GARDENING: SEE THE WOOD FOR THE TREES
Every other day one comes across disturbing news items such as the following: protected walnut trees among 1,300 trees destroyed in Chitral, over 600 fully grown neem cut down, timber mafia strikes again, alleged irregularities in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government billion tree tsunami project reduced the number of saplings planted to just 180 million over four years, and so on. Sadly, it becomes apparent that no matter how many trees well-intentioned private citizens and NGOs plant, a larger number are either being cut or vanish in paperwork, before being planted at all. It clearly spells out that our meagre forest cover which is a horrifying 1.1 percent is in danger of disappearing completely.
This is not to say that we gardeners should shrug our shoulders and walk away from planting as many trees as we possibly can, we must lead the way out of our own gardens into the localities where we live and work. We must physically plant trees, maintain and protect them and we must pressurise local and regional authorities to follow suit.
Therefore, dear gardeners, let’s start off this month with ‘Plant a tree’ at the top of our ‘to do’ list and then go out there and get it done.
Planting trees is one of the easiest and most sustainable ways to positively affect the environment
MARCH SOWING SUGGESTIONS
The flower garden: For those who dare, opt for an extra floriferous summer in which golden yellow is the dazzling key. Sunflowers of every possible height, in single, double and multi-frilled forms can be used to make a never to be forgotten impact, no matter the size of your garden. Add all the interesting shades of oranges and lemons found amongst tagetes, marigolds, gazania calendulas, coreopsis and selected strains of zinnia and a golden dream is inevitable. Those preferring a broader colour spectrum can get creative with amaranthus, celosia, portulaca, petunias, verbena gompherena, cosmos and the surprising number of other summer annuals sneaking into the market.