Gardening in the near future may well be seen as an escape from the insanity that seems to have gripped much of our world these days. What of the person who finds herself overwhelmed by too much information overload? Sitting at the local coffee shop in Placerville we watched as one person after the other walked along the sidewalk with their “smart phones” glued to their ears. Tourists who had traveled far to see the “old west” in real life, we’re today more attuned to the sights and sounds of data bits coming to them through the ether. We are entering a time when many will find themselves searching for a way out of the madness of always being “on”. Where will people go to find refuge? Let’s hope they discover the therapeutic qualities of gardening. Why can’t we find a few hours in the day to “turn off, and tune in” to the messages being sent to us by the plant world? Our wireless devices are preventing us from hearing those messages.
This can be our mission in the field of horticulture, especially those of us who deal with the gardening public directly. I know some in the trade don’t feel it’s their job to educate, or inspire. They just want to sell some plants and fertilizers, and hope for a profit at the end of the year. There is more going on this time around though. Today I believe we have a real and important opportunity to change the world for the better. If we can help show people that by entering the garden a whole new world emerges, many of their anxieties will fall away.