Retirement. That glorious day when you no longer have to work and can fill your time doing exactly what YOU want to do! It’s great for the body and soul to keep occupied and active. So, here are some ideas for gardening when retired to avoid boredom and enable you to enjoy those golden years to the full:
Allotment life
What better way to stay healthy than working outside growing your own fruit and veg plus enjoy the company of a wide range of likeminded folk!
If you don’t already have one, check out your local allotment societies to see if you can rent a plot. At 250m2, a full-size plot can be daunting especially if it’s been untended for a while (nature doesn’t take long to reclaim her site!). Many societies split their plots so it’s worth asking for a smaller one to start with. This is a great step for getting involved in gardening when retired.
Happiness from hobbies
Taking up a new hobby or challenge can be very fulfilling and possibly a way of making a little extra money to top up the pension fund. Try your hand at something like wood turning or ‘bodging’ as it’s traditionally called. Local colleges offer day courses or longer courses on a variety of different subjects.
There are also numerous local walking groups operating around the country, many of them free to join.
Volunteering at heritage gardens is a great way of contributing towards keeping a great garden looking wonderful as well as interacting with fellow volunteers and visitors.
Potential projects
Give your weeks structure by coming up with a list of potential projects.
Revamping a shed or building a new one are both great projects. Create a workstation, studio or simply a peaceful place to retreat to. In either case, consider having electricity connected to allow you to use tools and/or stay in it after dark.
This is a great bonus, especially during winter when it gets dark so early. To save costs you could dig the electric cable trench from house to shed yourself. Ensure you have an electrician connect the cable, install sockets and light connections.
Adding thermal insulation is sensible if you plan to use the shed year-round and there are products available to keep the shed cool in summer and warm in winter.
When painting the outside think about whether you want it to become a focal point or blend into the garden surroundings. Using bright colours will make it stand out and darker colours the reverse.
Other projects to consider are making a wooden rose arch or rose arbour. Try using sweet chestnut because it’s very long lasting (40 years plus in the ground) and can be put straight into the ground without any form of treatment.
Alternatively, try your hand at cobbling. Making ornamental paths using pebbles is remarkable easy and hugely satisfying.
At this time of the year there’s lots of pliable willow and dogwood stems around. These can either be bought or cut from a plant and used to weave shapes for outdoor and indoor sculptures.
With a bit of thought there’s always some project or hobby to get involved with, so get involved with gardening when retired. Whichever ones you choose, remember to always make them as fun as possible so you can be a happy retiree!
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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