Out of the Garden

January 22, 2010
by Shobha Vanchiswar

What can gardeners do to help Haiti?

I had originally intended to write a lighthearted piece about the garden, but it’s been a rough two weeks.

It was hard to think about wanting any new thing or the necessity of having so much in light of what’s happening in Haiti. Puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? It leaves one helpless too. How best can one person help, when everything seems insufficient?

In our home, instead of simply writing a check, we decided to first come up with a meaningful dollar amount. Then, each of us chose what we were willing to forgo so we could instead use that money towards Haiti. It was eye opening how quickly we came up with things that had, until recently, seemed so important and urgent. Making our personal sacrifices allowed us to get the tiniest sliver of a glimpse of what the Haitians must be enduring. For as long as necessary, we hope to continue giving in this manner because the healing and rebuilding is going to be arduous and lengthy.

Lessons learned from crises can be used in the garden

How does all this play a role in a column on gardening? I’ll tell you. Forgive me if I sound preachy but at such times it compels one to pause and take an inventory of what’s truly important. The lessons learned from crises can be translated into everything in life including the garden. Before the earthquake, Haiti was already a nation in great need. Yet how much did most of us do for it?

Similarly, how much do we respond to matters more close to home when it is not in the news or made to look as the “in” cause or doesn’t affect us or our family directly?  Ultimately, it comes down to caring enough and consistently doing what one can. It need not be anything dramatic or grand but just the daily efforts of doing some good and thereby making a difference.

Nothing declares hope and faith in the future as loudly as the making of a garden. What you plant today, you enjoy only tomorrow. And that tomorrow must surely be better. Some years ago, at an antiques and rare plants show, I encountered a celebrity who was due to be incarcerated within the next few weeks. I immediately examined her purchases to see what I’d missed. She eagerly showed me her selections, which is typical of gardeners. I realized then that in spite of what she was about to experience, she was looking beyond those six months knowing things could only improve. And the plants embodied that optimism. Observing this made me feel better as well. Gardens have the power to heal and nourish our minds, bodies and souls.

The very act of gardening draws to the fore the covenant one has with the land. The gardener must care for and nurture her or his piece of earth and in turn, receives earth’s beauty and bounty. In order to get the best returns, one must garden responsibly. In other words, one must care. Collectively, this translates to making the whole world healthier, more beautiful and certainly more productive. Every gardening effort is connected to similar efforts all over the globe. That in and of itself makes a big difference.

Sharing seeds, tolls, mulch saves money that could be used to help others

Within our own circles, we can share in our gardening tasks. Instead of each of us ordering our own selection of seed packets, we can partner up and share. Each partner can then grow enough of some plants so there’s plenty for all. This will actually increase the varieties you end up with and you can experiment with new, intriguing plants.

In addition, grow an extra few for an elderly neighbor who can no longer garden or, adopt a neglected plot of land and make it beautiful. That’s what “guerrilla gardening” is all about – stealthily beautifying sorry-looking land that government bureaucracy if brought in, would thwart, stall or more often, ignore. I mention this just to demonstrate that I’m not coming up with anything new. This movement started in New York City and has been readily embraced by guerrilla gardeners in several countries. Once people start noticing the transformation, they begin to participate in improving the place, and soon, it becomes a community project. Everyone feels it belongs to them. It does. I cannot speak for the local governing bodies but anything to make our world better sounds good to me. If you should get into any sort of trouble, however, please do not refer to me as the instigator.

Along the same vein of partnering, big garden appliances and infrequently used tools can be shared. I know this involves some organizing and tolerance but surely, in the big picture this is not too much to suffer? Things like mowers, blowers, trimmers, hole diggers and tall ladders can be used quite amicably. Take turns and make sure every member understands the basic ground rules. It’ll be a pleasant surprise when you see how well this can work. It could also prove to be an excellent example to our children of pooling our resources and getting along. Rather than telling, we will be showing.

Before you order mulch or compost delivery, check with your neighbors. You can perhaps order together. Saves money and the delivery truck does not have to make multiple trips, which is all the better for the environment.

In working locally, the gardener is making a global difference. As we make our own communities healthier and stronger, we can then look outwards to assist others in need. The money saved in such cooperative efforts can be donated. In addition, don’t underestimate the experience and time you have to offer.

Similarly, in the vegetable garden, grow an extra row of vegetables to give away to a soup kitchen or other needy causes.  Plant A Row For Hunger is a movement started in 1995 by the Garden Writers Association of America. Look it up on the Internet, I think you will be inspired. Extra flowers from the cutting garden can be used to adorn our local places such as the community center, school offices, library, town hall and heck, why not, even the police station!

Am I being too idealistic? Possibly. But please think about it – is it truly so far out? Are we going to be a part of the problem or part of the solution?
 
Shobha Vanchiswar has been gardening all her life, the last 22 years in Chappaqua. She received the Golden Trowel Award for garden design in 2007 from Garden Design magazine. Her jewel-of-a-garden here in New Castle was on view in this year’s Garden Conservancy Open Day program. She has a garden design business, Seeds of Design. Write her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).