through the flowers. by Casey David
Sometimes I wonder if this Garden Lady is always on top of what is happening in the world. I guess I am too busy in my own garden, weeding, planting or just plain enjoying the results of my labor to keep up with everything that is going on. Or I am enjoying the beauty of other people’s gardens.
So I missed telling my readership about a gardening event that happened, around the world, on Sat. May 5th. Now this is not a gardening event that I would ever attend, nor do I know anyone who would attend it. I am too modest to be part of such an event – I was born modest and grew up believing in modesty. And I don’t know how many of the readers of TheGardenLady would want to participate. But, still, I feel duty bound to write about gardening events that are happening, even if I think these events are humorously odd.
Now though the event happened on Sat. May 5th, I just learned about it on Monday, May 21st. So I apologize to those of you who depend on TheGardenLady to keep you informed of world gardening events. Though I apologize, I had never heard about this event even though this was the 8th year it was being held. It is thanks to reading the Irish Times online that I became informed of this event.
On Sat. May 5th, there was held the 8th annual World Naked Gardening Day. So now you all know. Sorry to say, I am even too modest to give my readers the link to this event. So if this interests you, you will have to find the site online yourself.
What I read about it in the Irish Times, written by a woman gardener who seemed to be as modest a gardener as I, was that she was more concerned about the nudist who might inadvertently expose more skin to some plants that might cause skin rashes, than she was about the people flitting through the flowers in the “altogether.”  The word she used that means contact dermatitis is strimming. Strimming must be an Irish term or an English term because it certainly is not a word I have ever heard used in the states and it doesn’t even appear on any online dictionary definition. But you can get the idea of what strimming must be if you just think of what might happen to you should you touch poison ivy. And then imagine touching poison ivy when you weren’t wearing a stitch of clothes. That is the author’s concern exactly.
When I think of all the people I know who cannot tell poison ivy from any other green leaf in the garden or woods, I wonder how many of those naked gardeners are aware. And there are other plants that when your skin touches it, you can get contact dermatitis. Are they aware of those other plants as well?
Gardeners are advised that under normal circumstances they should wear gloves, long sleeves and trousers, etc. when doing gardening work so that you avoid any problems. You avoid not only plants that might be problematic to the skin, but also insect problems- like Lyme ticks or stinging ants. Being in the garden is a pleasant experience, but it should be done sensibly.
I refer you to the article in the Irish Times by FIONNUALA FALLON (see here)