I have found a plant that helps disabled gardeners.
By dianebulley
9 comments
Using it in the right way means I can still do some easy gardening, get out in the fresh air for an hour, see some results for my efforts.
Have always seen it at Chelsea staged in ‘Theatres’ which I could not do. So had to think up how to stage it myself.
Vertical gardening !
Did this by getting 2 × 5 shelf plastic mini-greenhouses.
My wonderful handyman fixed them to the hut wall to stop them blowing in the wind.
Makes the best use of the limited shade space I have.
They do not like cold winter rain, so are covered.
As I have weak balance (caused by an invasive virus) I always have something to hold onto.
The plant is Auricula.
I joined the Auricula Society. Found the wonderful people who run it. ‘Owdboggy’ gave me 60 surplus germinated plants. My son fetched them from Oswestry. OB sent me advice on GOY. Said they are as tough as old boots. He was right. In the cold greenhouse all winter they are now growing with the spring sunshine.
No heaters, no worry.
Received growing advice booklets from the Auricula Society. There are 12 kinds, all different growing methods. A lot to learn and remember.
They were brought down from the mountains in Turkey and Iran 400 years ago. Two hundred years ago people started having competitions with them. They still do.
See website.
Am now able to get out again with my Rollator Walking Aid. Potting up these wonderful plants, setting them out
on the shelving in their shade space to create their wonderful colours. They look really good.
A life improved by one kind of plant she never bothered about before. Am so grateful.
18 Apr, 2018
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Comments
they are a much underused plant in my opinion Diane. I have a lovely purple flowered one that I have had for many years now. they just keep getting better and better. so glad you are able to manage them and enjoy them.
18 Apr, 2018
That's wonderful Diane. They are lovely plants and showing them off in a theatre makes the most of them. I hope you have some scented ones.
18 Apr, 2018
Well done you. Innovation, new interest and fresh air, what more could you want?
Best of luck with your theatre.
18 Apr, 2018
Thank you everyone. Its not a theatre as such, I am not a carpenter ! It just that anyone can get one of these
five shelf plastic mini greenhouses, and enjoy vertical gardening with smaller plants.
However, they do need fixing firmly to a wall or fence.
19 Apr, 2018
They are very pretty plants. Nice that you've started to grow them.
19 Apr, 2018
When you told me you had all those plants from "Owdboggy", I Googled for information about them, Diane. As a beginner I found the following website hepful:
http://www.auriculaandprimula.org.uk/wilkin94/auriculaculture.html
20 Apr, 2018
I’ll look into those I have seen them but you don’t see them advertised much, I know Monty Don did a theatre one year with some, I too have balance problems although from Ménière’s disease, blooming nuisance!
21 Apr, 2018
Thank you Eirlys and Sewingkilla. For £8 membership fee the Auricula Society supply a wealth of information in booklet form for free, for beginners. Other Booklets available to members are £3. I have developed a colour coding system to use on labels to specify the 12 types of Auricula. It will be a long time before I am able to use this. Such a lot to learn. Will need to keep the booklet in my pocket when outside.
If you want to give 'Vertical Gardening' a try, one plastic
5 shelf greenhouse screwed to a north facing wall/fence would be enough to start. Each shelf holds 18 x 3.5" pots in neat rows, maximising the shade space . I put a piece of greenhouse shading on the top shelf, it will hold 72 plants.
I still dont know if I have to repot every spring to prevent
Vine Weevil. Will cross that bridge when I get to it.
Am happy anyway, looking after all my little friends is very rewarding.
Will reply to Sewingkilla p.m.
22 Apr, 2018
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Hi Diane, so glad you've managed to find a new interest to get you in the fresh air, and gardening again without discomfort, good luck, Derek.
18 Apr, 2018