daily habits.

The concept of the university’s booth aligns with the National Initiative for Agricultural Development, which focuses on methods and systems that help utilize small and limited spaces to create miniature gardens and showcase the best solutions that allow visitors to discover the most effective ideas and methods to design available agricultural spaces. These methods offer numerous benefits, including lowering temperatures, purifying the air, and beautifying spaces with ornamental or productive plants that can meet some of the owners’ food needs—combining functionality with aesthetics.

It is worth noting that the University of Bahrain’s booth had previously won first place in several editions of the exhibition, most recently in 2016, when it won first place in the Awareness category among 155 participants from various countries and sectors.