Cultivation

As a breed, we always believe that we can make things better and very often we do. When we go into the garden and admire the plants that we have nurtured over time and which now reward us with the splendour of their colour or shape or scent, we get a great sense of satisfaction.

We understand that the process of promoting growth in any biological culture ameliorates the natural landscape and leaves man's stamp on the environment. Improvement is not always guaranteed so the jury is still out on genetic engineering, conventional genetic modification has been normal and accepted for years.

So we refine and finesse our palette of plants, hoping to make them more elegant and reflective of our landscape ambitions. Science is increasing that palette daily through benign experimentation in hydroponics, cell and molecular biology and the development of seed hybrids.

The landscape is constantly changing so if we walk away for any length of time it will decide what is and what isn't sustainable. We must mow, cut and weed continuously to maintain our cultivations but this shouldn't be a battle. If we start fighting nature we will make an enemy and not a friend of nature. The love of our garden that we so fostered, will be lost. Our choice of what to cultivate is important and we see many examples of poor choices in the Hamptons, leading to what looks like war with armies of mowers and blowers, charging about in a constant battle with nature's desire to return your garden to its former glory.

So let's hear it for a proper plan, a scheme of cultivation that will neither dampen our enthusiasm nor spoil our enjoyment.