The Garden
3 May 2021
I dream of the hanging gardens of Girang: My Space Your Space Our Place
In my garden,
I water it (garden and farm)
I nourish it (flora and fauna)
I nurture it (flora and fauna)
I connect it (garden and inhabitants)
I mix it (nutrients)
I grow it (fauna and flora)
I rejoice in it; and
I share it (family and friends)
The Garden
The dwelling shelter and its immediate outside space that is rooted in the history of human domestication of animals and agriculture predate the present notion of the residential landscape. Conceived first as a ring of protection against human predators, the outdoor space has evolved into the garden we know today. The dynamics of the dwelling shelter and its garden has taken different forms over different periods of time, shaped by cultural practices.
Present day. 12 months on. The air in the garden still lingers with threats of coronavirus that has permeated our world. Once a paradise that we seek solace, mediation and reconciliation in, the garden has become a threat to us. Its ghost brings about an air of gloom. The city is divided by fear of strangers, with the unease that anyone could be a carrier of Covid19. We stay indoors and quiver in fear, and the garden is alienated from our daily lives, along with its fauna and flora.
We know that our garden is not at fault. Our disrespect for nature is the cause of our dilemma; we have inadvertently fallen into a big hole which we dug. But our garden has kept faith in nature. When we learn to treasure and respect nature, it can heal all ills.
The garden has not lost its magic. It remains as the place that we seek reconciliation with nature in, it is a healer, it is an arbitrator, it allows us to find solace, comfort, peace, and happiness. The garden speaks to us through our voices. It sings melodies in silence. It is a place of refuge; an offer of hope in seasons of despair.
Sources
“Classical Gardens of Suzhou.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, March 1, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_Gardens_of_Suzhou.
“Marcovaldo.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, April 27, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcovaldo.