Is gardening a dying art? Over the last decade I have noticed a serious decline in the ranks of experienced and passionate gardeners. Why are there less people gardening? To everyone in the horticultural industry this is a serious question that must be vigorously debated and if possible resolved. If the current trend isn't addressed there will be no industry to belong to. I have worked in horticulture for over 30 years and I remember a different time, not that long ago. I remember fanatic gardeners passionate about their gardens, diverse groups of people growing a diverse range of plants. The balance of gardeners and the amateur majority who were simply people enjoying being outside and the lifestyle a garden offers. Its clear from current trends and industry chatter that these two groups have significantly dwindled and are now actually in danger of extinction. At this point I want to make the distinction between the terms lifestyle and pastime. Spending 20 bucks on a pokie machine is a pastime, spending 20 minutes in the garden is also a pastime but is also importantly a lifestyle, maybe an unfair comparison but I think it highlights my point.
Being linked to the natural world in a primitive way has many benefit's, good for body, mind and keeps us all grounded. I understand that modern life has become complex and I think that the same is true about the garden industry. What is essentially a very simple, very rewarding lifestyle choice has also become over complicated and daunting to the novice. The question of why there are fewer people involved isn't simple and could be attributed to many factors both ssocial and financial. I think the malaise has been with us for at least the last ten years and maybe even longer, often masked by these social, economical and environmental diversions. My gut feel is that everyone involved in this industry (including the decision makers) just assumed that after the the drought and numerous global financial crises people would return to gardening, problem is they just didn't.
I don't mean to be alarmist but I have very real concerns that the skills and passion for gardening may just disappear. The many past and present generations have taken parks and suburban gardening in many directions and helped develop the nursery and garden industry both here in Victoria and around the country. What is a diverse and vibrant industry is in danger of becoming bland and who is mentoring the next generation? Unless we actively do something to learn from the people who have the knowledge it will die with them and so too will the industry we all belong.
Wednesday 20 April 2011
The Next Gen
My previous posts have been a little negative, I don't think I really meant to go that way but its amazing what comes to the surface. Its a bit weird when I read these blogs back its actually quite concerning just how much it sounds like an old man ranting, again it certainly wasn't my intention to turn into my old man but it appears that that's exactly what has happened.
KIDS DON'T HAVE A CLUE HOW TO GARDEN, or is that they haven't been shown how to! Who bears that responsibility? As Michael Jackson once put it "the children are the future" at least I think that's what he said.
My point is that we do need to encourage, motivate and grow a new generation of gardeners. We should also set out to cultivate and nurture and an interest in the natural world and in particular growing healthy nutritious food. We must start at the beginning. We need to educate the children and show them how to garden in the hope that they will become adults who do the same. There have been many well meaning programs aimed at our kids both by private companies and through a few motivated schools. The problem is there needs to be concerted effort bringing together all the relevant stakeholders not just the gardening industry. We will need to source funding from governments and combine and collude with anyone and everyone who can compliment the program in any way. There are already great programs in place, why are they going it alone? Why aren't we as an industry supporting the Kitchen garden Foundation for instance?
We have an abundance of motivated, knowledgeable people about to retire from the horticultural workforce, we need to recruit these people to assist and mentor school programs. The positions created should be a part time paid role designed to support these school programs. We cannot leave it to the already stretched teachers or the active parents to maintain the interest and do the work. If one out of every ten kids matures into a gardening adult we will be in a much better position for the future. Unless we actively do something to learn from the people who have the knowledge it will most likely die with them.
KIDS DON'T HAVE A CLUE HOW TO GARDEN, or is that they haven't been shown how to! Who bears that responsibility? As Michael Jackson once put it "the children are the future" at least I think that's what he said.
My point is that we do need to encourage, motivate and grow a new generation of gardeners. We should also set out to cultivate and nurture and an interest in the natural world and in particular growing healthy nutritious food. We must start at the beginning. We need to educate the children and show them how to garden in the hope that they will become adults who do the same. There have been many well meaning programs aimed at our kids both by private companies and through a few motivated schools. The problem is there needs to be concerted effort bringing together all the relevant stakeholders not just the gardening industry. We will need to source funding from governments and combine and collude with anyone and everyone who can compliment the program in any way. There are already great programs in place, why are they going it alone? Why aren't we as an industry supporting the Kitchen garden Foundation for instance?
We have an abundance of motivated, knowledgeable people about to retire from the horticultural workforce, we need to recruit these people to assist and mentor school programs. The positions created should be a part time paid role designed to support these school programs. We cannot leave it to the already stretched teachers or the active parents to maintain the interest and do the work. If one out of every ten kids matures into a gardening adult we will be in a much better position for the future. Unless we actively do something to learn from the people who have the knowledge it will most likely die with them.
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