-----In 2004 we bought a falling-down house and 30 acres. This blog documents our progress-----

Sunday, February 11, 2007

article about Wigandia garden in Australia

I was captivated when I read this article... one day I would love to visit it in person. The only thing that put me off a bit was the guy's attitude - to him, if the article is to be believed, the notion that someone might actually WANT to spend a lot of time working in their garden is stupid. But, to me, gardening is a hobby and frankly the more time I can spend pottering on it the better! (update: I take this back - see comments)

He has a lovely garden none-the-less and some great ideas for using dry plants in a lush-appearing way. I also like how he incorporates materials like corrugated iron and old bits of machinery into the garden. I'll be thrilled if we can get the garden at Amherst even close to this. :-)

The art of not gardening (profile of Wigandia garden)

Wigandia p36 The Garden Jan 2005

Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6

Here are some links to other articles about Wigandia garden:


Update: click here for more photos and video from my Mum's visit to Wigandia


(This is part of my slightly insane project to 'file' potentially useful articles that I read, so I have a chance of finding them in future)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah..very interesting..I am that 'guy'..The only thing that put me off a bit was the guy's attitude - to him, if the article is to be believed, the notion that someone might actually WANT to spend a lot of time working in their garden is stupid. But, to me, gardening is a hobby and frankly the more time I can spend pottering on it the better!

He has a lovely garden none-the-less and some great ideas for using dry plants in a lush-appearing way. I also like how he incorporates materials like corrugated iron and old bits of machinery into the garden. I'll be thrilled if we can get the garden at Amherst even close to this. :-)

I don't particularly want to 'explain' myself..but the 'art' of not gardening is about creating a garden which looks after itself..and one is a slave to it when one wants..NOT when it beckons...this method allows for time for more creative stuff with the garden rather than all that dodgy nonesense..weeding etc..the garden is open this Easter weekend!

Lynette said...

Hi William. Wow. Thanks for visiting the blog and also for commenting and taking the time to explain. Now I think I understand more what you mean... I guess before I had taken it too literally. I take back what I said.

I agree with your principle mostly - to me, my favourite times in the garden are when I'm just pottering around, not when I've got a list of chores. I think that's what you're getting at, that the 'art of not gardening' is about making sure the time you spend in it is doing whatever you choose.

The only slight hesitation that I have - and this is speaking from my London perspective where in winter days are often gloomy with little light - sometimes it is good to be beckoned out by the garden to do some chore of a weekend ... it gets me outside doing exercise when otherwise I'd just hibernate!

Trust me, I would SO LOVE to be able to visit your garden this Easter, but I'm still stuck on the other side of the world. Maybe next year. :-)