Doug Stewart travelled from Hull to talk to us. He summarised his career as a professional horticulturalist, culminating as a lecturer at degree level. He is currently a consultant for Garden centres in the North of England and also works in conjunction with the RHS.
His presentation was interjected with amusing anecdotes and jokes which kept his audience entertained.
“Some people look for beautiful places, other people create beautiful places
…..these people are called gardeners.”
The spelling of ‘gardening’ could also be spelled ‘guardening’ because the creation of a garden means that we are ‘guarding’ the earth around us.
Gardens become…. Guardians of the Environment.
It is acknowledged that this gardening activity supported and improved the mental health and well- being within the population during this stressful time. By closely watching the seasons come and go, and connecting to their own spaces, many people drew strength from their gardens.
Gardens become….. Guardians of Wellness.
There is a growing movement towards the ‘greening’ of our urban environments. Parks are being improved, green spaces utilised for local people, and community enterprises are springing up across our Nation. One example is in Stockton-on-Tees, where much of the urban centre has been demolished and reconfigured to make it a river facing park for the community enjoy.
Parks and gardens become….Guardians of the Community.
Doug Stewart then discussed how the way we garden in the future will have to incorporate changes. Although these changes may be challenging, overall they will improve the environment in which we live.
Plastic use is something we are all aware of: using less and recycling more is already in our minds. However, the inclusion of slow release fertiliser used frequently by commercial plant nurseries and in our own gardens is actually stored inside plastic capsules. These break down slowly within the soil and research has discovered that these minute particles, ingested by worms, subsequently damage them.
Commercial compost of the future will now become peat free. Several alternative options were discussed; bracken based composts (e.g. our local company Dalefoot ) and those of forestry residue. Timber companies are developing the by-product of ‘brash’ as a compost. (Jenkinson’s Timber in Cumbria). Worm composts are also being trialled for commercial use. Finally councils are investing in the reuse and processing of household waste.
There has been a substantial growth in the use of chemicals and pesticides in recent years. These products are now going through rigorous testing and as a consequence it is likely that in future there will be far fewer ‘over-the-counter’ options on the market.
Written by Jude Janzen
