Seeing the gardener through dark months
When weather allows: prune, dig, weed & introduce newcomers
Circa three million people took up gardening during the past troublesome 18 months, and in the words of Gertrude Jekyll: “The love of gardening is a seed that once sown never dies.” There will, of course, be times of disappointment that test resolve but they’re far outweighed by the sense of achievement that gardening activities bring.
So, you’re new to the scene, still full of the joys of summer, when a period with a few negatives appears on the horizon and threatens to upset the apple cart. Shorter days, lower temperatures, cold, wet and windy, worst of all, frost.
Favourite TV programmes, such as Gardeners’ World, taking a break until spring and contact with fellow gardeners decreasing. These things could lead new recruits into seeing gardening as a two-season hobby. So, what activities are relevant to keeping-in-touch for dark months ahead? Ask a seasoned gardener!
When weather allows I’m out pruning relevant shrubs and fruit trees/bushes, digging, weeding, repositioning some plants and introducing newcomers to the garden. There is always a modest construction project under way, and time is found to admire the bark, leaves and blooms of woody perennials in their winter grandeur.
Regular visits to the local garden centre and gardens that remain open to the public can be so uplifting and informative. Apart from the welcome displays and refreshments they offer, there’s the possibility of a chance meeting with fellow enthusiasts.
From the comfort of your own home, enjoy the online media connection through virtual reality tours of gardens anywhere in the world. Or listen to podcasts on an assortment of sites. A local example is The Nature Garden on Twitter, featuring Carl Stiansen (host), Steve Lowe (Northumberland Rivers Trust), Tom Cadwallender (British Trust for Ornithology) and yours truly (gardening). At the very least, surround yourself with plant catalogues from the top nurseries. Many of the fruit, vegetable, and flower suppliers’ phone numbers/ addresses can be found in gardening magazines and the outlay is minimal, often the price of return postage. A cut-price annual subscription offer, to the magazine of your choice will help keep you in touch with gardening.