Nan had chooks, a vegie patch and big trees to climb; her yard was an adventure for us kids and we'd spend all day out there.

Sitting in her fig or locquat tree and feasting are wonderful memories. We also grew up with a knowledge of plants, passed down through the generations.

House blocks have shrunk, that's true, but we have replaced a lot of those glorious backyards with low maintenance pebbles and astroturf.

Cordalines and Yuccas abound, basically desert plants!...so why has this generation turned away from gardening as a recreational pastime?

Thirty five year old gardening blogger Tom Smart writes in his Guardian column about how he's viewed by his peers. Talking about gardening amongst his friends  “is like admitting to some weird obsession like keeping a pet rock!"

His mailing list and gardening subscriptions are full of ads for mobility scooters and funeral insurance!

Tom says "it's difficult to convince someone his age an emerging tulip is more interesting than a smartphone!".

He continues “at Christmas, a family member slapped me on the back and informed anyone listening that I was ‘a sixty year old trapped in the body of a thirty-five year old’”.

There's no instant gratification with gardening, and it requires patience and persistence, it may be years before your hard work pays off. 

Then there's the physical benefits of fresh air, vitamin D, excercise and the zen space that's difficult to find in todays crazy pace of living – it simply forces you to slow down. Yard maintenance isn't everyone’s favourite activity, but the rewards are numerous. Tom is right: “Gardening is many things: beautiful, meditative, healthy, exciting, rewarding and creative.

Quality family time within your own yard, lots of activities for kids, shade for the heat of summer, and the sheer beauty of a lush garden, that adds value to your home, are all worth the toil in my opinion. 

Hopefully it gains popularity again, and isn't a lost art. That would be a shame.