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UK gardens over the past 100 years, how have they changed?

Author: John Hannen
by John Hannen
Posted: Oct 04, 2017

Many aspects of UK home life have altered over the past 100 years. Figures show that new-builds are half the size of homes built in 1920 and gardens have shrunk by almost 5 metres from 168 meters squared to just 163 meters squared between 1983 and 2013.

More than 2 million homes in Britain don’t have a garden at all and in 2020 it has been predicted that 10.5% of homes will not have access to their own green space. Alongside figures that suggests children without gardens are 38% more likely to become obese, this is not good news.

Not only has the size of our homes and gardens changed over time, the entire approach to gardening has also transformed. Part of this is due to new materials coming into usage – from synthetic living spaces such as decking to actual gardening tools like fertiliser which was once organic. Some of the first things to change were:

  • Plant pots: Originally made from clay, pots are now generally plastic or biodegradable.
  • Fertiliser: Once, fertiliser was entirely organic. However, chemicals have now been developed to serve as fertiliser – although many gardeners prefer organics.
  • Lawn mowers: Originally, grass cutting relied on a manual process. Early machinery was developed in the 1900s which saw early versions of cylinder mowers powered by pushing. Now, electric-powered motors mean gardens are far easier to maintain.
  • Materials: Gardening still employs the same basic materials it always did: stone, clay, timber and soil. Now, however, we use plastic, concrete and stainless steel – which was invented in 1913.

During WW2, gardens were predominantly used for growing food to supplement rationing and as areas for refuge for those who had bomb shelters in their back yard. In the 1950s, gardeners shrugged this sensibility off and focus shifted towards ornamentation and decoration, placing more attention on manicured lawns and neatly trimmed shrubs.

The popularity of garden centres started to rise in the late 50s and early 60s. This began with the first UK based garden centre opening in 1955 in Ferndown, Dorset – forever changing the way British gardeners cultivated plants. This widespread availability of plants meant heathers, conifers and bedding plants became popular.

In the 70s, the ideas of ‘self-sufficiency’ and ‘growing your own’ from during the war made a comeback. Colour TV’s invention also saw the widespread airing of gardening programmes.

Throughout the 80s, time spent in the garden was mostly for recreational use as BBQs and conservatories became popular. By the 90s, this movement became more about the ‘makeover’ – with many people installing decking as a fast, affordable way to create a living space in their gardens. Decking is still popular today, with recycled materials being used to create a sustainable alternative in composite decking.

The widespread use of the world wide web altered gardening again in 2000. Now, information about growing and cultivating your own plants is everywhere, accessible through mobiles, desktops and tablets. A renewed focus on climate change and healthy eating has also meant more people are aiming to create sustainable gardens with minimal harm to the environment.

With garden spaces still shrinking, how should keen gardeners use the new materials and information available to get as much as possible from their gardeners? For some, this means studying guides online and creating their own DIY fruit and vegetable allotments. For others, it means creating as much living space as they can in their small gardens.

Sources
  • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2398714/The-incredible-shrinking-houses-British-homes-built-just-HALF-size-1920s.html
  • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3235465/Children-grow-houses-flats-no-garden-40-likely-obese-age-seven.html
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5811433/More-than-two-million-British-homes-without-a-garden.html
  • http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/dorset/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8585000/8585160.stm
About the Author

I've worked in online marketing for a number of years, and pen articles on a variety of subjects.

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Author: John Hannen

John Hannen

Member since: Aug 30, 2017
Published articles: 7

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