Snow just a few days before Imbolc aka Groundhog Day. Imbolc or Brigid's Day is a traditional pagan festival that basically heralds the coming of Spring. It is the time of year when, at least in warmer climates, the beautiful snowdrop emerges. It is also the time when lamb's are born and animals are first let back outside after a harsh Winter. January 31 to February 2 signals the coming of Spring and in some traditions we have the groundhog to tell us just when spring will arrive.
Imbolc is a time for considering the year ahead. This means an ideal time to turn my energy to my garden and how I am going to increase my food production. What new techniques will I try? What new plants will I add to my site? Here, in Thunder Bay, regardless of what the groundhog says this weekend, or anyone's tradition, Spring is still months away but I can honour the inent of the celebration by planning ahead and spending time with seed catalogues, graph paper and pencils. It is time to draw the first of several garden plans.
This year my professional interests are turning to lawns and how we can move people away from trying to recreate a golf green in their yard. I am working on a workshop on the edible lawn and will write about this later in the year. I am also experimenting with an ecolawn, a variety of grasses and legumes that reduce the need for watering and mowing.
Water conservation is another theme. We have had a dry Winter and this serves as another reminder of how important it is that we do all we can to increase and conserve our water supply. Without water the best gardens will gradually die. I have an idea for a water collection and filtering device for my balcony. There is not enough space for a rainbarrel. Container plants consume a lot of water and I want to be able to reduce the need to draw this water from the kitchen tap. I'll expand on this project another time when I've actually built one and taken it for a test drive.
Go To Page: 1 2
