Garden Day goes virtual
As millions turn to their plant spaces during lockdown, the Garden Day community benefit movement is calling on all plant-lovers to celebrate the benefits of gardening for health and mental wellbeing by celebrating Garden Day virtually and here at Reckless Gardener we are delighted to lend our support.
Leading florists and gardeners have joined forces to support the Garden Day movement in celebrating all gardening and horticulture has to offer on Sunday 10th May 2020.
In these uncertain times, people are valuing their gardens and plants more than ever before and finding comfort and pleasure from tending their plants, houseplants, balcony gardens, veg plots and flower borders during lockdown.
(above – enjoying his garden Michael Perry)
This year, Garden Day will be taking the party online and calling all plant-lovers to join together for the biggest ever virtual garden celebration. It is a day for everyone and anyone, a day to down tools, pop on a homemade flower crown, sit back with a cup of tea or glass in hand and celebrate with friends and family by video calls and social media, the joys of gardening.
Garden Day will also be streaming a programme of floristry, food and garden tours as well as demonstrations and live conversation across the day on Zoom and Facebook Live.
Leading lights of the gardening and floristry worlds have collaborated under lockdown to support the call to celebrate Garden Day. Filming on mobiles from their own homes, they have produced the Friends of Garden Day video, calling on people to celebrate Garden Day. Contributors to the video include Chris Beardshaw, Arit Anderson, Michael Perry, Sarah Raven, Shane Connolly, Matthew Wilson, Siimon Lycett, Ann-Marie Powell, Alice Vincent, Gynelle Leon, Claire Austin and Jonathan Moseley.
As a thirteen times RHS Gold medallist, Chris Beardshaw understands first-hand how beneficial gardening is: “Garden Day is the perfect opportunity for us all to get into our gardens, share our experiences virtually, and participate in a movement that sows the seeds of health, happiness and healing. There has never been a more poignant moment for us to discover the benefits of surrounding ourselves with our favourite plants.”
Arit Anderson (pictured above) points out that Garden Day really is for everyone: “From beginner gardeners to horticulture addicts, indoor plant lovers, balcony gardeners and flower bed fanatics, from grandchild to grandparent,” she says. The idea is to enjoy and appreciate our plant havens wherever they may be.
To get involved, visit www.gardenday.co.uk/getinvolved where you can download a toolkit with hints and tips on how to celebrate Garden Day at home, find dates and times of live stream flower crown workshops, and explore various how-to videos.
Follow @GardenDayUK on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Candide, and share your Garden Day celebrations on social media, using #GardenDayUK.
Images: ©Garden Day
