To think people can make more of an effort with their gardens

[Lovelybitofsquirrel3]

Due to circumstances changing I moved from the family home (owned, not by me, by family) to a council estate a few years ago.
Generally people don’t bother to plant anything/haven’t bothered with their gardens. There are hardly any bees, butterflies or insects that visit and I’m finding it depressing. A lot of people haven’t bothered with their gardens.
I planted potatoes last year which were never pollinated, and one or two bees visited, I don’t know where from and they died quickly.
I’m not looking for excuses as to why people don’t plant but surely it’s simple to buy a few packets of seeds and turn over some turf.

You need to get more.

When our much loved cat died 3 years ago, we filled the cat-shaped hole with three!!

😔 I don’t think people realise that not everyone is high functioning and healthy. Disabilities never seem to be a factor when people moan about “why don’t you lot do X Y Z”

OP, I am a keen reader and writer and I think you should go to some remedial literacy classes to learn that the plural of potato is not "potato's." I'm not interested in hearing any excuses or reasons why you might not want to. Good communication is important for everyone and it doesn't take that much effort. You need to do your part to set an example and stop national literacy standards degrading. Just being helpful!

Except I'm not, I'm being a tit.

@mayorofcasterbridge losing them was awful enough. I do not want to replace them. I have also just lost one of my cats but I have 8 other cats (permanently indoors since).
I think it would take a project currently beyond my imagination to enjoy the garden again. I dont do well with plants, never have done.

'Cry harder' is such a nasty phrase. Full-on smirky, reductive Vance/Trump. I'm reading with my US eyes here, but it's such a MAGA badge and I really dislike it.

Anyway. I always find it weird that growing food is seen as a luxury, when it's traditionally been the opposite.

When I've had no money, I DO buy a packet of salad seeds. I can grow them on my windowsill and get green leaves in a few weeks and save a ton of money.

I completely understand why people don't want to do it, mind!

True but people often hate gardening.

Be proactive.
Put up flyers for a Garden Club - meet in in your front yard.
Do some community minded, simple gardening with the people who share your passion...

Plant blossom trees.
Make no dig raised vegie gardens, 3'x 3'..
Throw wildflower seeds out over your lawns.
Share cuttings of ground covers like roses, pig face and cottage garden plants so people have lessweeding to do under their trees.
Plant kiwi fruit, Plum trees, etc etc.
Visit the school - show the kids how to grow food and Sunflowers.

The Garden Club will grow organically with like minded people as yourself.

Oh well if you don’t like the phrase don’t use it.

its quite telling that you think “waiting a few weeks for salad leaves to grow” is a remedy to poverty. People living in poverty are more likely to do day-to-day budgeting rather than planning ahead because they just need to buy what they can afford right now. They are also more likely to buy something for cheap that can stand alone as a meal (eg a pot noodle) rather than lots of cheap things like salad that end up building up.

I also dispute that growing salad on your windowsill saves “a ton of money”. It’s about 50p for a lettuce from the supermarket.

@JandamiHash and@MartinCrieffsLemon

Oh give over. I've never been well off. I have no sense of entitlement. I lived in a hostel whilst pregnant I got FSM ( and benefits) whilst I worked two low paid jobs to fit in with school hours. I live in social housing on an estate. I totally understand people have different circumstances. Unlike you who feel that everyone in council housing/ benefits is affected by the cost of living crisis.

Not being physically able to garden is a valid point but why is there such a massive increase in disability? How was gardening a thing after the world wars when so many more people were injured physically and mentally. And broke.

Another proactive idea,Op ..
A Best Easter Front Garden competition.

Offer up a prize of 200 to the winning garden - a garden that Easter Bunny would adore!

You and a council member be the judges.
Announce the prize at an Easter Egg hunt in the local Botanical Gardens or kids play ground or school yard.

It's not 'quite telling' at all. Where exactly do I mention that me growing salad leaves is a remedy for poverty. Don't be ridiculous.

I literally just mentioned what I do. I don't suddenly find myself without money. I know when a lean period is approaching so I plan for it without having to sacrifice how I want to eat.

Read harder.

Well I can answer your last part.

Disabilities are more recognised these days for a few reasons. Innovation and research has thrown up that certain symptoms lead to X Y Z disability - for example neurodiversities are no longer recognised as ‘bad behaviour’. We also record things much better than we used to, and hold much better data.

And gardening was popular after the wars because rationing didn’t stop when the wars ended for IIRC over a decade. Growing your own food was just good sense in a public crisis. Not as much need these days when most people don’t have to walk more than 100m to get cheap fresh food and veg

Sorry if that wasn’t a “more people are disabled because they’re fat and stupid” answer I suspect you may have been looking for

But how is that relevant to what other people who don’t have money do?

What on earth are you talking about?

It's mildly relevant to anyone who wants to do the same thing. It's irrelevant if they don't.

Not everyone enjoys or has time for gardening
Look into companion planting to attract bees - and/or do a bee keeping course and keep your own.

I agree, it's really depressing when you see people who are lucky enough to have gardens (many people don't have any outside space) not bothering to do anything, or worse still, paving it all over. I wonder if people tend to overestimate how much time and effort is actually involved? It doesn't take long to shove a few bulbs in the earth, plant a couple of flowering bushes, or just scatter some seeds occasionally, and the rewards are fantastic and long lasting.
And most gardens don't need that much maintenance once a few plants are in place.

My impression is that basic knowledge about plants, trees and the natural world has been in decline for a while, and people don't know where to start. Gardens should be a pleasure not a chore.

At a guess, they get plants and tools.

My impression is that basic knowledge about plants, trees and the natural world has been in decline for a while, and people don't know where to start. Gardens should be a pleasure not a chore.

Agree @Trousername. I also think phones and digital apps suck and hold attention and time, and make going outside too onerous. It takes very little effort to do a bit in your garden for some result, and more community gardening initiatives would help. And incentives! My very low income, hard working parents were house AND garden proud and would have been too ashamed of what the neighbours thought to have a concreted-over garden.

Can you recommend a particular wildflower mix by any chance? On my list of things to do in the garden but reviews around seed germination vary wildly between brands/supppliers

Someone said that people don’t know how to garden. They often don’t know how to diy or maintain their cars.
I think it’s the advent of screens -there’s always the option of doing something easier to pass the time.

Honestly OP I think you are being so unfair and short sighted.

You would look down your nose at our garden - just well kept grass and a patio.

I am disabled and cannot do the gardening and my husband does not have the time to do so / isn’t interested enough to make it a priority over other things that do motivate and interest him in his few spare hours a week.

We have had such difficulty even employing a gardener! The rates are ridiculous and even when you pay them, they often don’t turn up. I’m talking £60 to cut the lawn (20 mins?)

We are in north west london and there are constant requests for recommendations for a gardener on local groups.

Then when we’ve had quotes for adding flowers, shrubs, trees etc it’s absolutely mind blowing - £10k easily for super basic stuff. And then we were worried about having a consistent gardener maintain it,..

So there are so many barriers for so many people and most definitely not an issue of being in ‘a council estate’. The cost and time to maintain a garden is often far too much, even for those with higher disposable income.

The £60 to cut the lawn has to cover their overhead including paying for equipment, petrol, transportation/work lorry, admin/paperwork time, marketing expenses, travel time, insurance, taxes and other costs. As well as their effort and expertise. It's not all profit. By far.

I guess it's down to priorities and having the time to maintain a garden? Also, possibly, ownership might play a part for rented properties. No idea. But I'd rather people had tidy gardens as a starting point, then branch out to create a garden with a variety of plants.
Growing your own vegetables/fruit is overrated with the climate in this country unless you want an endless supply of courgettes or you view it as a hobby.
Much, much cheaper to buy organic. I know this for a fact because we've been growing (well, attempting) a variety of items over the years.
It's not just the cost of buying everything, but it's the time you need to invest in setting up and maintaining a garden. Time costs money, as they say.

What I actually wanted to say OP, last summer I didn't see a single bee in our garden. And we have plenty of bee friendly plants. Quite a few bumblebees and less butterflies than usual. I think because of the weather or general decline in bees population. Nothing to do with gardening as such because we have a fully landscaped mature garden full of all sorts of wildlife and neighbouring properties are very similar. That's much more worrying than the visual aspect of garden areas.

The only thing you can really do OP is concentrate on your own space and hope others are inspired. Maybe plant a few extra seedlings and offer a few to your immediate neighbours etc. if money and time are an issue then pick perennials rather than annuals. You may well find that if you are out there a lot tending your garden others start to show an interest.

I’m now lucky enough to have a large garden but I remember when I was younger two kids on the estate used to come and linger when my Dad was outside gardening. He would chat to them and ask if they wanted to help and give them little clumps of things to put in their gardens.
unfortunately some people either can’t afford it, are physically incapable or just don’t have any free time. But there are people on here who really just want an argument with anyone at any opportunity so don’t take it to heart

Whatever you call them, I'd happily see their numbers decline to zero. Filty, noisy, aggressive vermin.