How Does Our Future Grow?
This past weekend Robin Lane Fox, FT Horticulture Correspondent, wrote an article chronicling his 40 years of writing about Gardening at the Financial Times. He started by writing “trial articles” for Wednesdays, (having been given the threat to be fired if his articles were forgettable), while his senior and superior writing partner, (who had written scores of gardening books), wrote for the Weekend House & Home section.
As time would tell, Robin’s articles were not forgettable. The two writers worked well together and respected each others opinions and space. There was a pact, of sorts, that they held…they would not visit each other’s gardens while writing together at the FT, so that their articles would be purely their own.
When asked if he feared a new 23 year old coming to the FT and moving in on his position at the paper, Robin Lane Fox said he has an advantage. That being he is an Oxford tutor and is Garden Master at the great gardens at New College, Oxford. Therefore he is teaching some of the top gardeners under 23. He states that he, “is painfully aware of a gap in their knowledge of the natural world.”
When I first read this, I found it hard to believe. All this talk lately of saving the earth. All the sites that we can learn from regarding plants, soil, animals, birds, humans… all things living…. all things natural. Where is the “disconnect”? Why don’t young people have a grasp on the secrets of nature?
Last week Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids, applauded a family, (on her”Free-Range Kids” FaceBook page), that had decided to leave part of their yard un-landscaped to allow their children to be able to just play in the dirt.
Have we made our world too sterile for our kids? Do they think that the grass is always green and plants grow without any thought or effort? Is there an element missing in learning about this from doing it? I think about that every time I see my children “play basketball”, “go bowling” or “practice a golf swing” on the Wii. Yeah… it’s great that kids move more when they play their video games, but… they aren’t truly learning the skill. I tell them that occasionally. But do they really know it to be true?
And I’m not aware of any video games for planting and growing, (other than an advanced Sims game), but the plants grow within minutes and always perfectly, (unless they are not properly “watered or fed”).
I’m not knocking the things the next generation likes to do or the way they like to learn. I’m just worried, (as I think Robin Lane Fox and Lenore Skesazy are), that the tactile part of learning and the series of failures that it takes to enjoy a wonderful success are missing.
How can we teach through our parenting? And… if you have a business that can affect the next generation positively what can you do? After all, if your business is about growing plants or enjoying the outdoors you need another generation of customers. What can you do for them to build a relationship now?
What about beginning to know them through a “hands on” planting class on Mothers’ Day week? How about offering a teen class to make planters in their High School colors? Would your customers be interested in making theme flower beds, named after popular books, movies, plays or music? (“Magical GardenLand”-Alice in Wonderland- “Vampire’s Moonlight”-The Twilight Series- “Pirates’ Treasure”-Pirates of the Caribbean- “Tie-Die FlowerBed” or “Gothic Garden”-Rock Bands.)
And what about that idea of not landscaping a part of the yard? My first though is that the kids have a place to just play and get dirty but it doesn’t have to look terrible. Can you offer a “Get Dirt on Your Hands Garden” idea? Use sand, topsoil and/or mulch to make a plan for your customers with young kids. Include a raised area where they can plant things to either a.)conceal the messy part of this play area or b.)allow the kids to plant their own garden in their own way.
Can your customers count on you to come up with solutions for them? If they can trust you to hear their needs and get creative you’ll have some long term customers!
Let’s not whine about how the new generation doesn’t know what we learned. Let’s teach them! If we can do that our future will grow well and we can leave a memorable & practical legacy.
