One of the best things about old-school gardening advice is how it connects us, in a very direct way, with our shared heritage. However, by the same token, many practices can keep us tethered to cultural ideas that are long past their practical or even aesthetic relevance. Just like the fact that we now know the incredibly laborious Victorian practice of double-digging each autumn ironically degrades soil, reduces fertility and even releases atmospheric carbon. I think it’s high time we add ditching the slavish devotion to leaf-raking to the list of outdated practices.
The basic idea behind this traditional task is really just one of neatness, harking back to an era where regimented precision of perfect lawn stripes and rows of bedding plants like a horticultural military parade were considered a universal goal for all “good” gardeners.
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