Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
20th November 2021
Plant-astic Presents
As always, around this time of year, I am being asked to suggest Christmas presents for the outdoorsy types and keen gardeners. A little ironic as I am probably the world’s worst shopper but I do love finding things that are ‘fab’luss’ and will make people’s lives easier or happier.
And that’s what happened last week … I have just discovered the absolutely brilliant ‘complete growing system’ from Ergrownomics. Clever product, clever name.
Ergrownomics is a father and son team, both with backgrounds in soil science and with positive and proactive attitudes. Their amazing ‘grow-your-own-planter-system’ was inspired by ‘a desire to let everybody enjoy the benefits of home-growing, wherever they lived, with whatever space they had.’
Some of you will already be aware of my passion for ‘alittlements’ as forerunners to allotments. I hear from so many people who have just been overwhelmed by a full sized allotment or even a good sized and well-intended veggie patch at home. Well intended doesn’t automatically lead to well attended.
It is a big commitment and there is so much more to growing your own than throwing some seeds at a patch of ground – no matter how good your intentions are.
So I always advise people to start small – and that often means using containers – because if you can’t keep those watered and cared for, then you are not going to stand a hope in Hell pitched against nature on an allotment.
Lots of people have told me that they have heeded this advice and actually choose to stick with their containers, or including veggies in the herbaceous borders. They are content to enjoy a bit of fresh produce from their garden rather than try to keep a family of four fed from their plot all year round. There are lots other options for that, like Farmer’s Markets and veggie boxes.
Ergrownomic’s growing systems will also take the ‘backache’ out of growing your own veggies and/or herbs in planters at home and look very ‘professional’. There are 60 possible bespoke combinations utilising the planters and their stands to provide the growing capacity and perfect working height for everyone.
There is a saying, “The healthiest way to gamble is with a trowel and a packet of seeds’ – well I would say, Ergrownomics take the gambling element out of that process. It is just the cleverest way to enjoy absolute success with a packet of seeds.
The package includes the planters, supports, an irrigation system, drainage material, the soil (remember I said they were soil scientists – win win) and even advice and support – in fact all you need to get growing in any space you have – even on a balcony.
Ergrownomics recently achieved a 5* award from Chelsea Flower Show but (possibly) more important than that, they are approachable, passionate and as well as having a great website, you can actually speak to Jamie. You know how much I like speaking to ‘real’ people.
There is currently a ‘winter offer’ on their website and they have an ‘ex-display and seconds’ section too.
I think a bespoke ‘planter package’ would make an excellent Christmas present for the enthusiastic (or dejected) gardener in your life. The sturdy stands are available at several different heights, making the planters provide a comfortable working height for the ‘more mature’ and people who have already spent enough time gardening on their knees – and the simplicity of it all makes it a perfect introduction to gardening for little green fingers. So that’s a perfect present for the whole family – I bet I can’t find another one of those.
For more information visit www.ergrownomics.co.uk or call 07743 960564
Hooray For Hydrotherapy
It is two years since Yogi ruptured her cruciate ligament (and then 6 months later did the other one for good measure), and therefore about 18 months since she first started having hydrotherapy. It has proved to be a remarkable therapy and she is as supple, sound and agile as any outdoorsy 12 year old dog could hope to be. I still take her once a month, as I prefer the preventative approach rather than curative, and I am sure it helps keep her joints mobile and arthritis at bay.
Sue, at Four Seasons Hydrotherapy, has also recently qualified in the use of the Theraplate and offers that from her base in Tredegar. It’s a unique therapy platform which uses advanced, patented technology called Vortex Wave Circulation and is used as an alternative therapy for a variety of chronic conditions, rehab and recovery following injury or exertion.
It has proven another hit with Yogi (and I quite enjoyed it too, as you can see in the photo).
For more info visit www.fourseasonskennels.co.uk or call 07789 071 738 to speak to Sue.
Rockin’ Robin
I always seem to be accompanied by a little robin when I work at this time of year. Historically, they’re woodland birds, which would follow large animals such as wild boar around, knowing that their mooting about in the dirt would uncover worms and insects for them to eat. “There you go’ exclaims my brother, “they think you are a wild BORE.”
They were popular on Christmas cards in the Victorian era, and were often associated with the red uniforms of the postmen who delivered them, and who in turn were nicknamed ‘robins’. That’s a little poignant really as Dad was a postman. Sadly he died 25 years ago (far too young) and now when we are visited by the little robins we always say it’s Dad checking up on us.
In one garden we work in regularly we are flanked by a battle-scarred robin, who is easy to identify and has trained us to share our sandwiches with him. Although they seem friendly to us, they are fiercely territorial and are capable of fighting to the death in spring to defend their patch once breeding starts.
‘Our’ robin is easily identified as one side of his face is slightly disfigured, but amazingly each robin actually has its own unique red breast feather pattern, which makes it possible (though still very difficult) to identify individuals. Despite normally only living between two and five years, the oldest recorded robin was 11 years and 5 months. Hopefully our little fella will have a nice long life too.
Since the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch began in 1979, robins have featured in the top 20 sightings every single year. Although not held until the end of January 2022, you can register for next year’s event now at rspb.org.uk/birdwatch
What a lovely read on a Sunday morning. Full of information and suggestions too.