Sir, – I am disturbed that we are being encouraged to give up gardening and to let nature completely take over our gardens (One Change , Magazine, July 20th). I don’t believe that my garden is damaging nature. Rather, it is aiding nature. It is studded with self-seeded oxeye daisies, and the peacock butterfly caterpillars are gobbling up my stinging nettles. I have five nests of wild black honey bees in the stone walls of my house, and they love gathering pollen from the cultivated flowers that I grow, such as buddleja, day lilies, agapanthus, courgettes and peas, just as much as from the wild flowers in my patch of meadow.
We are often told that gardening is good for us – body and soul. It is surely possible to garden in a way that is in balance with nature. Humankind has been gardening for thousands of years. Please don’t tell us to stop now. – Yours, etc,
VERNEY NAYLOR,
Durrus,
Bantry,
Co Cork.