tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223294603002782762.post7666708509908104485..comments2024-03-24T06:10:25.358-07:00Comments on Noel's Garden Blog: Teaching gardening skills - the decline stops here! Noel Kingsburyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09443137231998907024noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223294603002782762.post-50705656676467543102017-02-22T00:53:15.875-08:002017-02-22T00:53:15.875-08:00Really agree with many of the points you make...As...Really agree with many of the points you make...As you note, horticulture is a curious combination of art, science and craft...Hands-on learning of propagation, pruning, growing from seed, soil preparation, etc. is the best way to have the knowledge thoroughly embedded. Theory reinforced with practical application, then repeated until it is deeply ingrained... Also, too often there seem to still be huge chasms between the worlds of garden designers, who unfortunately often lack a comprehensive knowledge of plant requirements, and actual gardeners, who also sometimes have only the most basic knowledge of plant materials and even less about design. Of course there are many well-rounded experienced gardeners around, but just as many 'hack and wackers' whose pruning atrocities one can see fairly often. It seems a shame that these two solitudes could not overlap more, for the benefit of garden health and aesthetics. More opportunities for a well-rounded horticultural education are definitely needed. I shall look into your program with interest : )Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12367751805559899017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223294603002782762.post-53628520572150038042017-02-21T10:44:33.283-08:002017-02-21T10:44:33.283-08:00I am not sure that I completely agree with you on ...I am not sure that I completely agree with you on this Noel.... (and most of the time I am hollering "here, here" reading your blog)...The thing about gardening is that it is mostly done by amateurs and it is a craft and a hobby that you learn as you do it... teaching can only take you so far....Then it is a question of trial and error and observation and perseverance and sheer good luck. .. I am not sure that we should be "teaching" rights and wrongs.. it might take the fun and experiment out of it!Gardeningintheedgebloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02057615231413238522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223294603002782762.post-18088210906222352032017-02-21T08:41:01.493-08:002017-02-21T08:41:01.493-08:00A thoughtful and excellent analysis Noel
You will ...A thoughtful and excellent analysis Noel<br />You will never replace sound horticultural courses and proper high quality practical experience for the training of horticultural professionals.<br />I wish you all the best for what looks like an excellent course Noel ... but ir still seems to rely on 'personalities' and middle class people with time and resources<br />The only good thing on the horizon is the wealth of information out on the net and a young person with a sound science background or even just a questioning mind can navigate between accurate information and the dross put out by much of the mediaRoger Brook - No Dig Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16210160273591839142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223294603002782762.post-21594982485826910272017-02-20T15:49:18.135-08:002017-02-20T15:49:18.135-08:00I wholeheartedly agree with your hands-on approach...I wholeheartedly agree with your hands-on approach to make the teaching 'stick'. About four years ago I spoke at a Garden Club meeting in Surrey, B.C. and took along a huge pot of plectranthus and some geraniums. My topic was 'taking cuttings'. No slides. Just pruners, a hole poker, and some 4" pots of soil for those who'd like to try. There's much to be learned in the actual doing.<br />An eighty-nine year old confided to me last meeting that I was the best speaker they'd ever had.Ten minutes of talking about it and twenty minutes of people taking turns.<br /><br />Mary Openshaw, Surrey, B.C.maryopenshaw@hotmail.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223294603002782762.post-24132426285345590112017-02-20T15:46:56.167-08:002017-02-20T15:46:56.167-08:00I wholeheartedly agree with your hands-on approach...I wholeheartedly agree with your hands-on approach to make the teaching 'stick'. About four years ago I spoke at a Garden Club meeting in Surrey, B.C. and took along a huge pot of plectranthus and some geraniums. My topic was 'taking cuttings'. No slides. Just pruners, a hole poker, and some 4" pots of soil for those who'd like to try. There's much to be learned in the actual doing.<br />An eighty-nine year old confided to me last meeting that I was the best speaker they'd ever had.Ten minutes of talking about it and twenty minutes of people taking turns.<br /><br />Mary Openshaw, Surrey, B.C.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com