by Nicholas Walker, Brand Ambassador for kathy ireland Designs – Jardin

Gardening Clubs are a fantastic way to get and share great ideas, to cultivate creativity and re-new your passion for gardening. They are fun, informative and filled with people who like to make the world more beautiful, what a great place for a gardening enthusiast to be.

So why not start a neighborhood gardening club? You all share similar soil and will have a good share of success stories and some great garden flops as well; after all knowing what does not work do can be just as useful as knowing what does. Setting up monthly meetings is a great idea because it gives a structure and continuity to the club. Have everyone bring a notebook that is designated specifically for the gardening club and can be used for making notes and jotting down information.

It is important that the gardening club celebrate earth friendly gardening, in fact make it a goal that all of its members are eco-savvy and use ecologically sound products. Sharing ideas to keep the neighborhood healthy and toxin free will inspire others to get on board the eco-train. Communal rain barrels, a neighborhood composter or organizing a group discount for water efficient sprinkler systems to be put in in your neighborhood are three wonderful ways that a community can make things better by coming together for a common purpose. Gardening teaches us that you reap what you sow and planting seeds of environmental awareness will make green practices grow more prevalent in communities all across the world.

  A neighborhood plant swap is always fun and a lovely way to keep the neighborhood looking beautiful without spending lots of money. Planting flowers that thrive locally is the smart way to achieve some success in your own garden.  To raise some money for communal gardening projects you could hold an annual garden walk in your neighborhood, charge an entrance fee and then pool the proceeds for a future project.

If you live in an apartment you can still have a gardening club, sharing ideas about indoor gardening, balcony gardens and how to make the most of gardening in small spaces. Working together to make a communal garden where everyone can participate in the life of the garden is a fantastic idea.  Making a communal plot where neighbors can share ideas, funds, work and enthusiasm is a great way to grow interconnectedness in a community.

So who why not join the club and get gardening, it cultivates joy and community and those are two things the world needs more of.

by Nicholas Walker, Brand Ambassador for kathy ireland Designs – Jardin

Winter has said goodbye for now and spring is back and ready for action.  What could be a better way to welcome spring than by

making your garden an eco-friendly paradise? A garden that is sustained by environmentally friendly practices is the best way to keep both you and the planet happy and here are some wonderful ideas to get you started:

1.  Ask yourself the question ‘how eco-friendly is my garden?’  What type of fertilizers do you currently use?  How do you keep your lawn green and lush?  What watering system do you have?  The answers will clarify what changes need to be made and where to begin.

2.  Fertilize organically.  Using chemical fertilizers or pesticides is not good for the soil system, as all gardens begin from the ground up it makes good eco-sense to treat soil as the precious commodity that is and use products that are kind and gentle to it.

3.    How do you water your garden?  Check that sprinkler heads and hoses are working efficiently and not leaking precious drops of water.  Get that rain barrel and start recycling

rain water, what a fabulous concept.  Consider a drip irrigation system which can be costly but enormously efficient and incredibly effective.  Use simple measures to ensure that you get the best from your watering practices, water early in the morning and at the end of the day so that moisture does not evaporate in the heat.

4.   Plant a sustainable garden, the ultimate eco-gardening ideal.  Sustainable can be as beautiful as ornamental, plus a thriving vegetable patch or a fruit garden is a great way to show

kids a greener way of living and to literally enjoy the fruits of your labor. Herbs are easy to grow, easy to eat and will add fragrance and beauty to your sustainable plot; they also do really well in pots so they are great for smaller yards and patios.

5.  Growing plants and shrubs that are indigenous to your region is a great way to keep and eco-friendly garden.  It is a simple case of nature knows best, plants that thrive in your local climate and soil conditions do not need a lot of extra care to keep them alive, which means less water, fertilizer, pesticides and nutrients that need to be used to keep a plant growing; definitely a case of less is more.

Environmentally friendly gardening is not only a very sustainable notion; it is a way of life that can be made with a few small changes and a great, big vision of a healthy, happy planet.

by Nicholas Walker, Brand Ambassador for kathy ireland Designs – Jardin

March has arrived and with it comes spring, what a perfect month to get plants started from seeds. Now that the winter has fled, getting your hands in the dirt is a great way to welcome spring and get your garden growing.  Follow the steps below and you will be growing seedlings in a snap:

1.   First on your list is getting containers, they can be plant pots, a kitchen serving dish, egg cartons; even old yogurt containers can do the trick very well. Wash them out thoroughly with hot water to ensure a clean, fresh start for your seeds.

2.  Potting mix is next on your list and a soil less peat mix is always a good choice and can be purchased at your local nursery.

3.  You will need plastic bags for keeping the warmth and humidity in.

4.  Labels for marking the seeds so you know what’s what.

5.  Let there be light!  You will need a good natural light source, or you must purchase a plant light if you don’t have a bright, florescent light at home.

So now it is time to start planting the seeds and here is how to do it:

1.  Fill your containers with potting soil, almost to the top of the container and moisten
the soil thoroughly before planting.

2.  Different seeds need different preparation before planting so read the directions
thoroughly before planting the seeds, some may require soaking before planting and this will be critical to their growth.

3.  The rule of thumb when planting most types of seeds of seeds is to make a hole or trench about twice the diameter of the seed.  With much tinier seeds it is best to place them on the top of the soil, uncovered.  Plant the seeds about an inch apart so that they have room to grow and better air circulation and you will have easier access to the seedlings when you need to transplant them.

4.  Now it is time to make a mini greenhouse for your little seeds as they need light and heat to germinate and grow.  You can use a plastic bag to cover the seeds and secure them in the soil with small stakes.  The greenhouse will make a warm, moist environment for the seeds and help them achieve optimum growth and don’t forget to place the seed containers where they will get light, but NOT direct sunlight.

10. Now you will have to be patient as germination can take a days or months.  When you see the seeds sprouting up through the soil remove the plastic and place them in brighter light but not too bright yet. Keep the soil moist but not soggy at this stage as they young roots can easily get waterlogged.

11. Always handle the seedlings by the leaves and not the stem as leaves can grow back but a damaged stem can mean the end of a well tended seedling.

12. Gradually increase the light intensity and then move them outdoors to a sheltered area, away from critters that will see your seedlings a delicious meal.  Animals and slugs can undo your months of hard work in moments so take care when choosing your outdoor spot.

Growing plants from seeds is a fascinating and worthwhile venture and a great way to say hello to spring.