Gardening in the Time of Covid

COVID AND THE ASSOCIATED LOCKDOWNS AND RESTRICTIONS HAVE MADE US ALL INTO RELUCTANT (TO ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER) HOMEBODIES. BUT IF WE’RE LOOKING FOR A SILVER LINING TO THIS WHOLE CRAZY SITUATION, ONE UNEXPECTED JOY HAS BEEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH OUR GARDENS. SO HOW CAN YOU TURN THIS TIME AT HOME TO YOUR ADVANTAGE? HERE ARE OUR TOP TIPS.

PLANTING

If you’ve ever planted a flowerbed or herb patch, only to remember a week later that you haven’t watered it, you’re not alone. Green thumb or no, we’re all busy people and often we’re simply not home enough to nurture new plants they way they need. Working from home gives an unexpected opportunity to water new plants every day, monitor their growth and rejoice in every new bud. It’s a great time to get the kids in the garden too, growing their own food or creating a living artwork out of flowers.

PLANNING

Chances are you’ve already done laps of your garden and started spotting things you’d like to change. Being home so much more provides a chance to see your garden through all times of the day and, if this thing drags on, through all the seasons. Watch where the light falls and where are the sunniest spots. Look for bits of the garden that are underutilized – a shady corner, a largely unused balcony – and consider how you can make better use of them. Think about what you actually want to use your garden for, whether it’s a kids play space, an entertainer’s paradise, an edible garden or all of the above, and then plan how to make that happen.

FINDING YOUR ZEN

Working from home has been a massive adjustment, but it looks like a way of working that’s here to stay – maybe even beyond Covid for many of us. But with sometimes several family members working at home side by side, it’s arguably more important than ever that there’s a place to which you can retreat when it all gets too much. A Zen retreat with room for one might suddenly top your garden wish list, so it’s a good time to think about what that means for you. It might be a space of total tranquility – water feature, Buddha statue and all – or simply a quiet corner of the garden out of sight of the main house, so you can hide from the rest of the family for a bit.