Do you have five 'Gardening Friends'?  Tell us who they are...

Everybody needs friends and most gardeners feel they have many. There's all those lovely plants of course; the creatures in the pond; the birds that visit the table and of course the people that gardeners meet during any sort of garden-related activity. It's no surprise that gardeners generally accumulate a network of like-minded pals. There's the local horticultural club or garden society; the allotmenteers; the neighbours who share plants and information; the garden centre buddies; the elderly residents who are grateful to have a bit of help. When you garden, a budding social world presents itself.

Grow vegetables and you will grow some friends at the same time        

Have you ever met a lonely gardener? RHS Wisley recently advertised for a 'crop of allotmenteers' and were inundated with gardening beginners - candidates who wanted to work together on a community allotment programme. People with like-minded interests readily form friendships and it's a very special bond indeed.

‍ Making friends at Wisley ‍ Gardening buddies!   Friends can crop up anywhere. Who, for example, can resist talking to a robin? Dig for just five minutes and you are likely to attract the beady-eyed attention of this cheerful bird.  How could you stay sad when a friendly face is peering at you? It's a bird, but it makes you feel as if it's your friend. ‍ The gardener's friend. ‍ Wildlife in the garden brings great satisfaction to those who are interested. Quite simply, gardening is good for you on all levels. It keeps you fit and active; it feeds your mind; it gives you a sense of purpose that's quite separate from other parts of your life and it provides you with a hobby that lots of other people share.  Like any friendship, some might require a little investment of time. Young things in the garden, whether they be children or pets, can be troublesome. But you definitely won't feel lonely while you nurture them into good gardening habits.    ‍ 

Friend or Foe? Some things need investment in terms of time!   ‍

 A helping hand can be fun, but not necessarily good for productivity!                      

Then there are the quieter sort of friends. The ones that stay exactly where you put them. They smile at you and are always there for you. Is this why people love statues; sculpture and art in the garden? These are things which are pleasing to the eye and uplifting: bearing in mind that beauty is in the eye of the beholder! ‍

Meet Frank, the friendly Flowerpot Man. He's taking a bath with a bird. You can click on him to find out more...   What about garden gnomes? The jury is out on these little chaps but their popularity is definitely on the rise. Can you resist their dubious charms?  ‍

Billy the bouncing gnome could be your friend. Click on him to find out more... ‍

Barry the Skipping Gnome. Will he make your heart skip too? Click to find more gnomes.   Perfect Plants has shared five sets of gardening friends with you. We would love to see what your own best buddies look like.  Please do visit us on Facebook: (Perfect Plants Ltd) and share your photos with us.