Duncan G.
What does gardening mean to you?
Gardening to me, means imparting one’s knowledge to others, assisting those new to gardening to learn and experience the thrill of growing one’s own fruit and vegetables, experiencing the highs and lows, when crops flourish and fail, as well as sharing the fruits of one’s labour with our neighbours.
Why did you join the Lampton park Community Garden?
I joined Lampton Park Community Garden because I wanted to support what I considered was an admirable endeavour, which was to forge better relations between the residents of the town of Hounslow, and to learn about the differences we share. Other cultures using parts of the plant we simply are used to discarding. I had hoped I could have got involved with the social media aspect of the community garden, posting regular updates on Facebook, Whats app, Tik Tok, and Youtube, on how the plants were progressing, creating a video diary of the various fruit, vegetable, herbs and flowers we have growing in our community the garden, which would assist me greatly in my ongoing search for employment as an Video editor/Content creator.
How long have you been gardening and what do you grow?
I have been gardening since the tender age of six, assisting my parents with the tasks of mowing of the lawns, trimming the hedges, pruning the trees, and sweeping the footpaths. As a teenager I grew my own Carrots, Lettuce, Potatoes, Radish, and Spinach, and more recently built a Herb garden when caring for my elderly father in Ireland during the Covid-19 Pandemic, growing a range of herbs including Basil, Chives, Coriander, Dill, Fennel, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, and Rosemary.. Since returning to the UK in April 2024 I have been volunteering at three community gardens, including Heston Community Garden, Salopian Gardens, and Lampton Park Community Garden, helping with the growing of a wide range of fruit and vegetables including Apples, Figs, Grapes, Medlars, Cabbage, Chard, Chillis,, Courgettes, Peas, Runner Beans,, Blackberries, Elder berries,, Gooseberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Tay berries, to name just a few.
What do you do with your harvest?
I prefer to give it away to those more deserving of it than myself.
Do you have any tips for someone who would like to start gardening?
My advice to anyone who would like to start gardening is seek advice from those with the greatest knowledge and experience of growing crops, who can best advise you as to the problems, and failures that can arise attempting to grow certain crops.