Let it Glow! Enjoy an unmissable after-dark spectacle of lights at RHS Gardens this festive season
Winter needn’t be doom and gloom. The snow can be a hazard for travellers and people living alone or in isolated places but it also brings its own beauty and even quietness. The Royal Horticultural Society at its 5 Gardens, Wisley, Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall, Bridgewater, Rosemoor are brightening the winter evenings with ‘Glow’ Festivals. Light displays around the gardens and illuminations on and in trees bring a magical beauty. A reminder that light arrangements penetrate the winter cold and gloom. In frosty (even snowy!) weather the combination with coloured lights is, for many of us, a cheerfulness which delights. (Sorry if you don’t agree!!)
The photo above was taken by my friend Gill Henwood at a visit to the Glow Festival at Harlow Carr Garden, near Harrogate, Yorkshire. There are variable dates at the Gardens, some not ending until 30th December. If you live nearby any of the gardens, look up the Royal Horticultural Society website for further details.
Meanwhile, my friend Heather Upfield has sent me a photo, from the West Coast of Scotland, of her garden and trees beyond, clothed in snow and breathing tranquility. So peaceful!
Both photos are aspects of Advent. The expectation of Light from God coming into the world, and the quietness and gentleness with which, in the birth of Jesus, He does it.
As a member of the Royal Horticultural Society, I receive the monthly edition of the RHS Magazine, The Garden. The August edition carries news of a yearly survey which, currently, asked the question: What first ignited your interest in gardening? The most popular answer was I helped someone in my family garden when I was a child. This response led to The Garden launching a competition for children to design this month’s cover of the magazine. Three joint winners were chosen and the designs were divided up across all the magazines. Inside is a big selection of many other entries and all the entries can be viewed on the RHS website (for details see below) The theme of this month’s magazine relates to this with articles, photos, features all aimed at young people and parents, carers, grandparents, schools etc to encourage children and young people to explore gardens and gardening. The editor of the magazine, Tom Howard, said this: Kids see gardening as a magical place where seeds have faces and bees can be pets. The very best gardens and gardeners never lose this sense of magic.
As one for whom that is true I thought about how people pass on enthusiasm and inspiration to others. People encouraging others to experience nature, creation, the environment are much needed right now. I thought too of some special people who would understand this.
One particular person is Jean Fone. She has retired now but when I knew her she was head teacher of a small country school at Bleasdale in North Lancashire.I was her chair of Governing Body. She one of the most inspiring, enthusing and dedicated teachers I have ever known. Together with Freda and a small group of assistants she presided over a small school with a big heart. She didn’t just see that the curriculum was followed, she went far beyond that. She saw education as opening hearts and minds through a learning which included experience of the world around us. Bleasdale is an amazing landscape of bluebell woods, fields, farms and towering Fells which provide a backdrop for breathtaking scenery. Jean made use of it all! She conceived an idea of creating a woodland trail which included sculpture, wood carvings, woodland discovery paths and nature trails. She persuaded the Landowner to give the area and local frmers, country rangers and artists were all encouraged to join in.She could be very persuasive! Then Jean and her team created the School Garden and again the gifts she brought to the children included inspiration and encouragement. The Garden became a big feature of school life. They then entered a competition organized by the RHS. It was to design a Biblical Garden. The children rose to the challenge and this little Lancashire school was awarded first prize. We were all invited to the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, where we enjoyed a wonderful day, received our Certificate and each got a bag of lovely RHS goodies! The garden itself was built to the winning design and enhanced the earlier School garden. I am sure that all those children and adults who were part of that experience were encouraged to see the land, nature and creation in a different and creative way. Jean was an enthuser, encourager, one who works hard to make dreams come true.
My own experience which became a life-long love of gardening was encouraged by my granddad. When I was young we had no proper garden. Then one day, granddad arrived with a wooden orange box – a box that had held oranges. He lined it carefully with lining and filled it with soil. At the age of nine, I watched, fascinated. Then he gave me a packet of Nasturtiums. I think they might have been Tom Thumb mix. He took a seed from the packet, made a hole in the soil and popped it in. Then I did the rest. My first bit of gardening! I was thrilled. He helped me to water the seeds and told me that now we had to wait for them to grow. About half an hour later I went out to look. Grandad, I said, they aren’t growing! He smiled, You’ve just learned the first lesson of gardening – patience. Of course, once they grew I was hooked on gardening.
Whether it’s gardening or any other skill, hobby or accomplishment – from music to maths – encouraging and enthusing others is a wonderful way of helping people to grow.
Whatever we do to enhance God’s creation is making our world better place. Giving others a reverence for Nature is a big part in that. We all have people who have inspired us. The best way we can thank them is to inspire others.
To see all the entries for the RHS Kids’ cover competition go to rhs.org.uk/kidscovercompentries
Mr G's Ponderings 