“I am a mad gardener. I mutter and rant, and at night, I shake dry seeds out of my unruly mane of hair. The garden is in my bones, in my gut, and in my hands that pearl sweat at the first hint from the overturned soil of March that it is time to sow Cherokee beans again in the open ground. And although I am a civil person, I am at my best when left completely alone at nightfall to spread that last wheelbarrow of aged horse manure around the base of the budded-out black currant plants from England.” -Wendy JohnsonI have the great good fortune to call this darling and wise woman my neighbor and friend. Wendy just recently published a new book, both poetic and practical - Gardening at the Dragon's Gate: At Work in the Wild and Cultivated World. A Buddhist meditation teacher and organic gardening mentor, Wendy weaves together stories and advice about cultivating the earth with spiritual insights gleaned from her many years at Green Gulch Zen Center. The writing is as rich as good, well-composted soil. I have been savoring it, reading pages before bedtime to inspire garden dreams.
Last month, I invited Wendy over to my studio to be interviewed for the latest Arts and Healing Podcast. We spoke about the healing power of gardening, the benefits of community gardening, creating memorial gardens, tips on gardening with children, environmentalism, and more. I invite you listen to this podcast either by downloading the podcast via iTunes, or clicking here to listen to the podcast directly on your computer (use the audio player on the right hand side).
The Arts & Healing Podcast is part of the Arts and Healing Network and is produced by my good friend and blogger/podcaster Britt Bravo - you might also enjoy her blog, Have Fun Do Good.
5 comments:
You did a great job in the interview, Danny! I'm reading Wendy's book right now and it's inspiring me to get our garden happening again.
Any ideas on what you can plant in acidic soil under the shade of a Blue Atlas Cedar?
i've requested the book at the library. looks wonderful!
Britt, thanks for your feedback on the interview. So glad you liked it. In terms of your garden question, I wish I knew the answer - I wish I had Wendy's wisdom, but I am still a learning gardener myself - good luck finding the answer. Happy Gardening!
Danny
I found a list of
acid loving plants! Now I just need to get a soil testing kit.
This flowers are really beautiful.
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