#LOCKDOWN – MARCH 31 2020

It’s Tuesday, 31 March 2020 – day 5 of the coronavirus lockdown in South Africa. The last few days has seen a dramatic change and re-alignment of most peoples lives. In the 3 day lead up to midnight on 26 March, people flocked to Blackwood’s outlets to stock up with plants and gardening accessories for use during the isolation period. Obviously, those persons with gardens are blessed and fortunate to be able to spend time outdoors in the fresh air. The important issue here is to be able to make the most of the time on your hands – not only tending the garden, but also appreciating everything that gardens contributes to our lives. Most of us are too busy to appreciate the smaller aspects of all the many and diverse components that make up even the simplest of suburban gardens.

Use this time to look at plants and all the other life forms that abound in nature. Check out insects, reptiles, amphibians, molluscs, fungi to mention but a few of the more prominent groupings. Gardens are more complex than just the interaction between us (people or humans) and plants. It makes complete sense to start looking for and identifying everything that you see in and around the garden. Some things are good, whilst others are pests and diseases that are problematic and threatening to the ecosystem in your surrounds. Fortunately, modern technology is able to assist greatly in grasping a meaningful perspective on these matters.

I took a stroll outside this morning to find a few examples to illustrate this point. It literally took less than 5 minutes to snap these pictures which I hope you will enjoy.

Till next time – love your garden – Gerald.