Not all bad news

amancalledgeorge

Good to read that record numbers of people got into gardening this year and spent money on buying bulbs and plants. Maybe the last few months have taught us to count our blessings and instead of moaning incessantly to get growing and to enjoy our patch of land, no matter how small. I bet a lot of the traffic to the RHS website will be from this very forum

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/31/flower-power-covid-restrictions-fuel-boom-in-plant-and-bulb-sales

philippasmith2

It does seem to be a good thing.  Truth will tell when the pandemic is over, reduced or WHY as to how many 1st time gardeners will continue in their new passion.
Fingers crossed it will prove to be a majority.

Fairygirl

I hope people do continue, but I have my doubts.
Those who have been furloughed, and are returning to work [for however long that may be ] won' t have the same amount of time to spend on their gardens. 
All the people I've seen out walking, in their brand new 'trainers', are disappearing because of weather too, and I can't see many of them continuing doing it once they go back to work either, even once the weather is more suitable for them - in 6 months time. 
If some keep up the planting/growing interest though - that's a great thing. Everyone needs to find pleasure in the small things, in their ever increasingly hectic lives. 

amancalledgeorge

Hopefully they'll plant those bulbs and do wintry clean up and hopefully need more green around them in the spring and start the cycle all again. A bit of joy goes a long way. 

Biglad

I'm not completely new but have certainly neglected my garden for years before 2020. As I've created a new bed and acquired a few planters, I've got more space to fill. One waterlogged, mossy border has also now been made into a free draining strawberry patch and I've got a number of cuttings on the go. All walls and fence panels have been treated/painted and a mini greenhouse purchased. The potential for my garden to look good and produce a reasonable amount of fruit and veg in 2021 will mean that I don't turn my back on it again. I've invested too much time and effort now.

Even though, lockdown permitting , I might just be home at weekends until well into next summer, the first thing that I will be doing on a Saturday morning is getting into the garden. I may have to encourage a couple of under gardeners to up their game in my absence!

amancalledgeorge

Well done @Biglad sometimes what's needed is just that initial spark and then one just keeps going. 

Biglad

Exactly @amancalledgeorge. It's been something that I've been "meaning to get round to". Being forced to stay at home with no work meant I finally did get round to it

Dovefromabove

Great @Biglad 😊 

How lucky we are to have our gardens.  😀

I know of someone who will be spending lockdown in a basement studio flat with hardly any windows ...

Biglad

I feel fortunate that my circumstances currently allow enduring any 'lockdown' quite easy. A garden and the ability to exercise is pretty much all I need for mental wellbeing. Many aren't that lucky. Although I do think that a number of folk bleat without good reason as well. The rulebreakers who harp on about their civil liberties and their entitlement to do this and do that. This will be the last winter on this planet for thousands of people. All their liberty will be removed as they breathe their last lying in a hospital bed with no family around them.

Fairygirl

That's already happened to so many @Biglad, and isn't stopping any time soon. 

I'm glad you've found the interest and want to keep it going. It was my sanctuary when I suddenly found myself a single parent, and completely lost. It's still a sanctuary 

amancalledgeorge

During the last few months I've been writing a garden related piece for our staff newsletter and it has been really nice getting colleagues interested and asking questions about what to do with their balconies and gardens. We are indeed lucky to have a piece of land to call our own and good to concentrate the mind one projects and use the time constructively.