Mrs Smith chose, actively, not to invest in aspects of modern technology. Preferring instead to continue the old ways of doing things for so long as they remained functional, both practically and in terms of meeting her needs. This attitude doesn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, mean that she was completely against all of the many developments in technology that occurred during her lifetime.

She invested in the advancements which she saw as practical or useful to her everyday life, either making something significantly easier or doing something she wouldn’t otherwise be capable of. Electricity was first installed in the cottage in the 1930s, less than 10 years after she bought the property, this addition (early for rural Lincolnshire) gave her the light she needed to continue working and entertaining into the evenings and allowed her to make the most of practical time saving gadgets. A great example of this is the electric wash boiler that she had installed in the 1940s, much larger than the boiler in the range it was able to produce a greater volume of hot water in a shorter time. Taking some of the hard work out of Mrs Smith’s wash days.

The most ‘modern’ and ‘luxurious’ piece of technology Mrs Smith owned was a television, a small 1970s portable unit which she moved between the kitchen and her bedroom to meet her viewing needs. Visitors often find the television to be an unexpected discovering in a cottage which looks as if little has changed since the 1930s, yet it is a good example of Mrs Smith’s relationship with technology. Ever since the mass ownership of TV sets Mrs Smith was visiting friends most evenings to enjoy a wide variety of programmes, after over 10 years of ‘borrowing’ from friends it was realised that this box of technology was a necessity within her home meeting a need for entertainment which could not otherwise be met.

In our present age of climate change and resource scarcity Mrs Smith’s attitudes to consumption provide a gentle and realistic framework to help us all do better. We have put together 3 questions Mrs Smith might have considered when looking to buy a new item, questions which ask you to consider your genuine need for an item encouraging you to buy less without missing out.

These questions, inspired by Mrs Smith’s ethos, are not going to apply to every situation. They are designed to help you be more mindful about about the items you own, like Mrs Smith was.

Close Planting

There are a lot of plants packed into the Mrs Smith’s garden, all working together to make the most of light, water, and pollinator attention.

This close planting allows caterpillars and larvae to move easily from plant to plant allowing them to find fresh food while providing places to hide from predators.

Diversity

Mrs Smith loved flowers and was always delighted to add new finds or varieties to the cottage garden. Having a rich diversity of plant species mixing herbs, wildflowers, and classic cottage garden bedding plants supported a greater diversity of pollinator species, including specialists.

Year-Round Blooms

Mrs Smith was able to have something in bloom throughout the year, which is not an easy feat by any stretch, and we are still working to do through our national lottery heritage fund project. Having food sources for pollinators throughout the year is often key to their ongoing survival, especially in early spring when bees first start to emerge.

Winter

Snowdrops, Ivy, Crocus, Mahonia, Rosemary, Celandine, Winter Aconite

Spring

Apple Tree, Daffodils, Alliums, Lungwort, Cowslip, Forget Me Not

Summer

Lavender, Comfrey, Foxgloves, Phacelia, Chives, Strawberry

Autumn

Dahlias, Wallflowers, Asters, Honeysuckle, Abelia, Sedum