Category: Placemaking
Fervor Fever | Pop Up Truffle Degustation in a secret garden
Truffle season in Manjimup has begun as the last colours of autumn fall to the ground. There’s a kindness in sporadic winter sunlight, relief in the rain. A fire in the corner crackles and pops. Our wheelbarrow is full of promised wood, and us? We’re sweeping the hearth in preparation […]
how to move a heritage electric trolleybus you can’t drive within 48 hours
It started with a 5pm text from Drakey, who runs Middlesex Mill just down the road. “Hi. Just noticed this old tram bus on Grays. Thought you might be interested. Problem is the auction ends in 2 hours!” I couldn’t help myself, of course. It was a beautiful old thing, […]
How the first train carriages came to spark placemaking
Forget travel to exotic climes. The glorious winter sun is streaming in the carriage windows, adorned with views of Stellar Violets garden, and thousands of apple trees giving over to slumber. Bright red steel baggage racks give bold architectural lines to the interiors. It’s flush with old red carpet floors, […]
Ecological gardens of France ~ Terre Vivante
To celebrate their 20th Anniversary, Terre Vivante, an educational garden farm in France held a special open day. Terre Vivante means “living earth”, and I’d wanted to visit ever since one of their lovely little preserving books fell into my hands. There was no public transport to the closest village. […]
Hidden gardens of France that inspired Stellar Violets ~ Jardin Bourian
In the wilds of south-west France we find ourselves in the dappled shade of giant oak and ash trees, at the beautiful Jardin Bourian – a community and demonstration organic garden near Dégagnac. We met one of the Jardin Bourian founders, Jocelyne Bécé, at Jacky Dupéty’s farm. Hearing of our […]