A Poets Garden

My garden on Darug Country, NW of Sydney, is my refuge from many aspects of modernity. It is a place of peace and tranquility and beauty. Above all it is a respectful of the wildlife that were here first, of the wetlands that holds the balance of power, of the wild creatures and birds such as “"our wombat” and lyrebird, our black swans and occasional visit from a eastern spotted quoll. Poetry is an integral part of my garden, adding to the therapeutic elements that I create. It is both inspiration, expression and contemplation.

My garden has always been a deeply personal and private space. My therapy and my sanity, a healing refuge and a haven I flee to. But now, somewhat surprisingly, I find myself wanting to share with the world. My sanctuary, where I retreat to process, make sense of, and forget the need to make sense of life, is becoming more collective. Here, where beauty and my deep communion of co-creation with the creative force (what Hildegard of Bingen called Vertiditas) that holds the galaxies in place, is an expression of healing for private and collective grief, and lately, ecoanxiety and ecological sorrow. The need to share this space has grown over the years of gardening as I have lately added the element of poetry. In fact, lately, I can’t stop adding poetry. Rather, it has added itself without planning. It combines elements of poetry therapy with my long-time involvement in therapeutic and social horticulture, which I am delighted to share from my garden in a valley on a creek flowing into Dyrubbin ( The Hawkesbury River), Sydney NSW, Australia.

Called Eagleshadow, my garden is an expression of a deep love for the earth and the place I live and take care of. It is emerging as an expression of my ecological imagination and the work of decolonising and reclaiming this in my relationship with Nature, and a deepening acceptance and exploration of myself as nature. Lately, I am assisted by mostly young Workaways travelling the world, who drop by for a week or two, to help me. As I share my vision with them, they add their own contributions that are unique and respectful, arising from an emergence in this gorgeous valley I call home for now.

It is very much a work in progress, and I look forward to revealing more as it emerges. Virtual tours are coming, with open gardens in November 2026 as part of AELA’S (Australian Earth Laws Alliance) Kinship week. Other wild earthly delights are being dreamed up… email me if you wish to join us for any events, or arrange a group visit.