It's a peculiar world at the moment isn't it?
The government has enforced a raft of restrictions in light of Covid19 which mean that life is very different for us all right now.
If you're working from home with no commute time, need to entertain the children, or simply have more time on your hands, there are lots of things you could do in the garden whilst the restrictions are in place.
I thought I'd take a moment to share three ideas that; will entertain the children; are easy to do even if you don't have a lot of gardening know-how or experience; and don't require a big budget.
This is an idea I saw on a Facebook group recently. It was shared across our social channels but is too good not to share here too.
Simply take the tops of root vegetables, onions or garlic and pop them in a shallow tray of water. Check regularly to make sure they're not drying out. Once you have some shoots, pop them in the garden and leave them to do their thing.
Later in the year, just harvest and enjoy.
Children will love watching them grow - to add a little extra educational value, they could keep a progress diary or chart complete with measurements.
The government restrictions required all non-essential retailers to close, including garden centres, for the duration of the Covid19 crisis.
As a result, many local independent growers are facing the loss of hundreds of thousands of plants that are either ready now, or will be very soon. If you take a look at local growers pages on social media you're likely to find that, in order to prevent the loss of these beautfiul plants, they have found touch-free ways for people to buy them. This often includes delivery in the local area of both young plants and additional supplies such as compost or bark.
Why not support a local business by having some plants delivered and then enjoy the benefits of a colourful garden teeming with wildlife as we move into the summer?
If your garden needs more work than some simple planting, use the time to design what you would like to create when the shops reopen and you can get the supplies you need. Be sure to consider the practicalities of how you and your household use the garden, not just the aesthetic you would like to achieve.
If you have children, they will need safe space to play. If you like to entertain think about how to incorporate seating, a barbecue or even an outside kitchen. And don't forget about storage. You'll need somewhere to keep the garden tools, toys and seat cushions!
My top tip for designing is to try and do it to scale as much as possible. That will help you to see how the space will work and what you can realistically fit in the space available. Using sqaured paper makes planning the space a lot easier. And older children could put their maths and creative skills to good use by helping with the deisgn process.
Oh, and Pinterest is a great source of inspiration!
Whatever state your garden in currently in, it can be a valuable escape from the four walls of your home. Being in the garden and close to nature can be a great workout (just don't overdo the digging), is good for your emotional wellbeing and you'll come to love the instant gratification of a good day's work - even when it's just trimming and tidying!
I am offering garden and design advice by video call so if you'd like to chat through some ideas, I'd love to hear from you.
Likewise, the team are still looking after clients' gardens and can help by tidying your garden and doing the heavy work so that you don't have to.
Our service is completely touch-free and compliant with the government's social distancing directive, they even bring their own flask of coffee!