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I love how the British esteem gardening so highly that their news media dedicates nearly the same attention to it as to international politics. The last time I looked, CNN's website did not have a "gardening" tab along with the finance, news, and sport sections.
On another note, I recently realized how lucky I was to have survived my childhood. My mother shared with me her perspectives on child-proofing a house, and how she believes that children should simply learn not to touch the plants. I don't want my plants messed with either, but being realistic and safe, I have made sure that I don't have any deadly plants around the house. Interestingly, mother agrees that safety locks for the cleaning products are a good idea. Anyhow, she informed me that she kept "only a dieffenbachia and a philodendron" in the house when we were small. Only BOTH of them are poisonous! I don't recall having poison control's number plastered to our telephone. I think the key educational point here is that a person has to LIVE through an experience to take a lesson from it. It's a good thing I didn't eat the plants.
4 comments:
Ha, both your points were amusing in their own way. Not laugh out loud funny, but enough to make you smile and nod your head.
We never had any plants in the house. I grew up believing my mother was one of those people who can't grow plants (and that I would be the same). Only, the complete opposite is true. My mother never did anything with her considerable natural ability except pass those genes on to me.
When he was young my son had to make do with a small lawn surrounded by much bigger flower beds. I told him some were poisonous and not to touch. He was a laid back, sensible child so never thought this odd.
I'm not sure how many children today would dream of eating anything in a flower border (or if they ever did so in the past). I trusted to common sense and it paid off.
I should say that I do have poisonous plants outside, but I expect that the flowers in the middle of the perennial borders will not be eaten (Aconitum, Digitalis, etc.). My mother has only kept fake indoor plants for many years, but she does do well with the outdoor plantings (which the deer are fond of).
It was a lovely demonstration! I really enjoyed it.
I don't know why I giggled, though. There's just something in me that stills finds worms giggle-worthy, even when presented with a certain gravitas - or perhaps especially when presented with a certain gravitas.
I think Nigella would have been perfect appearing over his shoulder and announcing how this compost would help you grow simply gorgeous tomatoes :-)
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