Allan Armitage: Why Gardening Needs to be Part of the Coronavirus Solution
March 24, 2020 
As I write this column, the coronavirus and the insidious COVID-19 effects have resulted in changes to our lives that were unfathomable just a few weeks ago. The virus has become an animate object that is full in our faces, and like objects in a side view mirror, it is closer than it appears. You are probably tired of hearing about it but for better or worse, we are living history. How we respond will be part of our legacy.
We Are in a War
We did not declare this war, and we did not cause it, yet here it is. It may have been a stranger when it first arrived, but we know the consequences, and we know how to fight. There are no bombs, no bullets, no improvised explosive devices or trenches. This war is the safest of any we have fought — force yourself to stay home. We are both its target and its kryptonite. If you are stupid enough to go to the gym, the bar, or the mall, you allow it to attack all of us. Stay away and it will perish. I am scared for my kids, and my kids are scared for their children — the virus does not discriminate. This has nothing to do with luck; it has to do with being smart. We can only win this war if you and I change the me to a we.
We may escape the health implications, but none of us will escape the financial hardships. There is no way to sugarcoat what happens when people can’t leave their homes. There is no way to sugarcoat the loss of jobs, the inability to pay for basic needs, and the huge psychological toll this time in history will exact. Do not for a second believe that Congress will solve this problem. What Congress does will hopefully alleviate the problems. However, in this war, our fate is in our own hands.
If people can’t get out, they won’t buy. Even landscapers are going to suffer, as are the producers who supply them. Garden centers are in a battle just to be allowed to stay open, but innovations such as drive-thru gardening will be far more common at independent garden centers in the next few months than ever before.
Gardening Is Part of the Solution
This does not change the reality on the ground. Businesses have been and will be shuttered. Everyone in this industry is going to take a hit. However, we need not cower. Let’s all of us spread the word that gardening is one of the few exercises people can enjoy without fear. Gardening provides mental and physical exercise and without doubt provides therapy. Oh my, how we all need some of that!
As for me, my battles will be no different than many of us in this business. I plan on getting the message out to as many as I can to let them know that our industry, our products, and our people are part of the solution. These are awful times, but with each of us sacrificing and taking care of each other, and with Congress helping people to at least stay afloat, we will get through this. If we stay strong and stay informed, we will win this war by staying put.
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