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Gardening
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Gardening

Gardening is an activity, the art and craft of growing plants, most often in and about one's residence, in a space referred to as a garden. A garden which is in close proximity to one's residence is also known as a residential garden.
Although the garden typically is located on the surface areas within, surrounding or adjacent to the residence, it may also be located in less traditional areas such as on the roof, in an atrium, on the balcony, in windowboxes or on the patio.

"Indoor gardening" is concerned with the growing of household plants within the residence, in a conservatory or a greenhouse. The plants grown in a conservatory or greenhouse may or may not require more exacting care and conditions than ordinary household plants. Indoor gardens are sometimes incorporated as part of air conditioning or heating systems.

"Water gardening" is concerned with the growing of plants suitable for pools and ponds. Bog gardens are also considered a type of water garden. These require special conditions and considerations.

Gardening also takes place in non-residential green areas, such as parks, public or semi-public gardens such as botanical gardens or zoological gardens, amusement and theme parks, along transportation corridors and around tourist attractions.

Table of contents
1 Gardening vs. farming
2 Further definitions
3 Gardening as an art
4 Social aspect
5 History
6 Notable gardeners
7 See also

Gardening vs. farming

In respect to its food producing purpose, gardening is distinguished from farming chiefly by scale and intent. Farming occurs on a larger scale, and with the production of saleable goods as a major motivation. Gardening is done on a smaller scale, primarily for pleasure and to produce goods for the gardener's own family or community. There is some overlap between the terms, particularly in that some moderate sized vegetable growing concerns can fit in either category.

The key distinction between fruit and vegetable gardening and farming is essentially one of scale: gardening can be a hobby or an income supplement, but farming is generally understood as a full-time or commercial activity, usually involving more land and quite different practices. One distinction is that gardening is labor-intensive and employs very little infrastructural capital, typically no more than a few tools, e.g. a spade, hoe, basket and watering can. By contrast, larger-scale farming often involves irrigation systems, chemical fertilizers and harvesters or at least ladders, e.g. to reach up into fruit trees. However, this distinction is becoming blurred with the increasing use of power tools in even small gardens.

In part because of labor intensity and aesthetic motivations, gardening is very often much more productive per unit of land than farming. In the Soviet Union, half the food supply came from small peasants' garden plots on the huge government-run collective farms, although they were tiny patches of land. Some argue this as evidence of superiority of capitalism, since the peasants were generally able to sell their produce. Others consider it to be evidence of a tragedy of the commons, since the large collective plots were often neglected, or fertilizers or water redirected to the private gardens.

The term precision agriculture is sometimes used to describe such economically viable forms of gardening using intermediate technology (more than tools, less than harvesters), especially of organic varieties. Gardening is effectively scaled up to feed entire villages of over 100 people from specialized plots. A variant is the community garden which offers plots to urban dwellers; see further in allotment (gardening).

Further definitions

In China, for instance, farmers regularly set up outhouses on the roads to attract tourists to use them, furnishing the farmers with "night soil" (human manure) for use as a fertiliser. These methods make excellent use of calories and minerals and water, but of course violate the aesthetics of most Westerners, who would balk at using stranger's human wastes on their own gardens. There is thus some conflict between gardening for personal or aesthetic reasons, and for practical food-raising, even for one household.

The living wall is an unusual variant of a living machine and is effectively a vertical garden: water dripping down feeds a surface growing with moss and vines, other plants, some insects and bacteria, and captured at the bottom in a pool or pond to be recirculated to the top. These are sometimes built indoors to help cure sick building syndrome or otherwise increase the oxygen levels in recirculated air.

Gardening as an art

Gardening is considered to be an absolutely essential art in most cultures. In Japan, for instance, Samurai and Zen monks were often required to build decorative gardens or practice related skills like flower arrangement (Ikebana).

See also: Landscape architecture

Social aspect

In modern Europe and North America, people often express their political or social views in gardens, intentionally or not. The Green parties and Greenpeace often advise their campaigners to call first on homeowners who have lush chaotic wild gardens, as these are deemed to be more likely to respond to the Greens' political message than those with Astro-turf or bluegrass lawns. No reliable statistics support such claims, but for many years, in the United States, there was a widespread belief that there was such a thing as a Republican lawn and Democratic lawn.

The lawn vs. garden issue is played out in urban planning as the debate over the "land ethic" that is to determine urban land use and whether hyperhygienist bylaws (e.g. weed control) should apply, or whether land should generally be allowed to exist in its natural wild state. In a famous Canadian Charter of Rights case, "Sandra Bell vs. City of Toronto", 1997, the right to cultivate all native species, even most varieties deemed noxious or allergenic, was upheld as part of the right of free expression, at least in Canada.

Gardening is thus not only an essential food source and art, but also - a right. The Slow Food movement has sought in some countries to add an edible schoolyard and garden classrooms to schools, e.g. in Fergus, Ontario, where these were added to a public school to augment the kitchen classroom.

In US and British usage, the care, installation, and maintenance of ornamental plantings in and around commercial and institutional buildings is called landscaping, landscape maintenance or groundskeeping, while international usage uses the term gardening for these same activities.

History

Gardening for food extends far back into prehistory. Ornamental gardens are known in ancient times (the Hanging Gardens of Babylon), and ancient Rome had dozens of gardens. See the History of gardening article for more information, including a List of historical garden types, as well as a List of notable historical gardens.

Notable gardeners

See also

Allotment - Arboretum - Bonsai - Botanical gardens - Fountains - Herbaceous border - Home economics - Landscape garden - Lawn - Lawnmower - List of garden plants - List of gardens in fiction - List of notable historical gardens - List of organic gardening and farming topics - Local food - Never Ending Gardens - Organic gardening - Patio garden - Parterre - Permaculture - Pruning - Raised bed gardening - Rock garden - Roof garden - Shrub - Topiary - Tree - Vegetable farming - Xeriscaping


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Gone Gardening
Seasonal gardening information, task lists and garden projects with an emphasis on ecologically friendly methods published from Brecon, Wales.
http://www.gonegardening.com/

GardenWeb Europe
Includes forums, directories, plant exchange, articles and reviews.
http://www.uk.gardenweb.com/

Museum of Garden History
Located at the restored church of St Mary-at-Lambeth next to Lambeth Palace in London and featuring a recreated historic knot garden, the museum offers activities and lectures.
http://www.cix.co.uk/~museumgh/

Garden Centre
Seasonal tips, a diary of garden events, links to fencing and solar fountain suppliers, and the opportunity to engage in 'telegardening' by operating a robot arm.
http://www.gardencentre.co.uk/

uk.rec.gardening MetaFAQ
Accumulated wisdom in answer to practical gardening questions on topics ranging from slugs, snails and vine weevils to cultivating potatoes in pots.
http://www.nugget.demon.co.uk/MetaFAQ/index.html

Paul's Garden World
Paul Owen's compendium of practical instructions for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs and garden construction projects, with information on pests and diseases and a weekly diary of gardening jobs.
http://www.powen.freeserve.co.uk/

Urban Wildlife Garden Site
Stuart Etheridge's advice on urban wildlife gardening based on his own experience in London. Includes composting tips.
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/4645/enter.htm

Hedgeline
Support and pressure group for 'Monster-hedge victims' dedicated to changing the law concerning nuisance hedges.'If a neighbour's hedge grows out over your land, takes your light, ruins your plants, spoils your enjoyment of your garden, needs continual maintenance, and causes you anxiety, then the following pages, could well be useful.'
http://freespace.virgin.net/clare.h/index.htm

Garden Talk.co.uk
Share your tips, ask questions, swap seeds on this online bulletin board.
http://www.gardentalk.co.uk/

Expert Gardener
Articles, timely reminders of jobs to be done and advice on planting, plant care, pests and diseases, ponds and water gardening and garden design from monthly magazine; features chat and shop.
http://www.expertgardener.com/

Garden Trouble
Free practical gardening advice. Ask an expert or browse the archived information.
http://www.gardentrouble.co.uk/

Garden Designer UK
Tips, links and garden design articles.
http://www.gardendesigner.co.uk/

Netgardeners
Gardening information, tips, features, suppliers, books and links to advice lines
http://netgardeners.co.uk/

Greenfingers.com
Garden information from editorial team headed up by George Plumptre; with club, advice, tips, features, competition, databases and superstore.
http://www.greenfingers.com/

The Web Garden
Plant and gardening equipment finder searchable by post code, with feature articles and garden quiz; identity of publisher not disclosed; site requires Flash.
http://www.thewebgarden.co.uk/

Over the garden gate
A gardening and wildlife cybercommunity with chat, forums, play area and marketplace.
http://www.overthegardengate.co.uk

Little gardens
Reference for small gardens. Includes links to Societies and suppliers.
http://www.littlegardens.co.uk

gardenforum.co.uk
Information, advice and news on and about gardens and the gardening industry in the UK.
http://www.gardenforum.co.uk

WotNext
Advice on constructing a pond in your garden.
http://www.wotnext.com/x/pond.htm

Doctor Greenfingers
Help and advice clinic for sick plants and amateur gardeners. Jobs to do diary, video tips, how to pages. Fun site with lots of humour and based on a hospital theme.
http://www.doctorgreenfingers.co.uk

Spiritual Garden Design
Designers and creators of spiritual gardens combining spiritual energy with natural features. Also incorporates aspects of feng shui. Information and photo examples.
http://www.spiritualgardendesign.co.uk

UK Gardening
Provides the gardeners of Britain with an information source of gardening questions and advice. Gardening diary, tips, projects, design and contact details.
http://www.ukgardening.co.uk

Garden Advice - Home of gardening knowledge
Expert gardening advice from horticultural specialists in plants and gardens. Feature articles, calendar and tips on gardening and garden design.
http://www.gardenadvice.co.uk

Suite101.com - Gardening and Gardening Products
Access a wide range of articles and discussions on gardening and related topics.
http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635

Hortic - High on Horticulture
A page of horticulture-related links presented as drop-down menus 'built by plants-people for plants-people'.
http://www.hortic.com/

Plants of Global Conservation Concern
Database of endandered plant species maintained by the UN World Conservation Monitoring Centre (for CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/CITES/redirect.htm

Debby's Garden Links
Links to UK garden-related websites, with useful information for gardeners.
http://www.debbysgardenlinks.co.uk/

Cottage Garden Plants
Small Cumbrian nursery with a good range of hardy geraniums and other cottage garden plants, visits to garden by appointment. Mail order available most of the year: email for prices and availability.
http://www.01shopper.co.uk/cottagegardenplants/

BBC - Gardening - Children
Entertain children with a selection of educational gardening activities and articles developed in collaboration with the Royal Horticultural Society.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/children/

@www.grow.co.uk
Categorised listings of gardening and horticulture resources.
http://www.grow.co.uk/

National Garden Gift Vouchers
Stocked and redeemed at garden centres and nurseries throughout the UK.
http://www.nggv.co.uk

The Gardener's Almanac
A guide to growing flowers, fruit and vegetables for the ornamental garden and allotment; organised as a weekly task list.
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/

British Hedgehog Preservation Society
Advice on encouraging hedgehogs in the garden, creating a wildlife garden, caring for hedgehogs in the wild and hedgehog helpline.
http://www.software-technics.com/bhps/

Gardenseeker.com
An all-in-one site for gardening and gardeners. Descriptive articles, pruning guide, competitions, garden doctor, events, employment, featured pages of places to go in UK.
http://www.gardenseeker.com

BA Education: Gardening
Month-by-month index of gardening activities on a site aimed at students.
http://www.ba-education.demon.co.uk/for/gardening.html

Leisure and Living: Horticulture
Directory of garden centres, retail nurseries, wholesale nurseries, landscape gardeners, plant suppliers and official horticultural societies and organisations.
http://www.martex.co.uk/horticulture

Gardening.telegraph.co.uk
Plant profiles, garden project advice and ask an expert service from the Daily Telegraph.
http://www.gardening.telegraph.co.uk/

British Lawnmower Museum
Includes information on the museum along with details of various manufacturers. Also includes technical information on some of the important lawnmowers in history.
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/gf86/

Gardening Questions Answered
Answers to seasonal gardening questions and 'things to do' calendar. With gardening pictures.
http://members.aol.com/valecroft/gardeningquestionsansweredhomepage.html

GardenForum Horticulture
Advice on pests and diseases, pruning and other garden topics and offers a shopping facility.
http://www.gardenforum.demon.co.uk/



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