Gardens and gardening have been a bit of a them this year. There was the Poetry School's Mixed Borders scheme, which didn't quite work out for me, and my continuing involvement with my local community roof garden. That involvement always felt rather timid and tentative to me, all tied up with my own insecurities and …
Tag: gardening
this rose
This rose knows nothing about Paris, Raqqa, global pain. This rose is silent. It is a wordless song of colour and perfume. This rose is not aware of climate change. It blooms when it is ready. Mid November - why not? This rose grows on a rooftop in Battersea. When the garden is shut it …
rounding off Mixed Borders
On Thursday evening there was a reading to celebrate the Mixed Borders scheme run earlier this year by the Poetry School in association with the Open Garden Squares Weekend. I've written previously about the scheme which, for most poets, led to a mini residency in a London park or garden in mid June. Over the …
poets, gardens, roofs
In late April, I attended a one day workshop at the Poetry School, which offered the opportunity to be a poet-in-residence in a London park or garden as part of the Open Garden Squares Weekend. In the morning, we were bombarded with information and ideas about how to run a residency, and in the afternoon …
helping out on the roof
I'd normally run a mile from a 'family fun day', but last Saturday I set aside my prejudices and lent a hand at my community roof garden for their annual Chelsea Fringe event. I'm actually a keyholder for the garden now, and on the friendly-and-informal committee, but my gardening still hasn't progressed much beyond appreciating …
weeding and reading
Not long back from a week in the French countryside. Time to reflect, to read, to sit and drink in the landscape, the deep blue sky and fields of maize and sunflowers. Terracotta tiled roofs, delicate orange poppies, pots of carmine geraniums, beds of red sage, lavender and rosemary. Self seeded walnut trees and catalpa. …
Hilaire 