Community gardeners call for an end to environmental destruction by local governments, developers, and big corporations
In the picturesque landscape of South Wales, renowned gardener Benny Hawksbee finds inspiration in the Kenfig National Nature Reserve, a haven teeming with pike, otters, kingfishers, and even rumours of a sunken city beneath its waters. This breathtaking reserve, with its moonwort, eyebright, sea holly, and over ten species of orchid, serves as a testament to Hawksbee's passion for gardening and his commitment to ecology.
Hawksbee's journey into horticulture began at a tender age, with memories of his Maltese grandad tending a wildlife garden filled with tomatoes, courgettes, small ponds, aviaries, guinea pigs, and a diverse array of weeds and animals. This early exposure to the beauty and complexity of nature has shaped Hawksbee's approach to gardening, leading him to become an advocate for a more ecological and kind direction in horticulture.
Hawksbee's preferred planting style is 'wildamental', a fusion of wild and ornamental planting. His favourite 'weed', the perennial sow-thistle (Sonchus arvensis), a vivid-yellow Asteraceae plant, is a testament to his appreciation for the natural world. His website, web edennaturegarden.org, serves as a platform to share his knowledge and passion for gardening.
For Hawksbee, the principles that guide his gardening are simple: squeezing in maximum ecology while delivering an aesthetic that people are willing to pay for. His current recommendation for every gardener is to observe more. He believes that understanding the intricacies of nature is key to creating thriving, diverse, and beautiful gardens.
Hawksbee's biggest challenge facing gardeners is the decline of gardens with no plants or life, and the need to act outside of echo chambers to stop this. He advocates for more public space gardening work, digging up pavements, tarmac, and bonded resin, creating more Eden Nature Gardens, more food availability, and preventing councils, big businesses, and developers from committing ecocide.
Hawksbee credits John Little and his wife Fiona for teaching him a lot about gardening and sharing their knowledge. He encourages gardeners to compost, propagate, and re-evaluate pruning and cutting back. His Instagram handle, @bennyhawksbee, offers a glimpse into his gardening journey and his vision for a greener future.
As horticulture heads towards a more ecological and kind direction, Hawksbee's 'wildamental' approach offers a compelling vision for the future of gardening. His commitment to ecology, his passion for nature, and his innovative planting style make him a beacon of hope for a greener world.
- In the pursuit of horticulture, Benny Hawksbee draws inspiration from the wonders of nature found in the Kenfig National Nature Reserve, a Welsh landscape rich with pike, otters, and orchids.
- Hawksbee's childhood memories of his Maltese grandad's wildlife garden fostered a love for gardening and a commitment to ecology, shaping his approach to gardening.
- The 'wildamental' gardening style of Hawksbee, a fusion of wild and ornamental planting, showcases his appreciation for the natural world, as demonstrated by his fondness for the perennial sow-thistle.
- A advocate for a more ecological direction in horticulture, Hawksbee emphasizes the importance of creating thriving, diverse, and beautiful gardens by understanding the intricacies of nature.
- The decline of lifeless gardens concerns Hawksbee, who advocates for more public space gardening work, pushing for more Eden Nature Gardens, food availability, and preventing ecological devastation by councils, big businesses, and developers.
- Hawksbee encourages gardeners to follow environmentally-friendly practices like composting, propagating, and reevaluating pruning and cutting back, as exemplified by his Instagram handle, @bennyhawksbee.
- Embracing a more ecological and kind approach, Hawksbee's 'wildamental' vision for gardening offers a beacon of hope for creating a greener lifestyle and sustainable living, rooted in nature, science, and the home-and-garden community.
