HOw pLANTS cAN HELp US SOME SURpRISING FAcTS GROw A GARDEN ON bOARD SHIp pRAcTIcAL ADVIcE REcIpES USING yOUR OwN HERbS FOR FOOD AND DRINK SpOT THE DIFFERENcES THERE ARE 15 TO FIND AUGUST 2018 CREWWATCH CREW WATCH BRITANNIA’S MISSION IS TO BE THE FINEST P&I CLUB IN THE WORLD. In this edition we are encouraging people to cultivate their inner gardener and embrace plants in their environment. This might seem a strange topic for an edition of Crew Watch but many studies have shown that having plants around can help you to feel better. You can read about the health and wellness benefits on page 2 and remember that plants and herbs have been playing a vital role in Asian medicines for thousands of years. Introducing the natural world into the working and living environment can be a simple way to improve the quality of everyday life. This also ties in with our series on how you can spend your valuable spare time. Planning a garden (even if it is only a small plant in a recycled food tin can in your cabin) can be very rewarding and maintaining it only takes a few minutes a day – if you choose your plants carefully, they practically look after themselves (see our section on page 4 about planting in glass jars or terrariums). Not only can you make a greener ship, you can recycle containers as well! Many ships have taken this idea further by introducing plants into the communal areas, using larger containers and choosing herbs that can be used in cooking and in drinks – for some healthy recipe ideas have a look on page 5. It is worth asking if there is money in the ship’s entertainment budget to buy some simple containers and arrange for some potting compost to be delivered with the ship’s stores. Just bear in mind that plants should be kept indoors when calling at ports and always be aware of any local regulations. Your ship is your home while you are away – having plants around can make you feel better. If this has inspired you to get planting, do send us photos and if you already have green fingers, share your ideas with our readers. CLAIRE MyATT Editor CREW WATCH| AUGUST 2018 A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR A MESSAGE FROM OUR EDITORWe hope you’ve enjoyed this issue of Crew Watch. We are looking for ways to maintain and increase the usefulness, relevance and general interest of the articles. If you have any ideas or comments please send them to: publications@triley.co.uk Here in London we have one of the most famous flower and garden shows in the world just along the River Thames at Chelsea where there are show gardens and displays of plants and flowers from around the world. We are also lucky enough to have the largest and oldest glass house in the world in Kew Gardens. In Singapore the Gardens by the Bay are truly spectacular, with their imposing towers and vast flower domes where more than 1 million plants can be found. There are amazing gardens all over the world, from the orchid farms of Thailand to the tranquillity of the Japanese gardens, where a few simple elements are combined to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony. These impressive public gardens are hard to copy but we can all benefit from plants in our everyday lives, no matter where we live or how little space we have. The smallest space in a cabin or in the ship’s communal areas can be transformed by the addition of a few simple pots and containers, or even a mini glasshouse. Plants have even been grown in space. NASA has been conducting trials for many years, growing plants and v