How
the British Do Gardening
Gardening is an increasingly
popular British hobby, reflected by the selection of gardening magazines
available in newsagents and the number of gardening programmes on TV. Your
average British person could probably list at least one or two ‘celebrity’ TV
gardeners. British gardens range from pretty flowers and shrubs to practical
plots to grow vegetables and fruits to feed the family but there is a whole
culture around gardening, it’s not just about the plants!
Gardens are often peaceful places
where people can tend to their plants and de-stress from the day. It’s common -
with so many terraced houses in the UK - to have an adjoining garden with your
neighbour. Along with gardening is the practise of chatting to neighbours over
the garden fence, often gossiping about local news and other neighbours. This
was brought to the TV screens of the nation in this satirical advert for the
Post Office in 1990:
Along with gardening is the
related pastime of visiting the local garden centre to buy plants, seeds, pots
and garden furniture. In addition to this most garden centres have a café and a
shop selling local food, gifts. It’s considered by many a nice relaxing way to
spend the weekend to have a wander around the garden centre followed by a nice
cup of tea and a cake in the café.
Those who don’t have their own
garden or want more outdoor space sometimes have an allotment. An allotment is
a small piece of land that a person rents to grow fruit and vegetables and
sometimes flowers. Traditionally it was retired men who had allotments: in a
popular British soap opera there was a character who was always off to the
allotment; a place to have some peace and quiet in his garden shed and escape
from the dramas of family life. These days however allotments are popular with
men and women of all ages; families and friends get involved too. A plot can be
tended by the whole family and sometimes passed down through the generations. As
there are usually many of these plots together, the people who rent them often
get to know one another and develop a close little community where they swap
seeds, give each other tips and advice for growing and share the produce they
grow if they have too much of one thing. In
the video on this webpage, a father and son explain why their allotments are so
important to them: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17857858
Experiencing British Gardens
The University’s Ness Botanic
Gardens are an example of a traditional English country garden and entry is
free to University of Liverpool students: http://www.nessgardens.org.uk/the-gardens/http://www.nessgardens.org.uk/the-gardens/
There are also famous ‘Flower
Shows’ across the country each summer with competitions for the best garden
designs and individual plants, fruits and vegetables. Visiting a Flower Show
during your time in the UK would be a typically British thing to do! As well as
beautiful gardens, there is usually lots of food, music, entertainment and cookery
demonstrations.
Tatton
Park Flower Show 22-26 July 2015: https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-flower-show-tatton-park
Southport
Flower Show 20-23 August 2015: http://www.southportflowershow.co.uk/
Southport is only a short train journey from Liverpool. This year’s theme is ‘China’!
The Liverpool
Guild of Students has its own roof garden above the Guild shop? If you enjoy
gardening or want to give it a go for the first time here are some details of
how to become a volunteer: http://www.liverpoolguild.org/main-menu/volunteer/across-campus It’s a great way to learn skills, grow
British fruits, vegetables and herbs and make friends with international and British
students.
How do British gardens differ
from those in your country? What is the culture around gardening back home? Do
people in your family garden? Is it something mainly done for enjoyment or to
produce food for the family? We’d love to hear your comments about the
differences/similarities between our cultures.
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