vii Garden Gems Ruth Crighton-Ward

Tranquillity

Ruth Crighton-Ward

As this is my final column, I am taking a slightly different angle; in addition to the usual seasonal tips, I want to explore the concept of gardening and what it means. There are still long hot days and balmy nights, but there are signs that Summer may be ebbing away, as we see berries forming on tree branches, heralding autumn.

There are still many things which can be done in the garden at this time of year; collecting seeds, deadheading, trimming Lavender (Lavendula sp.), planting autumn bulbs. In previous columns I have stressed the importance of watering. That advice still stands true— and watering should be maintained where necessary. You can now use those runners emerging from your Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) to create more plants. Choose a Strawberry runner which has produced leaves, but don’t remove it from the plant. Instead, fill a small pot with compost and place the runner on top of it. Put the leafy part in the centre of the pot as this is where the roots will grow from. To keep the runner stable, weight it down with a stone. Now just leave it for approximately three weeks. After that time, remove the stone and give a gentle tug on the runner. If roots have formed, you will feel some resistance, and you can then cut the runner from the parent plant. You now have a new Strawberry plant which will start producing fruit next year. Remember, a Strawberry plant tends to produce its best fruit in its second year of fruiting, and after three years the plant will be past its best and should be replaced.

Audrey Hepburn once said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Gardening is not a quick pastime, nothing happens instantly, and so it teaches us patience. Gardens give us faith in the future. They allow us to look beyond the present. Gardening has different meanings for everyone but for me, gardening is about working alongside nature, not against it. We learn to read signs in nature as we observe the relationships between insects, plants and the seasons. And there’s a style of gardening to suit everyone. Window boxes and container gardening suit people with minimum space. People with disabilities often use raised beds to allow gardening at a comfortable height.

Gardening should be available to everyone regardless of income and budget. Tools are available for everyone— from left-handed tools to lightweight ergonomic ones, and those specifically designed for children— but they can also be fashioned from household items. A paint scraper is great for removing weeds from between slabs, a fork can be used to prick out young plants. Use the tools you are comfortable with, and always remember there’s not a single, correct way of doing something. For people who do not have their own garden there are many local community gardens. Most have their own Facebook groups so that’s a great platform to help you find the one nearest to you. Many schools and care homes would be delighted to have people offer to tend their gardens.

Gardening is a sensory experience. Many care institutions develop their own ‘ sensory gardens’, which ‘include features, surfaces, objects and plants that stimulate our senses through touch, sight, scent, taste and hearing’ (RHS). There has been much research into the therapeutic effects of gardening. Mental health charities use horticulture to decrease stress and anxiety and promote well-being. It is used as a beneficial teaching aid in schools, care homes and prisons. It can enable people to socialise, or gift solitude and a means of escape. Over the last twenty years there has been a huge resurgence in allotments, as more people want to grow their own food. Many allotment owners also grow flowers to attract pollinators, and enjoy the valuable social interaction an allotment provides.

I believe that children should learn about gardening and nature from a young age, and many schools are now adopting the practice of having gardening clubs for pupils. It is important for children to know where their food comes from and be able to relate what’ s on their plate to what is growing in a field. They are also more likely to eat their fruit and vegetables if they’ve had a hand in growing them.

Enjoy your gardening in whatever form it takes. Plant the flowers that make you happy. Enjoy just being in the garden and amongst nature. And remember to give yourself time to stop and smell the roses. Finally, I would like to thank you all for taking the time to read this column. I hope you have enjoyed this horticultural journey as much as I have.