At this point in time, it’s uncertain if the next meeting of the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society will be going ahead, so be sure to check our website at www.yorktonhort.ca, and rest assured that we will keep you posted about what is going on with the group! We’re all anxious to get together again and talk about gardening plans, so as soon as we know what’s happening, we’ll let you know!
The COVID-19 virus has thrown us all for a loop, and it seems unreal that we can even think about something normal and wonderful like spring and our gardens again. But gardeners, we can and we must! Time will tell how we will be able to buy our plants, but in case we are still working around the virus when plant-buying time rolls around, I am positive that plant sellers will come up with new and creative ways for us to get our plants!
We’ve often chatted about the seed catalogues: why not put in an order for some seeds? It’s good to look at those great garden selections, but just as an emotional boost, place an order for some seeds.
I know that both you and I have read many articles about the benefits of gardening. There is not only the physical aspect of being out in the fresh air and getting some exercise with gardening (remember how we discover those hidden muscles after our first strenuous spring day out in the garden?).
But there are the important aspects of gardening such as connecting with nature, creating a thing of beauty, growing your own food, and another thing to consider, something we need especially this year: that gardening is proven to increase feelings of well-being, and reduce anxiety and depression. In recent weeks, when we have faced a challenge unseen before in our lifetimes, we are suddenly cut off from doing so many things that we used to take for granted like going shopping, going out for coffee, going to church, or meeting with friends. But gardeners, gardening is still the one thing that we can do. We can go out there and plant our containers and gardens, with no worry about social distancing from anyone except the beautiful birds in the trees!
So let’s encourage each other to go forward with hope and enthusiasm towards this gardening year. Let’s you and I make a resolution, right now, to plant a “plant of hope”, be it an annual or perennial, a shrub or a tree; but something that will remind us, whenever we look at it, that life goes on, and hope cannot be quenched. Some very dear friends gave us plants and bulbs for Easter; so these will be our “plants of hope”. Why don’t you choose a special plant, and make it your “plant of hope” for 2020. If you have a garden, grow something new to mark the occasion; if your “garden” is on your deck, plant up a special container that will be your visual reminder of the unstoppable spirit of gardeners!
The other day, we saw a whole exuberant group of robins swooping and hopping on the lawn. (An interesting factoid: did you know that a group of robins is called a “round”, or a “bobbin”, a “carol”, a “ruby``). How wonderful to see them, such a joyful sign of spring and a new season of life. That kind of “life revelation” is all around us now, just take a little stroll outside and keep your eyes open and your heart full of gratitude.
Thank you to the team at Yorkton This Week for helping to keep us all connected through all these tough times. Thank you for your efforts right here at home!
Let`s pray for each other for health and hope. Take care and have a great week
