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| Are Gardens Important Really? |
The good news is that several people have stepped in to help rebuild her house and put her back on her feet - the benefits of love and community!
Walking through the area today, I am reminded again of the imbalance that we live with on a day to day basis. Its hard to justify the need for spending money on creating gardens (or any art for that matter), when there is so much need around.
But 'imbalance' is probably a good word to use to describe the effect of financial extremes, as well as the difference between the two extremes. I believe a beautiful garden can do more to help restore the spirit, provide inspiration and aspiration, than almost any other art form. And is therefore almost as necessary as food for our bodies. People are at the heart of what we do when we create gardens, but people are multi-faceted and need more than just food.
Its within this framework that I choose to make gardens with little practical function other than food for the soul. But it is truly a careful balancing act that we need to walk, and community is at the core of what we do. The community are the clients we build them for, our staff we work with, the people we care for, and the people who find sustenance in enjoying the beauty of creation all around them.
Its in the context of community that my art finds meaning and value.
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| Poverty is also relative - A satellite dish in an umjondolo settlement! |
4 comments:
In South Africa the First World employs a lot of Third World for its gardens and landscaping.
We are in between, doing most of the work ourselves, but using help for the initial landscaping.
How many extended families, how many people survive - because you create gardens? We, all, need the beauty and support of nature.
I second what Diana says. I recently posted on a decision I made to employ all five the temps working for me, instead of only three. Part of the decision included NOT buying an industrial lawnmower, the purchase and running of which would be near an annual wage for one person. Instead we would continue with two strimmers: slower, more labour intensive, but cheaper and greener. And they agreed that they'd rather lower their individual expectations and see one more family fed. Net result: I am much less pro mechanisation and rationalisation of staff than I was. It is part of my civic responsibility to have the luxury of a large staff, I do no favours by trying to "not exploit the third world divide"... Jack
Thanks Jack and Diana, good reasoning...well put.
Really very nice context with nice pics i really enjoyed your blog thanks for sharing such an nice and useful information..
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