The Cottage Gardener

At this time of the year, our thoughts turn to the garden.  Many people are now coming back to the garden and in particular vegetable growing.  Years ago, people grew most of what they needed.  The older people (and some younger ones too) can still remember planting spuds and cabbages, carrots and turnips.  The ground was fertilised by the manure from the pigs, chickens and cows kept by the cottage dwellers.

The interest in home grown vegetables has soared.  The reasons are many, the importance of fresh produce inspired by cookery programmes, mistrust of producers in their reliance on harmful chemicals, rising fuel costs which will cause food costs to spiral, and the need to make that connection back with the soil, nature and the feeling of security that having your own food production in your patch brings. When you pick and eat something from the garden, not only do you get that feel good factor, you can taste the vital energy within the plant that is missing from produce that has been shipped from all around the world, refrigerated, loaded and unloaded and arriving in the shops looking like a botoxed Dublin housewife.

Thyme, chives and sage all in flower, edible and beautiful

If you are tired of the perfectly formed, tasteless offerings from round the world or want to fill your life with natures beauty in the form of ornamental plants and flower, or like me you want both, then this column is for you.   I am not an expert, more an enthusiastic amateur.  I have been growing vegetables for twenty years.

 When I started out as an organic gardener, I was treated as a bit of a weirdo.  I offered myself free of charge for talks to gardening groups and hardly had any offers. Suddenly there was a turn around and my phone rang often with requests for talks, courses and composting workshops, I have now made it to the mainstream and am no longer looked on as a curiosity.

 I now like to think of what I do as traditional gardening, before there was an army of pesticides, artificial fertilisers and other chemical sprays on offer.  That is not to say I do not embrace modern gardening methods.  It is possible with protection and the right varieties, to have something growing all year round.

I can't do this without you. Let me know your thoughts, questions and experiences, especially how things were done in the 'old days'.  You can email me at cottagegardenerdromahair@gmail.com  with any questions and I will do my best to answer.


The Cottage Gardener