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The accumulation of some essential(Copper,Manganese and Zinc)and toxic metals(Cadmium and Lead)in cultivated vegetables-Telfairia occidentalis(fluted pumpkin),Talinum triangulare(water leaf),Amaranthus viridis(green vegetable),and Vernonia amygdalina(bitter leaf)was investigated.The vegetables were cultivated in residential gardens in Enugu Urban,the capital of Enugu State,South-East,Nigeria.Samples of these vegetables were randomly collected from three residential areas,dried,digested and analyzed for heavy metals using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy.The relative abundance of the metals in the vegetables followed the sequence: Zn(2.28 mg/kg)> Mn(0.91 mg/kg)> Cu(0.45 mg/kg)> Pb(0.3 mg/kg)> Cd(0.05 mg/kg).The concentration levels of all the metals examined were within the FAO/WHO,Indian and EU recommended limits for metals in vegetables obtained from all the residential gardens.This implies that long term consumption of these vegetables does not pose any health risk to the inhabitants of Enugu Urban.However,the presence of the metals indicates the gradual accumulation of heavy metals in leafy vegetables.Residential gardens should therefore not be sited close to main roads to avoid metal pollution from traffic emissions.Environmental authorities should prohibit the indiscriminate location of automobile repair shops contiguous to residential areas not only in Enugu Urban,but elsewhere across the country.The results showed that these vegetables are good sources of essential trace metals.