So many of the water companies sold off their reservoirs over such a long period of time for building land. We haven't got enough reservoirs, and that isn't about to change, but the companies don't have a problem with that, as they got their hands on the money. We, meanwhile, have to carry heavy watering cans so that our gardens don't suffer too much - and pay ever-increasing water rates. Just saying...
So many of the water companies sold off their reservoirs over such a long period of time for building land. We haven't got enough reservoirs, and that isn't about to change, but the companies don't have a problem with that, as they got their hands on the money. We, meanwhile, have to carry heavy watering cans so that our gardens don't suffer too much - and pay ever-increasing water rates. Just saying...
the joys of asset stripping, or "privitisation" as Thatcher called it
Eldest daughter coming for lunch this week.... possibly today. Went shopping Sunday, got hubby to check the freezer,it's a chest freezer,pain in the****! to see if there was any chicken. Yes, asked him to put it at the top of the freezer,so I could access it easily. Apparently he heard, leave it out to thaw!!! I decided to cook it yesterday. A chicken asparagus rissotto,put it all in the slo cooker with veg. Late afternoon I put some out for me....just the veg,no chicken. He served himself. I went to put the rest in a container for the fridge. There wasn't one single piece of chicken!!! I had cooked it with one large,one small breast! Angry!!!
I don't really get why we have this constant background whine about needing to attract young people to be interested in gardening. Why? People find their own way to it or they don't - it doesn't affect the state of the nation, only the bank balances of the businesses that sell tat in garden centres and media outlets that need to keep their audiences up. There are much bigger things to worry about - not enough people training to be nurses or teachers or carers is a far greater concern. Now if you want me to worry about the fact that younger people can't buy houses or get long term rentals so they don't engage with a garden, then I'll discuss those concerns but not because they may come to like gardening.
@raisingirl I agree with everything you've said except for:
"constant background whine about needing to attract young people to be interested "
We need as many people gardening young or old as we can get. Why you ask?
Bees!
"An overall loss of ‘floweriness’ and a decrease in the diversity of flowering plants, along with habitat fragmentation has impacted bee populations. On average the geographic range of bees and hoverfly species declined by a quarter – equivalent to a loss of 11 species from each 1km square.
The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world and the loss of our wild spaces means that bees do not have the nature they need to thrive. Many of our rarer bumblebee species (Moss Carder Bee, Brown-banded Carder Bee, Shrill Carder Bee) need an estimated 10-20 square kilometres of good habitat to support a stable population but are currently losing that precious habitat at an alarming rate."
"They are critical pollinators: they pollinate 70 of the around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world. Honey bees are responsible for $30 billion a year in crops."
It depends on the kind of gardening they become interested in. Slabs for an outside entertaining space, a green desert and a chemical spray in each hand isn't going to be much help. An untended garden full of ivy , brambles and dandelions would be better for wildlife than the ministations of a certain type of keen gardener.
B3,Trouble is,many times I have lived next door to that particular "style"of gardening. It's hard work and soul destroying, especially when the brambles are ruining the shed and summer house roof, ripped lots of skin and clothes in the process. In fact have been on the "mission" today! I do grow for pollinators, have made a wildflower area, plus plenty of open cup flowers all round the garden. Don't weed or feed the lawn, plenty of clover . You dare not walk bare foot!
My nephew and his wife live in a newish build, about 4 years old. When they moved in the garden was effectively unusable. Turf had been laid, but the subsoil was a mixture of clay and building rubble. They had most of it laid as patio but kept and area of lawn too. No planting as they have young children and wanted them to be able to play without worry about them either damaging plants or damaging themselves on plants.
Our new neighbours also have young children so ripped out all the established planting and laid it to lawn and slabs. That's what suits their needs. Neither couple really has the time, let alone the inclination, to manage a garden full of flowers and shrubs.
I must be an exception to the rule. The kids love having an interesting garden full of life. The guy next door sat his four year old son down on the decking to eat a Happy Meal while he hacked down the only surviving plants in the garden. Then he left his shears on the ground and they went back indoors to watch TV. That was the only time I've seen them outside in weeks and the shears are still where he left them, now slowly rusting solid.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
New neighbours across the road last year. Found a mess - fit and healthy previous owner didn't garden and it showed, at least round the back. The front was gravelled, nice and tidy. They are early 30s and have spent lots of time just clearing but are very enthusiastic. And they're planning what to grow, not just chucking things in. It's their 1st garden.
I do agree @Kili. My point is that anyone coming to gardening is good, whether they are 4 years old or 80 - there is a specific emphasis on young people that I think can be unhelpful. I am very happy to talk to anyone about gardening (and do) and try to encourage people - anyone - to grow plants to feed themselves and wildlife rather than just slabs/decking or just grass. I was lucky to be able to buy a house with OH when we were in our early 30s and that's when I started gardening. Before that I was living in rented flats so opportunities were minimal, beyond aloe vera and a streptocarpus in pots on the windowsills. House plants have become so much more interesting, haven't they?
To the posters who have struggled with old gardeners telling them they are doing it wrong I'd just say there is no 'wrong' in gardening. You can do everything by the book and your plants might still not survive, or some of them, anyway. The point is gardening not a garden - if you're enjoying doing it, then you're doing it right
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Posts
We haven't got enough reservoirs, and that isn't about to change, but the companies don't have a problem with that, as they got their hands on the money.
We, meanwhile, have to carry heavy watering cans so that our gardens don't suffer too much - and pay ever-increasing water rates.
Just saying...
@raisingirl I agree with everything you've said except for:
"constant background whine about needing to attract young people to be interested "
We need as many people gardening young or old as we can get. Why you ask?
Bees!
"An overall loss of ‘floweriness’ and a decrease in the diversity of flowering plants, along with habitat fragmentation has impacted bee populations. On average the geographic range of bees and hoverfly species declined by a quarter – equivalent to a loss of 11 species from each 1km square.
The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world and the loss of our wild spaces means that bees do not have the nature they need to thrive. Many of our rarer bumblebee species (Moss Carder Bee, Brown-banded Carder Bee, Shrill Carder Bee) need an estimated 10-20 square kilometres of good habitat to support a stable population but are currently losing that precious habitat at an alarming rate."
https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/bees-feel-sting-climate-change#:~:text=Vulnerable%20species&text=On%20average%20the%20geographic%20range,nature%20they%20need%20to%20thrive.Source:
"They are critical pollinators: they pollinate 70 of the around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world. Honey bees are responsible for $30 billion a year in crops."
Source:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140502-what-if-bees-went-extinct
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
George Bernard Shaw'
To the posters who have struggled with old gardeners telling them they are doing it wrong I'd just say there is no 'wrong' in gardening. You can do everything by the book and your plants might still not survive, or some of them, anyway. The point is gardening not a garden - if you're enjoying doing it, then you're doing it right
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”