“Gardening in the Future” by Mala Gunadasa-Rohling
The last month of the Millenium is undoubtedly a time for reflections, both forwards and backwards, for everybody, but I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that gardeners are more aware than others of the passing seasons and years. We keep journals of what we do each season, what we need to do or want to try next year. The journal may be carefully written in a beautiful book, with pressed flowers illustrating the notes, or more likely, a series of quick, often random notes jotted down in a daytimer (oh, to be an elegant Edwardian lady with time to keep one of the former, rather than a harried and super busy working mother with the latter…). Sometimes, probably most times, there is no physical record at all, it is kept in our minds. Nonetheless, all these past experiences and dreams will be carried into the next millenium to impact the gardens of the future.
Who knows what these gardens will look like? What trends and fashions will shape them? Will we still be having the pastel colours vs. “hot” ones debate? Will ornamental grasses still be “in” or will someone decide they are finished and say we must all have a lemon tree? Formal gardens, cottage gardens, herbs, wildflowers, traditional perennial beds, modern mixed borders, gravel gardens, etc., etc. – these have all been done, and will continue to be created, but what’s coming up in the world of gardening and horticulture that we can barely imagine? I hope there will be more discoveries like that of the phytoremediation qualities of waterlilies that can be used to clean polluted waters. Can scientists find a cure for cancer or AIDs in the rainforests, or will an old gardener discover that a familiar annual cures the common cold? Maybe we will have salt-water tolerant, floating plants that will feed the world? Will this next century see the first zero-gravity garden? A vegetable plot on the moon? Probably, and much more!! Imagine the size of the pumpkins…
Back here on Earth today, I’m really looking forward to this Christmas Season and New Years celebrations. Nothing grand and fancy in a downtown hotel for me thank you, I’d rather spend this special time at home with my family and close friends. Maybe we can all take a walk around the garden, and dream a little of the future.
Best wishes to you and your family.