What Is National Gardening Week About?
Whilst talking to clients this week and then friends over a coffee at my local garden nursery I was surprised to be asked “What is National Gardening week about?” Well, for one thing it’s about bringing more awareness to folks about the importance of gardening, preserving gardening traditions and practices by passing on our knowledge to new gardeners but also it’s about getting together and simply enjoying gardening.
National gardening week started 8 years ago and is run by the Royal Horticultural Society.
This year 2021 it runs from April 27th to May 2nd. It is an event designed to introduce more people to gardening, encouraging them to take part in this most beneficial and satisfying pastime.
It is an ideal event for families to spend quality time together with other experienced or novice gardeners to learn more skills, swap gardening know-how and find local garden clubs or communities to join.
It comes at a good time of year to kick start the gardeners amongst you that need a bit of encouragement to get out in your gardens after winter and the rather unsettled start to spring.
You can gain inspiration as well as some insight from other gardener’s ideas and knowledge.www.rhs.org.uk
What Is National Gardening Week About?
There is invariably a different theme each year. In the past we have celebrated “grow your own”
The emphasis is on growing your own vegetables and fruit, whether by working on your allotment, or indeed setting the first steps in motion by applying for an allotment at your local council.
Growing veg in your own garden from seed
Or just growing some fruit and vegetables in containers on the patio or pots of herbs and salad greens on your window sills.
Making a start is the key thing and I can promise you, once you have tasted homegrown tomatoes, potatoes or strawberries for example, you won’t want any shop bought ones ever again…be warned…you will be hooked on veg growing. A great selection of vegetable seeds, fruit trees and plants can be found here.
National gardening week intends to show that Everyone has the space, no matter how small to grow some of their own vegetables.funky-veg-kit-by-plant-theatre
Gardening for your health and wellbeing is also a key message that is included in gardening activities and events.
More of you are starting your own gardens and or gardening for the first time, you will find so much invaluable information, guidance, tips and friendly advice by following National Gardening week and by getting involved as much as you are able to.
The Benefits Of Gardening
As you may already know if you have read any of my previous articles, I am a strong believer in two things within the world of gardening.
- Gardening is so good for you.
Both physically and mentally. The huge sense of well-being that is gained from gardening or spending time outdoors with Nature is, for me, unparalleled.
I cannot emphasise enough the benefits derived from the physical work of gardening, lawn mowing, trimming, pruning, digging or scarifying lawns for example all add to our physical fitness by improving muscle tone and aiding in weight loss.
It’s so much more enjoyable and definitely cheaper than a workout in a hot, sweaty, crowded gym too.
I love the old saying “Gardening is good for you and you get tomatoes!”
gardening-for-well-being-why-gardening-is-good-for-your-health
2. Teaching Children about Nature and Gardening.
Children, from a young age can be shown all manner of wonderful things in the garden, they also will derive a lot of pleasure learning about plants and how to grow them. It is important, I believe, that they learn where their food comes from too, so let’s engage them in growing their own vegetables.
They will be more inclined to eat plenty of fruit and veg if they have helped to produce it. Kids love being outdoors and the allotment or garden is a great, fun and educational playground for them.
Other Benefits of Gardening are:
- It brings a community spirit to villages and towns
- Environmentally beneficial
- Restores and helps wildlife
- Eco friendly
- Provides habitat, food and shelter for wildlife.
- Eating homegrown vegetables and fruit is healthy.
Public Involvement In National Gardening Week
Local gardens, schools, colleges, gardening clubs and communities are all more than welcome to get involved with the Nations biggest celebration of gardening.
Advertise your National Gardening week plans so that everyone in the local community are made aware of how they can join in, learn, attend your gardening events or help out.
All events are encouraged by the RHS…you can register your event on their website too.
Many online events are available too.
Hold Your Own National Gardening Event
Allotment Open Day
Open the allotment to the general public, showing them how the space works, meet fellow gardeners, recruit new allotmenteers, show off the produce, show the huge diversity of what can be grown.
Sell produce to make funds for allotment improvements
Encourage children to grow some vegetables.
Picnic at the Allotment.
A great day, involving everyone and their families at the allotment,
Picnic food can be made from homegrown produce.
A few games for the kiddies.
Homemade Wine tasting for the grown-ups.
Homemade jams and chutney tasting and prizes.
Prize for best kept plot.
Turn a Waste of Space into Your Community Garden Space.
This one needs permission applications to the local council but once you get the area you apply for, you can have great fun with friends and neighbours turning a disused space into a beautiful community garden, whether it be for growing veg, flowers or creating a wildlife garden.
What ever you agree to do you can develop and share your own lovely garden to enjoy.
Hold a BBQ Cookery Demonstration using HomeGrown Produce.
This is a fabulous way of sharing what can be cooked and made from homegrown veg and fruit.
It will encourage more people to become involved with gardening.
A nice social event for everyone to enjoy.
Garden Open Day.
Hold an open day at several gardens within your town or village.
Open days are informal invitations for visitors to see private gardens they wouldn’t ordinarily be able to have access to.
It heightens awareness of the benefits of gardening and offers inspiration and encouragement to others.
Organise a How to Grow Veg from Seeds Demonstration.
Recruit a number of able gardeners to do the Demos, How to Grow Plant Seeds. 5 Easy Steps
Sell tickets to raise money for community gardens.
Include a seed swap too.
FundRaising Events with proceeds going to local Gardens schemes.
Coffee mornings
Afternoon teas
Bake sales
Raffles and prize draws
Plants sales
Seed swaps and sales.
Gardening Is Not Cancelled
So come on everyone let’s get involved, help or teach others about gardening, learn about gardening yourself with family and friends, organise a great community event to encourage more people to garden.
Discover the joys and health benefits of gardening or being outdoors in nature’s beautiful green spaces and how it can be a huge inspiration. Maybe you don’t have any space outdoors but you can still grow small veg and herbs in pots or indoors with AeroGarden Miracle-Gro Gourmet Herb Growing Kits.
I would love to hear about your plans for gardening week events.
Share photos and plans with me by adding your comments below.
If you have found this article useful and enjoyable please share with family and friends.
Happy Gardening !
Louise
Hi, Louise.
Your post makes me wonder if Canada has a National Gardening week. It is Spring time here after all and many are out cleaning up their gardens and planting new flowers.
Growing veggies in a pot is a great idea. I love fresh produce but, unfortunately, where we live right now it’s not possible to have a full in veggie garden but I don’t see why we couldn’t do that in a pot or even a long flower box or two. This is a great idea and one I will have to talk to my wife about.
The events that you list for our own gardens is interesting. I would like to see/attend some of those in my own community. And the community garden? A church next door has one of those for its members and there are several others around our area as well. These are a great idea for those, (like me), who don’t have access to some property of their own.
There are so many good ideas and suggestions here I’m going to bookmark it come back and re-read it.
Ready to plant,
Wayne
Hi Wayne
yes you do have gardening week in Canada, 15 to 23rd June this year, it is known as Garden Days, so I hope you find some events in your area to get involved in.
Of course you can grow veg in pots and hanging baskets too, I grow potatoes in sacks.
I loved to hear about the community garden near you.
Thank you for sharing with your wife.
All the best Louise
Hi Louise, what an insightful post. To be honest, I never even know that there exist such week as National Gardening week. I’m just seeing it on your post for the first time. It really interest me to know that this week is designed for gardeners. Though I have a small garden of flowers but I never realised there exists such. The post later enlightened on the insights to gardening. Thanks
Hello,
Good to know that you found the post useful,
A small garden is just as good , sometimes better than big gardens, you can grow so much in a small space.
Enjoy regarded and if you get the chance get invyin some gardens local to you too.
Louise
I got lost in the website trying to find this space. Now that I’m finally here, let me start by congratulating on the great work you have done. Your website encourages one to keep reading, I spent more time than I anticipated.
Great article, it raises awareness, not only about gardening, but also about what a person can do to change or influence the life of another person, like community upliftment. I live in an estate where there’s a contractor responsible for taking care of the garden. After reading your article I asked myself, “What am I doing to make sure that my neighbour enjoys the same benefits?” I realized that I am missing out a lot.
I love gardening. There’s plenty of benefits in gardening, as you mentioned. It is therapeutic – best way to relieve stress as it enhance calmness. Working in the garden make you feel good. Appreciation of your work, and witnessing the results makes you feel good about yourself.
I cannot over emphasize the importance of organic foods. Organic foods is highly ranked amongst the main pillars of our health. Fruit and vegetables boost our immune systems.
Emphasizing gardening is promoting affordable healthy living lifestyle. Growing your own fruit and vegetables is cost effective. Gardening is a hobby, once you start you never stop.
I like spending quality time with my family, and I enjoy it in the garden. Most of our events and celebrations takes place in the garden, the weddings, birthdays, baby showers, the list goes on.
I pledge my time in getting involved in community gardening from the 29th of April to the 5th of May.
Keep doing the good work Louise, and be blessed.
Hello,
Thank you so much for your lovely comments and for taking the time to read some of my website and for writing to me. You have made my day!
Gardening is so good for us for many reasons both physically and for our mental well-being.
Gardening has helped me through many difficult times.
Community events are important for everyone and if you can get involved with them they can be so much fun and beneficial.
I hope you enjoy your garden and I would love to hear what you get up to during gardening week.
All the Best
Louise
I wish this skill was taught on the school level, the basics of horticulture as I believe there is such a need for this type of education. I have recently embarked on this journey but the only plants I have found I struggle to kill are my succulents. In Germany there is a certified Bio range that does not use pesticides but this is really expensive and growing your own stuff benefits our pocket and the soul.
I really hope the Germans catch onto this and start their own version of National Gardening Week as that would be great. Thanks for a great article.
Rich
Hello Richard, I couldn’t agree more with you about children’s education and horticulture.In the UK most schools now have gardens and vegetable plots but horticulture isn’t on the school curriculum .Kids love gardening Fun Gardening Ideas for Kids
Gardening is so good for our health, I hope you carry on learning to garden, pop back here any time if you need some help or tips.
Louise