Evening star., 1948-08-22
HOmeGardenS
Combat High
Cost of Food
By w. n. Younoman

The war left its marks on gar
dening In America as it has on
almost every other phase Of Our way
of life. Over and beyond the re-
orientation OF trade in horticul-
tural products we are taking q Diff
ferent interest in gardening than we
did in the good old days" Trade
channels for horticultural products
may once again return to something
like prewar days, but 1t is doubtful
If we will ever give up some of the
other changes.
Today many more gardeners are
growing their vegetables than before
1912. 1t Is true that many Of those
new to this field are growing veg
etable gardens as one way of meet
ing the high cost Of food. Others
found the taste of freshly harvested
homegrown vegetables most salts
tying and will continue to enjoy
them as long as conditions permit.
Then, too, many Of the current
building developments are taking
place in suburban areas where space
is available for vegetable gardens.
Vegetable growing might expand
further If space permitted, but un-
fortunately many of the people who
need to have a vegetable garden live
in areas where suitable garden space |
is unavailable. Most cities that were
organized to help the gardening
movement during the war have dis
continued that service to their COM
munity. The District of Columbia is
a good example. During the war
the Victory Garden ONCE obtained .
the use of many vacant lots, park
and other public areas for the use
Of Victory gardeners.
With the end of the war that |
Office was discontinued. Each spring
The Star and other agencies receive
requests from families who would
like to find an area where they
could grow portion OF their food
needs. There is no one responsible
for seeing that they receive such as
sistance. The public parks did make
as much land available this year as
they did during the war, but 1t was
the only agency responding gener-
ously to this need.
New Clubs Organized.
Another interesting postwar de-
velopment has been the large num-
Der of garden clubs and civic or
garizations that have taken civic /
improvements as one of their prof.
ects. Many new garden clubs have
been organized in response to the
current interest in gardening.
Such groups not only serve to
provide guidance for their members
through the sharing Of advice and
plant material but they also have
value through improving property
values generally and in the enrich
ment OF the community. Many
community points with pride to its
well gardened neighborhoods, to a .
community building that was land
scaped by a garden club, or to a !
memorial park that provides beauty
in the form Of rose garden or a
beautiful perennial planting.
Several sections in the Washing
ton area point with pride to the
ornamental street paintings that
were sponsored by civic groups.
way between Seattle and Portland,
has lovely rose garden on city
property.
Garden conscious people were glad
to note that the Federal Housing
Administration required grass seed
ing and shrub planting on property
financed under their program This
may seem small thing, but 1t con-
tributes to the right kind Of civic
reaction.
Planting Benefits Homes.
Individual homes benefit through !
paintings in much the same way as
does major housing project. Pride {
in ones home makes for better citi-
zenship. People who are enough
interested in their community to
plant a small tree near their home
enhance the appearance and the
value of their property and give evi-
dence Of civic pride.
Too often we see private develop
ments where the trees are removed
or injured during the period Of
construction. That means that the
buyers will have to plant and wait
for many years before they can !
>enjoy the shade and beauty of a
tree on their property. Shrubs and
flowers take only few short years
to contribute their part to the !
beauty and pleasure of the home,
but it takes from Is to so years
for a tree to reach maturity.
Another postwar change that is
Of more than passing interest to
the garden-m minded is the planting
of display gardens. Some, designed {
for the tourist trade, are intended !