I attended an interesting presentation last night by Brian Minter from Minter Gardens in Chilliwack, BC. His talk was about taking our gardens to a higher level. When I saw the title I assumed it meant having luxury plants in our garden but I was wrong. He talked about the garden industry and how it has done over the last few decades. In the 80′s and 90′s there was tremendous growth but when the year 2000 arrived the industry flatlined. So why would that happen? We only have to look around us to see what is happening. The yards are getting smaller and there is more and more densification. I have four children and all but one live in either a basement suite or a condo. Do they have room to garden? Hardly. Maybe a tiny balcony or a small green space they can call their own. Long gone are the big yards that we have become accustomed to. As larger homes are being sold, many are coming down to make way for more than one home on that same piece of land.
Lets get back to the new generation of gardeners. I look at my children who range from 22-36 and I talked to them about what they would grow in their little spaces. It wasn’t flowers, it was food. My daughter in law said “Anything I can grow to make a salad”. She also said that being able to be out and tend her small garden was therapeutic after a stressful day at work. So the new gardens of today are ones that can soothe the soul, create a feeling of wellness. It was interesting as I remembered from the talk last night that Brian Minter had shown us a slide from South Africa. At the garden centers there, they also had wellness centers. Not only could you buy plants but you could enjoy a relaxing spa while you were there. Makes you think, doesn’t it? Will we see that here some day? Only time will tell.
Brian also showed us a myriad of great plants but stressed that instead of just planting them, we should be creating art in our garden. He stresses little vignettes, a place to take a coffee in the morning. He showed us the plants that are being grown for the new generation of gardeners, from dyed and glittered ornamental kale to complete colour bulb kits for an instant garden . Yes, we live in a world that wants instant gratification. Our new generation has room for limited pants so they want to buy something that will create conversation. Perhaps a funky contorted plant or something with fragrance to plant in a container.
I sat back thinking about our garden club. Our membership has been declining for several years. As president a few years ago, I expressed the need to attract the new generation of gardeners. I knew it had to be done. When I asked if the club had a website, they said no. Of course, this social media addict couldn’t believe it. For one thing if we want to attract the children of today we need to be online. We need to as connected as they are to the various forms of media that they constantly employ. So what did I do? That year I started a Facebook page for the garden club. Eyes rolled when I told them as the blue rinse crowd just doesn’t get it. So fast forward a couple of years and we are still not attracting young members. They may be connecting online but they don’t go to meetings.It’s sad to say but I see the future of garden clubs on the decline much like many service clubs.The young people of today still want to garden but not in this way.
The talk last night was in one way very timely for our garden club. I hope they took away the message that Brian gave us. I know I did. How does your garden club fare? What do you do to attract younger members? I cringe when I think I am one of the youngest garden club members at (cough, cough) 58.
Posted by sarah on February 20, 2013 at 1:10 pm
Hi Kristin,
Enjoyed this entry quite a bit. I’m a new, youngish (late 20s) gardener. I would love to join a garden club in my area (Minnesota), but sadly, they are scarce. It seems (for certain) that I’d be the youngest member which intimidates me a bit… and I do agree with Mr. Minter that many people my age are in to veggies, container/terrarium and small space/big impact gardening; however, there are young’uns (me me me!) out there who love perennials! Sounds like he gave an interesting presentation. Thanks for sharing with us!
Posted by myfoodandflowers on February 20, 2013 at 1:32 pm
Gardening is about fun and achievement of growing, not age.
Posted by Thomas Mickey on February 20, 2013 at 2:37 pm
I loved this post. It has given me a whole new way of looking at garden clubs as well as gardening for the future. thank you so much.
Posted by deltagardener on February 20, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Thank you. We have to keep up with the times. Garden clubs are such a valuable resource for people.
Posted by gardeningnaturallywithclaudia on February 21, 2013 at 8:57 am
As a former garden club president, I concur with your thinking. The ‘new media’ is out of the grasp of many elderly garden clubbers. I tried to invite new folks, and when they came, the ‘old clicks’ never moved out of their corner to welcome the newbys. I was so embarrassed. My club wanted to visit gardens, but none of them gardened anymore – too frail, or too many aches and pain, which I understand, but that doesn’t bode well for the future of clubs as we once knew them.
Posted by deltagardener on February 21, 2013 at 10:13 am
Sounds like you are describing our garden club to a tee. Perhaps we need to change the way clubs do things. My children want to learn so perhaps they need to offer free lessons?
Posted by sensiblegardening on February 21, 2013 at 9:03 am
Amen and well said. The traditional garden club with all its internal politics is not likely going to make it in future years. I don’t really think it’s an age thing as much as an attittude thing. Just my thoughts.
Posted by Shelley@Sow and Dipity on February 24, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Great Article and the comments were good to read as well. Here’s a little snippet I heard from an elderly gentleman speaking to his wife while passing a vendor booth selling orchids at the NWFGS on Thursday:
‘ Looks like another amateur breeder, there’s just so many of them now ‘
I thought to myself how snooty this remark was and when I saw the vendors, they were a couple in their early 30′s, it made sense. How do you know they are amateurs? Because the are younger than you?
I’m 40, and I am very intimidated to go to garden club meetings ( and not to brag, but I know my stuff….I have an whole life of loving plants behind me, but surely would be seen as an amateur in a club whose youngest member is 20 years my senior ).
My non-plant geek friends are surprised when I say that there is a level of snootiness in my industry where everyone knows more than you and that is why clubs will disappear along with the members in them.
On-line ‘communities’ are the way of the future….where people can feel ‘safe’ to ask a question and not feel ‘wrong or stupid’…. the face of the garden club has changed,yes…. but the reach of interested community members is unlimited
Posted by homedeconomics on February 25, 2013 at 8:26 am
With the popularity of urban farming and the young age of the farmers, I was surprised to see the age of gardening workshop attendees was so…blue. I am usually one of the younger (42) participants. Gardening is very popular in my community but it seems that younger gardeners/backyard farmers see it almost as a form of activism. The retirees attend classes but how do the younger ones connect?
We I think of a gardening club I think of the type of groups you all have mentioned above – older, maybe breeding fancy, non-edible plants…a bit exclusive.
When I think of the younger generation of gardeners I see young families and individuals growing their own food for socio-political reasons and special diets (paleo, gluten-free etc). Many are passionate about encouraging others to grow their own food .
Perhaps it’s a disconnect in those socio-political values that keeps the new generation of growers away from traditional gardening clubs? So far the best way for me to connect has been online but I’m looking for a local group. I know they’re out there!
Posted by deltagardener on February 25, 2013 at 1:37 pm
Thanks for all the comments. I hope we can find ways to bridge the gaps to keep everyone gardening.
Posted by Helen at Toronto Gardens on February 26, 2013 at 7:09 am
A thought-provoking post. And interesting to me that I found it through social media — not bad for a white-haired old lady. Hopefully, we can share our experience to enthuse a whole new generation of gardeners. But we have to develop a dialog, not a monologue — talking to the newcomers about what they want to know, rather than just what we want to say.