Finding Perspectives
I’m sure I’ve talked to you before about our garden, or Jack’s garden as we call it. We follow Jack’s paths and sit on Jack’s sunken terrace; Jack’s highly scented hybrid teas perfume the garden and Sergio tends Jack’s veg plot.
When we first took over Jack’s garden, eleven years ago, it was very neat and delineated, as was traditional of gardens of its era, that had been tended by the same person for decades. I would spend hours pruning, shaping weeding and tidying and Sergio would mow stripes into the vast lawn.
I’ve always been a gardener. Both my Greek and French grandmothers had green fingers and glorious gardens, one in Kenya and one in the South of France, so it’s in my DNA. As a child, I watched the progress of the Blue Peter garden and then followed Percy Thrower and Geoff Hamilton to Gardener’s World. They would have recognised Jack’s garden.
I can’t put my finger on when things changed; possibly through floristry, another passion of mine. Kenneth Turner broke the Constance Spry mould in the 80s and started creating installations of natural, wild arrangements. I followed suit, initially at work and then in the garden.
The first big change we made, was allowing two large patches of lawn to grow wild, just cutting paths through them. There was a new global zeitgeist and as I read Marian Boswall and Isabella Tree, the importance of the natural environment and climate change became obvious and imperative, even in our little patch and the garden transformed. If you’ve been to Tillingham Wines in Peasmarsh, then you’ll know Marian’s work and world renowned Knepp Castle is Isabella’s domain.
Jack would barely recognise it, but Shirley Meyer and Paul Youlten, at Winchelsea Wildlife, approve wholeheartedly. From swift boxes, to moth traps and bee walks, they are pioneers and role models for re-wilding and biodiversity at Winchelsea’s green heart. They have endorsed and encouraged our natural, organic, buzzing, precious acre of joy.
Following their talk at last Second Wednesday Society, we’ve even signed up to their newly launched Winchelsea Green Garden Awards (closing date July 31) and I have my eye on a ‘Golden Bee’ award. The next date in the diary is August 5, when the quartet allocation, of gardeners participating in the awards, will be announced.
And so to this month. I couldn’t be happier that my friend and colleague Kt Bruce will be giving a talk about her life as a photographer, How I became Photographer to the Stars. When we first met, we realised that we knew many people in common. “I know her” or “I’ve met him” she’d say and l’d look on her website and so she had. She’s fun, kind, curious, deeply knowledgeable, interested in her subjects and makes the Duracell bunny look lazy. If you’re one of her legion of fans at Rye News, come and meet her, find out about her career, take her advice and use her skill to enhance your own photos. As usual at Second Wednesday, you’ll come away far richer than when you arrived.
As the caretakers of Jack’s garden, when we hand it down to the next owners, they will no doubt call it Sergio and Natasha’s garden. And the next time you take a photo after Kt’s talk, you’ll have her voice in your ear, telling you how to frame the best shot. Not bad ways to be remembered, sharing your passion and leaving the world a tiny bit better. See you on Wednesday June 14, 2.30 at the New Hall, Winchelsea.
@winchelsea_wildlife @marianboswall @tillinghamwines @kneppwilding www.ktbruce.co.uk
Image Credits: Natasha Robinson .