Where are the younger members

[Katherine J]

As well as photos of the new AGS President, there are super pictures of various recipients of the premier Awards at the event on this page in the AGS Website.....

Isn't it sad that one can't see any 20-30 year old faces on the AGS and SRGC pictures which are shown on the web or in the Journals? What do the youngsters do???

[David Nicholson]

.... and that is a major problem for both the SRGC and the AGS and I don't have the answer.

[Maggi Young]

The question of how to attract younger members is a perennial one for the SRGC and the AGS... and if we could encourage membership in the 20 to 30 age group that would be terrific... but think about it.... some of us here have many decades of experience in these clubs.... when were there EVER a large number of younger members? I suggest , never! Yes, there have always been and will always be a FEW younger people who join and are active members, but the simple fact is that there have never been large numbers in that age group... for very obvious reasons.... this interest is not universally appealing to younger folk and perhaps simply because people of that age are at a stage in their lives when there are a million more pressing demands on their time.... they may still be studying, or working hard to advance their careers and be saving their money to get a roof over their heads and make a family and home... none of which leaves much time to indulge in club membership, even if they HAD a garden ! So the answer is really pretty simple..... it was ever thus... we can just try as best we can to keep our clubs active and vibrant so that when these folks do finally discover gardening, we are here to welcome them!  

Thankfully, we can demonstrate here, in the Forum, that there are youthful members who have the intelligence to recognise the value and beauty of the natural world and who are prepared to follow their interest in this field.... these are people of taste and discrimination to have come to such a realisation at an early age and are to be commended for their precociousness in this matter .

[ashley]

... in the Forum, that there are youthful members who have the intelligence to recognise the value and beauty of the natural world and who are prepared to follow their interest in this field.... these are people of taste and discrimination to have come to such a realisation at an early age and are to be commended for their precociousness in this matter .

Tempted here to say thanks very much Maggi

I suspect you're right though; for many younger people (& some older ones too) active society membership remains on the 'to do' list until more pressing concerns have been addressed.  That said, joining the SRGC online & registering on the Forum take no more time than a random twitter ...

[Michael J Campbell]

Maggi,after 50 years in the horticultural  business in one form or another,I can assure you that the horticultural gene in most people does not click into action before 35 years of age. When they loose the children in long grass and accumulated rubbish in the garden they  come to realize, first,that they have a garden, and second,that they must do something with it.

[Katherine J]

For those who are busy with work, children or whatever, an have no time and energy for gardening, it can be understood. But there are many, who just don't know what to do in their free time, on weekends for example. At least here...

[Katherine J]

I can assure you that the horticultural gene in most people does not click into action before 35 years of age.

It is very interesting, but it seems to be true.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I guess Maggi and Michael are quite right about this !
I was 28 myself when I started to get interested in gardening and 38 when I took on alpine gardening...

One big advantage of this whole situation is that, when I visit a show today, at 57, I feel young !!    .... amidst a large number of people who are young at heart !

[Maggi Young]

For those who are busy with work, children or whatever, an have no time and energy for gardening, it can be understood. But there are many, who just don't know what to do in their free time, on weekends for example. At least here...

I think that is true here as well, Kata..... folk with no imagination  to find something to occupy themselves..... it is really disheartening to hear children and young people say.... "I'm bored" .... WHY are  they bored?  
The world is still so large and wonderful !

There is nothing like a gathering of gardeners to show you how many happy and lively ninety year olds there can be after a lifetime in gardening!!   And, of course, old gardeners never die... they just move on to "primary composting"!!

[mark smyth]

I went to a lecture years ago about the horticultural trade. The age group who go looking for plants is changing. The enthusiast numbers are going down while the instant gardeners are increasing fast. The former come in looking for the special plant while the instant gardeners are looking for filled pots/baskets and window boxes. No time to do anything. They are also looking for, and I have had experience, the evergreen plants that doesnt need maintaining, looks good all year and had flowers.

[Maggi Young]

They are also looking for, and I have had experience, the evergreen plants that doesnt need maintaining, looks good all year and had flowers.

Yes, we get a lot of questions from those folks  on the radio programme..... "where can I buy an evergreen, flowering hedge which reaches 6 feet in one year  but then never gets any taller and never needs trimming  ?"  

 We can only hope that new AGS President Val Lee and our nominated successor to President Ian Christie, Mrs Liz Mills, who will be elected new SRGC President at the SRGC AGM on Saturday 14th Novemeber, will not have to concern themselves with too many such enquiries during their period of office!

[Ragged Robin]

Somewhere in East London there is a very keen 31 year old gardener and her husband who are just the sort of young people who are interested in growing in troughs, pots, bric a brac, and small spaces with tired soil - perfect places for alpines and not difficult to maintain if the right plants are selected....I can only encourage from the Alps but maybe they will influence their large circle of like-minded friends....my home-made Christmas card will have a link to the SRGC site  too as it's so much part of my good news this year  

[Michael J Campbell]

evergreen plants that doesn't need maintaining, looks good all year and had flowers.

Mark we tried for years to produce such a plant without success. If someone can produce it they will be millionairs overnight.

 I once herd an assistant in a garden centre tell a customer that the plant she had just bought did not need any water. I had to tell her that all life on Earth depended on water, no water, no life. She was not impressed.

[admin]

when were there EVER a large number of younger members?

In the 1980s the Aberdeen group  had lots of 30 somethings, including us!  To be honest  I can't see many 20 somethings joining a plant society - I most certainly  would not have. You have to have a permanent home with a garden and settle down first; in other words become boring, it happens to us all sooner or later. 

[David Shaw]

An evergreen flowering shrub is easy - a conifer with a Codonopsis bulb in the pot