Celebrate Garden Day on Sunday

GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - We’ll be celebrating Garden Day 2021 on Sunday 17 October.

Globally, one of the most popular hobbies to emerge in the past 18 months has been gardening. Following hot on the heels of cooking, a 2020 survey by GlobalData listed gardening as the second most popular lockdown hobby.

Users on the gardening app Candide doubled in the space of a year and, according to research from the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society, close on 3,5 million people took up gardening for the first time, while online plant sales soared.

It was no different here in South Africa.

Whether it was a garden, a houseplant or a brand new veggie patch, across the country budding gardeners embraced their newly-discovered green fingers. Better still, it wasn’t just the great outdoors that saw this trend taking off.

Photo: Akil Mazumder, Pexels

In 2020, caring for houseplants, livening up your home interiors with bouquets and working hard to create a suburban Garden of Eden were equally big trends.

Now in its sixth year, Garden Day is a chance for people across South Africa to celebrate their green spaces – no matter how big or small - and embrace the endlessly therapeutic effects of these leafy respites.

Whether you’re new to the gardening game - with a simple windowsill of pot plants and a burning desire for an urban oasis that looks more indoor jungle than WFH greenery - or you’re an old hand - with a sprawling lawn and your own tips for how to re-pot, split bulbs and take cuttings - Garden Day is a chance to celebrate all your many efforts and your green spaces.

Whatever you decide to do on Sunday 17 October, do it with a flower crown, enjoy the moment, immerse yourself in the restorative power of nature and share the joy. We’ve never needed our green spaces more, so join the movement.Photo: Andy Kuzma, Pexels

Celebrate in style

There are many ways in which you can enjoy Garden Day. A picnic on the lawn will bring you into direct contact with the earth and allow you much-needed grounding, plus the benefits of vitamin D are known to include fighting off depression and boosting mood. No space? No problem - set a stylish table. Use teapots and plenty of gorgeous, garden-fresh flowers to create a visually striking tea party instead.

If you need some bright ideas and green-fingered inspiration, Gardenday.co.za has a handy toolkit to help you plan a gorgeous, nature-filled celebration, including recipe ideas, downloadable invitations and crafty things to make and do with children in the garden.

Catch news, updates and inspiration at @GardenDaySA on Candide, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

Follow them @GardenDaySA #GardenDaySA and share your nature-filled celebrations and your garden’s goodness by tagging us in your posts.

Photo: Photomix Company, Pexels