Gardening zooms ahead

As we approach the end of our annus horribilis I’ve been reflecting on what I have missed doing this year.

At the top of my list I have three front runners - judging at RHS shows, opening the garden to the public and giving talks to garden clubs.

The first two I have accepted are not going to return until next spring but there has been some progress on the last thanks to the wonders of technology. Autumn and winter are a particularly busy time for garden speakers as clubs often have a Christmas speaker or additional events.

I regularly pack the car up with a picnic tea, map, extension cable and projector and head off to a village hall in a place I’ve never been to before that can be miles and miles from home. On arrival there is always a warm welcome, tea, cake, and a raffle. I have missed the dramas of trying to find the right village hall, setting up my projector (hoping it will work) and judging the ‘best vase of flowers competition’ but most of all I have missed talking to fellow gardeners about the latest gardening trends, the weather and sharing practical techniques and planting ideas. These afternoons and evenings are priceless, and I can’t wait for them to return.

All the talks I had booked in for the year were quickly cancelled at the start of the first lockdown but over the last few months my phone has been ringing with requests to give zoom talks. I first met this appeal with caution. Zoom wasn’t something I was particularly familiar with but with trepidation I went ahead. It seems that clubs are fearing losing members if they don’t offer activities and engagement with their membership. As a result, some forward-thinking committees have invested in a zoom subscription and are putting on a programme of talks. Afterall, the appetite for gardening has never been so good so now is as good a time as any to recruit new members.

I have now completed over a dozen talks via zoom and can see the many advantages. The mileage on my car isn’t clocking up and I haven’t had to sneak into bed at the dead of night so not to wake the family when I return. There is no fear of driving home down frosty, foggy, or snowy roads and I don’t need to polish my shoes – I can keep my slippers on! Seeing a screen of smiling gardeners appear in your sitting room is simply magical. Our shared love of this wonderful hobby has yet again united us – albeit in a very different way.

The trick to a successful zoom talk is to be even more engaging than you are in real life. Perfecting the art of talking for 40 minutes or so without getting any audience reaction takes some getting used to. Offering your audience a smorgasbord of wonderful garden images is a certain way of keeping them engaged. On occasion I have been quite moved by the reaction to a talk – I’ve experienced everyone unmuting and giving me a big round of applause and had lots of waving and thumbs up.

So, what will happen to this new virtual garden club world once we all return to normal? Will anyone want to head out on a cold, dark evening to listen to a speaker or will they prefer to remain at home and simply switch on their computer? I for one can’t wait to return to the draughty old halls (some are toasty and warm) but I do see value in this new way of communicating and I think both ways will remain. In 2021, thanks to the power of zoom I am speaking in Japan and Ireland from the comfort of my own home.

The most important thing to me is that clubs continue, and experts carry on sharing their passion and knowledge however they can. The fact that many clubs and some members who have never used a computer before have embraced this new world only goes to prove that nothing will stand in the way of this nation of gardeners.