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Patricia Tyrell speaks to fellow GLDA members on their thoughts during the lockdown and on the future of horticulture post-COVID 19
Š GAJUS / 123RF.COM
A
s lockdown came into force, Eamonn Ryan, leader of the Green Party, stood up in the Dail and begged for the garden centres to remain open so people could garden and perhaps produce some of their own food. It may have seemed a little frivolous in the face of a pandemic, but it turned out that he had a closer handle than most on what people would need at this time. People locked down, looked to their own gardens and houses to see what they could do to occupy their time and improve their immediate surroundings; but the tools and materials were not available. Who would have predicted that a business usually fairly low-key would be mentioned most nights on the national news, significant by its absence. Perhaps it could have been different if it had rained but mother nature gave us the best weather we could possibly have hoped for. Confined to the house, those of us lucky enough to have a garden escaped there whenever possible and took solace in nature. The long dry spell allowed for evenings spent cooking and eating outdoors. Those who had, up to now, considered the garden low on their priority list, were dragging the kitchen furniture out onto the motheaten lawn and averting their eyes from the block walls or broken-down fence in an attempt to escape the house and dine al fresco. With more time to hand they trawled the internet, Houzz and Pinterest for those delicious garden images and dreamed of a garden makeover. The garden has become the new holiday destination for many this year and holiday budgets are now being redirected. There were a few weeks at the beginning of lockdown when people paused to take stock but what started out as a trickle of new design enquiries has turned into a flood. Will this sudden and wonderful appreciation of our outdoor space be sustained or will it disappear with the virus? Many will continue to work from home for the foreseeable future. The need for a green and meditative space is unlikely to go away. As a garden designer, I feel that people are now starting to really appreciate the service we provide. The creation of a space that is beautiful and everchanging. A gift that keeps on giving.
LIVING AND WORKING THROUGH A PANDEMIC During this period I have carried out some work remotely. Clients sent me measurements and I sent back the designs. I felt a gaping hole in the way that I worked. From the perspective of efficiency, not leaving the house illustrated how much time is
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DESIGN LESSON A PAND
HORTICULTURECONNECTED / www.horticultureconnected.ie / Summer 2020
