On 2 Mar, 07:38, "'Mike'" wrote:
""There has been a noticeable active interest in gardening in the United
Kingdom over the last 10 - 15 years""
Given the above statement, is this due to a) The flood of Gardening
programmes on Television or b) The increase of Garden Centres such as B & Q
where shopping for the garden has been made easier for the first time and
more inexperienced gardener?

c) A return to our roots (cultural needs), the want to grow our grubs,
environmental issues, health issues, this land is our land etc....

Just returned from London, Chelsea school of design for a one day
workshop on garden design (offered to me by KLC plus 30 quids to spend
on books on Amazon). It's part of my diploma but the workshop was also
open to everybody. We were around 20, from retired teachers, a laywer
(still young 15 years into her profession), lots doing the same course
as me, 2 ladies which had been given the course as a present, most
wanting a change of careers and a handful wanting to do their own
garden. It seems to me that there is also a wish to pass on their
experiences in gardening - all were gardeners, design is secondary.
And that can only be a good thing.

What also struck me is that there was in another class lots of
foreigners, particularly some young French students who cannot find
such courses in France. England seems to be leading a move towards
garden design and more to the point the quality in teaching is
excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and met some fantastic people -
some with whom I'll keep in touch and certainly will work with.

PS. There was however a Portugese woman who had never heard about
compost ...