Am I meaning to be sensationalist with the title of this piece? Yeah probably. Do I apologise to anyone upset by my use of the word cancer? Yes absolutely. But seriously, coloured mulch available in 10 colours, am I the only one who has a problem with this? From where I sit the use of it is a kin to a cancer slowly spreading through garden beds across this nation. It creeps across the ground poisoning the soil and deadening the imagination of the user. Once infected the users use of plants becomes spasmodic and the area slowly becomes sanitized and dull.
What ever happened to colour anyway? I'm referring to annual bedding plants and colourful perennial border displays. These once common plant outs offered pretty much any colour combination you could want. I know they still exist here an there but they seem to have been removed from the colour pallet of the landscape designers, architects and home gardeners of today. Will we ever again see annual beds of seasonal colour planted in our parks and gardens? Will long lasting coloured mulch (now available with even longer lasting colourfastness) be the norm? From my point of view I'd rather be buried six feet beneath it rather than looking at it from above!
I understand drought had a big impact on this form of gardening and in particular the decision makers who make the call to plant in public spaces. Public open space is one thing and for the same reasons I assume private gardens have suffered the same fate. Maybe its just a trend that we are going through, perhaps not dissimilar to the flax epidemic of recent times or box hedges and iceberg roses back in the early 90's. I'm hoping its just another cycle but I have a bad feeling about this one. I fear its become too easy and too cost effective to now move away from the bare spaces of bland coloured mulch we have today. How do you influence and set trends in horticulture? I wish I knew the answer to that, what I do know is that the brilliance of flower and foliage colour should never be replaced by the black and white decisions of bean counters in positions of power.
Sunday 8 May 2011
Monday 2 May 2011
My local
Petersen park or Petersen reserve Highett is my local park. Located directly across the road from my place, I shouldn't talk it down, living so close to a park or any open space is a luxury in any ones terms. In a recent blog I wrote about my local in quite a derogatory way and now with hindsight I'm feeling a little guilty, after all its not the parks fault.
Its a pretty basic suburban park, two playing fields one for footy one for football. Whats the difference between footy and football you ask well I shouldn't have to explain and its probably unaustralian that you asked anyway!
Firstly lets talk about facilities and infrastructure, we do have a very new and quite ostentatious jungle jim/play ground compared to some I have seen, the local kids and mums seem quite content. The footy/cricket club has a recently re surfaced ground, flat and well drained, club rooms are a bit rough but serviceable so they seem happy with the status quo also. The resident soccer club cries foul and demands equal rights the same as the footy club but I think ultimately they accept their place in the park pecking order. The latest installation was a brand new automatic public toilet, self cleaning, self closing nearly self aware that knows its out of order. Unfortunately for the toilet the local vandals targeted it like the little fat kids they are usually attracted to, its a shame really it promised so much.
Now you have been introduced to the hardware let's talk about the green life. The trees and shrubs around the park are an eclectic mix of native (when I say native that typically means Sth African, New Zealand and Australian) and European, no real theme but some real gems here and there. Dotted amongst the bland old meat and potatoes park classics are some quite unusual botanical treats. Cape chestnuts, waterhousias, lilly of the valley trees and the one lone rupestris growing in complete anonymity. I think in the past someone, somewhere secretly penciled in some trees and shrubs not typically considered park fare, maybe as a private joke to see if anyone actually noticed. Also recently I noticed a single clump of dieties robinsoniana which is a native of Lord Howe island and once thought to be quite rare. ( There is only half a clump left now)
Anyway that's a little bit about my local, its serviceable and easy to maintain, it caters for all groups and interested parties, could it be better, I'm sure it could but at the end of the day it is an open space that performs a role for this community, my community.
Firstly lets talk about facilities and infrastructure, we do have a very new and quite ostentatious jungle jim/play ground compared to some I have seen, the local kids and mums seem quite content. The footy/cricket club has a recently re surfaced ground, flat and well drained, club rooms are a bit rough but serviceable so they seem happy with the status quo also. The resident soccer club cries foul and demands equal rights the same as the footy club but I think ultimately they accept their place in the park pecking order. The latest installation was a brand new automatic public toilet, self cleaning, self closing nearly self aware that knows its out of order. Unfortunately for the toilet the local vandals targeted it like the little fat kids they are usually attracted to, its a shame really it promised so much.
Now you have been introduced to the hardware let's talk about the green life. The trees and shrubs around the park are an eclectic mix of native (when I say native that typically means Sth African, New Zealand and Australian) and European, no real theme but some real gems here and there. Dotted amongst the bland old meat and potatoes park classics are some quite unusual botanical treats. Cape chestnuts, waterhousias, lilly of the valley trees and the one lone rupestris growing in complete anonymity. I think in the past someone, somewhere secretly penciled in some trees and shrubs not typically considered park fare, maybe as a private joke to see if anyone actually noticed. Also recently I noticed a single clump of dieties robinsoniana which is a native of Lord Howe island and once thought to be quite rare. ( There is only half a clump left now)
Anyway that's a little bit about my local, its serviceable and easy to maintain, it caters for all groups and interested parties, could it be better, I'm sure it could but at the end of the day it is an open space that performs a role for this community, my community.
Wednesday 20 April 2011
The Dying Art
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.
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.
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.
Friday 25 March 2011
The politically correct space
It seems to me that the politically correct idealists and the concerned paranoids are now the landscape designers and open space planners of the future. I guess when you have an interest in horticulture or even just enjoy the green retreat parks can offer you can easily be regarded as a greenie extremist by the masses that don’t really give a shit or care that parks and gardens could be a whole lot better.
I do appreciate the foresight of the suburb planners of the past who allowed for open spaces, ball kicking, dog walking, and bike riding, and relaxing places. However I do want more, selfish probably, self indulgent maybe but possible? Yep bloody oath!
My local park is great; I have four kids who have all enjoyed the luxury of having a park right across the road. My boys like to kick stuff my girls like to sit and watch the boys who kick stuff (they are my kids I can and will generalize) For me however the park is a bit boring even bland. I have always been interested in the texture of leaves the different sizes, shapes and colours, flowers to me are just a sweet bonus. Specifically my interest revolves around the broad category of plants once described to me by an old nurseryman that 'thrive on neglect' old fashioned, old school, tough as nails, cant kill em with a stick type plants.
I'm not advocating we completely eradicate grass and plant out our parks but what I would like to see is some of my hard earned rates being put back into improving the aesthetics of where I live. I recently asked a local parks and garden worker why some under story shrubs and grasses aren’t planted around the lonely old trees in our local park. His answer and yes I'm pretty sure he was serious was and I quote 'we don’t want to give the junkies anywhere to shoot up'.
I really do understand the concept of open space but come on do we need it to be so open? How about just a few plants around the edges or under some trees? As previously mentioned I do have kids so I do understand the community concerns about drug users leaving used syringes lying around but what are we sacrificing and for whom? To me it says more about the loosing battle the law makers are waging against drugs and less about the greater good of the resident’s healthy interaction with their park. Perhaps the topic for another rant but I hope you get my point.
I do appreciate the foresight of the suburb planners of the past who allowed for open spaces, ball kicking, dog walking, and bike riding, and relaxing places. However I do want more, selfish probably, self indulgent maybe but possible? Yep bloody oath!
My local park is great; I have four kids who have all enjoyed the luxury of having a park right across the road. My boys like to kick stuff my girls like to sit and watch the boys who kick stuff (they are my kids I can and will generalize) For me however the park is a bit boring even bland. I have always been interested in the texture of leaves the different sizes, shapes and colours, flowers to me are just a sweet bonus. Specifically my interest revolves around the broad category of plants once described to me by an old nurseryman that 'thrive on neglect' old fashioned, old school, tough as nails, cant kill em with a stick type plants.
I'm not advocating we completely eradicate grass and plant out our parks but what I would like to see is some of my hard earned rates being put back into improving the aesthetics of where I live. I recently asked a local parks and garden worker why some under story shrubs and grasses aren’t planted around the lonely old trees in our local park. His answer and yes I'm pretty sure he was serious was and I quote 'we don’t want to give the junkies anywhere to shoot up'.
I really do understand the concept of open space but come on do we need it to be so open? How about just a few plants around the edges or under some trees? As previously mentioned I do have kids so I do understand the community concerns about drug users leaving used syringes lying around but what are we sacrificing and for whom? To me it says more about the loosing battle the law makers are waging against drugs and less about the greater good of the resident’s healthy interaction with their park. Perhaps the topic for another rant but I hope you get my point.
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