Agewell: Gardening Your Way to Well Being

 Read more from Agewell.  

By Mike Milstein

Gill Vergine and her partner Gary left Britain for New Zealand in 1997. They decided Nelson was where they wanted to settle partly because they “enjoyed coming to a climate where you can grow such a wide range of wonderful plants”.

Gill notes that “people of all ages and abilities go through changes, for example going from work to non work when they retire,  shifting to smaller houses, or encountering health challenges. They often look at what they have lost, but they need also to look at what they have gained, such as more time or more flexibility in how to use that time.”

“Quite a lot of elder people, not feeling valued, have stepped back from life. I think gardening can give them an opportunity to realize they have skills that are needed by the community. There are generations of younger people who don’t have these skills.”

“People, especially older people, have seen the growth of the consumer society with misgivings but they have felt powerless to change it. Skills like growing your own food, cooking, and making your own clothes have been devalued. With cost of food increasing and, often, the quality falling, people are re-evaluating the situation, but many don’t have gardening or cooking skills.”

It’s not just about economics or saving the environment. “We want people to rediscover the fun of gardening and the delight of eating their own food as well as the pleasure of having ample produce to share with friends and neighbors. Then there is the satisfaction of introducing others to the fun of gardening. They soon realize the pleasure of having their fingers in the soil, being out of doors, and surrounded by growing things, as well as their pride in practicing & sharing skills they haven’t been using for a long time.”

“When you garden your eyes start to open to things that you haven’t seen before, like an emerging seedling or an unfurling flower. A lot of people, when they discover or rediscover gardening, are amazed at how rewarding or even addictive it is. They just need it in their day. Even people who are limited in their ability to get around can grow plants at home. For example, they can raise seedlings or cuttings or make jam from their fruit. They enjoy the satisfaction of feeling they can make a difference. More important, they can be valued for what they contribute.”

To promote home gardening Gill and Gary have created Nelson Growables, a garden fair that will be held at Founders Park on November 15. They’ve received significant support from Founders, Nelmac, and the local Council & Health Authority.

Those in attendance will be able to get lots of advice about gardening by stall holders who will also be selling plants and other products. Some stalls are reserved for community groups that hope to raise fund for their own projects.

Gill says that Nelson Growables has “lots of idea about how to maximize gardening success, even if you have limitations of time, fitness, space to grow, or even money. Nelson Growables is about intergenerational and intercultural exchange of skills. We are very lucky in Nelson to have people, many of whom are retired, who have these skills,. Retired people are often ingenious in finding ways of overcoming their various limitations.”

“We’d like to encourage everyone to brush up on their gardening skills and raise plants for their favorite charity.” For further information about Nelson Growables e-mail info@nelsongrowables.co.nz or visit www.nelsongrowables.co.nz.

Note: This article, which was published in The Leader, Nelson, NZ, on November 12, 2009, summarizes an interview aired by Fresh FM that was conducted by Dr. Annie Henry and sponsored by Age Concern, Nelson. If you want to share your thoughts with the Conscious Ageing Network (CAN) or wish to know when interviews will be aired and when CAN articles will appear in the Leader, send an email to agewell@ihug.co.nz . 

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