Re: Last day - Something new to grow - Gardening in England


But I had a friend I corresponded with in England, who said
of
>her upcoming retirement, "I would like to start a garden,
but I would
>not live long enough to see it come to maturity."  I
thought this was an
>interesting statement, but one which I hoped was not true.
Perhaps
>people in England just have a different view of gardens
than we do in
>this country?
>
From listening to everyone on this list over the last year,
I would say that probably we here in England, or at least,
"me" here in England, do/does not have a different view of
gardening.  I started my garden just over two years ago, and
because I didn't have much money, loads of my perennials
that I have grown have been grown from seed and are only now
coming into flower (the Dicentra that I planted then are
flowering for the first time. Hurray).  But perhaps your
friend in England was thinking more on shrubs and trees,
whereas I've been planting more perennials, and in the first
two years, annuals.  I have planted a few trees and shrubs
right at the end of the garden, which I know will eventually
provide me with a lot of height and shade, but because they
were all tiny when I put then in, that is many years down
the line, but I think (or at least hope) that the perennial
part of the garden will look fairly mature this year.

On the other hand, the English
>seem to be very good at putting together instant gardens,
like they do
>at the Chelsea flower show.  But I wonder if they all feel
as my friend
>there does - that a garden is a very long term thing?

You're right about that.  And not just at Chelsea, but the
instant television garden programmes, there are so many.  We
don't have many shows that have just plain gardening on,
which is what I enjoy more and find more inspiring.  What
about in America?  Do you have good "gardening" tv shows, or
are there lots of garden makeover shows, "completely change
your garden in just two days" type of shows?  Over here,
these programmes are very popular, so obviously a lot of
people like them, and are perhaps inspired by them.  (They
aren't my favourite type of show, but I have got ideas from
them occasionally.)

Louise English, Surrey, England


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