IN THE GARDEN
Gardens give back in so many ways
New Cape Breton Post columnist writes about gardening.
Editor’s note: The Cape Breton Post welcomes our newest columnist, Caroline Cameron. Her column on gardening will run monthly during the winter months in Community Connections.
Since an early age I was an eager assistant to my mother’s gardening aspirations.
Mom kept a vegetable garden and invested modestly in flowers. Gardening, among many other things, defined her, and as her children and grandchildren grew up, we supported her love of gardening with gifts of roses, unusual plants, shrubs and fruit trees. I was lucky enough to have the time to pour over the seed and bulb catalogues with her, and was always curious to learn more.
Now I am the beneficiary and steward of her wonderful collection. It remains a way to connect with her memory, but I also appreciate the practical value of her gradual investment over the years - the attractive yard, the quality of food, and the health benefits of the hobby. It is not everyone’s cup of tea, but if it is yours, I urge you find the time for it, and share it with children so that they gain the skills. And if you’re just starting, start in a small way now, and grow gradually.
Over the coming months I will use this space to introduce some of the aspects of gardening that I consider through the year, share interesting facts, and give pointers on developing a practical and attractive garden.
Besides what I learned at home, I specialized in plant/ soil relations at Dalhousie University, studying under Dr. David Patriquin, an advocate of reducing conventional chemicals in agriculture. I worked for a short stint on plant disease at the University of Guelph, and returned to Nova Scotia to work as a lab teacher in the biology labs at St. Francis Xavier University.
In time, I returned to Dalhousie’s School for Resource and Environmental Studies focusing on Community Development, with a mind to get back to Strathlorne.
Now back at home, I run a business offering gardening services, as well as guided tours around Cape Breton. I am currently in a great on-line program out of the Dalhousie University’s Department of Agriculture (formerly the Truro Agricultural College), called the Master Gardener Program, which is designed for anyone who wants to strengthen, and share their gardening skills in their community.
I love to promote gardening because it is an activity where hobby, health, exercise, artistic expression, economy, community development and food security all come together - a lot of ‘bang for your buck.’
I want to share hints that make gardening easier, and encourage a do-it-yourself and environmentally-friendly approach.
It seems that there is a bit of a reawakening to the value of growing your own, and gardening’s capacity to increase quality of life. It is an important part of my own pursuit of ‘the good life,’ and I hope that the ideas that I will share in this column will help you in your pursuits.
I love to promote gardening because it is an activity where hobby, health, exercise, artistic expression, economy, community development and food security all come together - a lot of ‘bang for your buck.’