Happy Spring Equinox!
To welcome Spring—especially this exact Spring in the US—practicing re-enchantment in our world seemed exactly the right focus. I think this is part of what Gardeners do: practice enchantment or love with the natural world we care for.
To bring us into this focus, we're in conversation this week with Brooke Williams - a naturalist, conservation ecologist, thinker, observer, and walker. Brooke is also the author most recently of "Encountering Dragonfly Notes on the Practice of Re-Enchantment".
Based in the Great Salt Lake region of Utah with his wife, acclaimed writer Terry Tempest Williams, Brooke's writing is often about evolution, consciousness, and his own adventures exploring both the inner and outer wilderness in our world. He was born and raised in the Mormon community and faith, and in our conversation he talks about how he and his wife, in their 20s, went in search of a life of meaning, love, and faith beyond their traditional church.
The dragonfly is a universal symbol of miraculous and magnificent transformation, from a long-lived water creature in its first 3 years of life, to the shorter-lived iridescent winged creature we are familiar with in and around our gardens in summer. Brooke shares the importance of adapting and evolving to our ever-changing circumstances as a species.
Dragonflies are of course among our favorite and most enchanting of companions in the garden—our built-in pest control for other insects such as mosquitos; predators who are not themselves pests in our lives. Squadrons of dragonflies patrolling the garden or wild lands in Summer are symbols everywhere of transformation and balance. For the ecological and symbolic importance of Dragonflies to our human lives, and in celebration of the transformational power of Spring to us Gardeners, I am so pleased to welcome Brooke to Cultivating Place.
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All Photos courtesy of Brooke Williams. All rights reserved.
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JOIN US again next week, when guest host Abra Lee continues our celebration of Women’s History month in conversation with garden leader, Mae Lin Plummer. Director of the IDEA Center for public gardens at the Denver Botanic Gardens. That's right here, next week. Listen in!
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supporting initiatives that empower women and help preserve the planet through the intersection of environmental advocacy, social justice, and creativity.
Thinking out loud this week...
Hey, it's Jennifer-
Thinking out loud on this Spring Equinox. One of the two days in the year when we have equal amounts of darkness and light, of rest and activity (in theory). To be speaking about spirit, and enchantment with Brooke Williams on this day in particular feels right to me. I think as Gardeners with a capital G we are more fortunate than most as a result of our access to the balance and the enchantment/engagement/learning and loving our Gardens and gardening practices offer us. We see the dragonflies, the damselflies, the butterflies, the hummingbirds, and if we are lucky and healthy the frogs and toads and lizards and snakes too.
We know we are never alone but always companioned and mentored by the
plants and their wildlife that make our lives wildly good. …. that still small voice of whomsoever god is to you….on how to live a life of meaning and service…hear it, thank it, listen to its direction from your garden and in your garden – radiating out into the rest of your life.
Despite the constant refrain of “we’re doomed” all around us in seemingly all arenas, I laughed out loud when Brooke shared the story of the student asking WS Merwin how to write a poem that makes a difference in the world. I thought to myself—I want someone to tell me how to plant a garden, to care for and live with a garden that makes a difference in the world….and we do that, I believe instinctively—from love and calling.
And in many ways, Cultivating Place actually IS that garden in addition to my largely native, fully organic garden around my small home, I don’t garden because we’re doomed, but because I love my garden, and I love all that my garden brings me and teaches me about the whole world and both the inner and outer wilderness of my life. I want that same relationship for everyone….including you.
In PGAs this week, first up—some truly moving storytelling and stewarding in the form of words this week—words about plants that make a difference in the form of an essay from Ibe Liebenberg—an Azalea in Paradise. Please find the link to the full essay HERE. Ibe and his partner Alexandra Matteucci both teach in the English Department at California State University Chico. And,
they use the Cultivating Place podcast in their English 130 classes to invite students to think about place-based writing! This piece exemplifies some of these ideas and practices.
This piece centers on Ibe’s experience firefighting in Paradise, CA, while exploring his relationship to fire following native plants after the 2018 campfire. He has some photos of local plants included in the online publication as well. I know many folks are grappling with the impact of actual fire, but also symbolic fire-like destruction on our native landscapes at this time. Ibe and Alexandra shared it with me in the hope this journey of plant resiliency on these brief pages brings readers some hope and solace, and I share it forward with all of you with the same hope!
Here are some additional Public Growing Announcements:
A new book is out soon from the Wild Seed Project in Maine–Gardening for Biodiversity. This group does tremendous work, and no matter where you garden, it will be full of good ecological information and inspiration.
Also, from a favorite writer/thinker/Photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo a new book dedicated to the Rose because you all know I LOVE roses–the native, the nicely introduced, mostly: the fragrant and hippy! Haha. Ngoc is the national speaker for the Garden Conservancy this year and her events around the nation will focus on this new book–her research and her own reflections.
I was recently gifted a beautiful book from a friend in
Maria Wilcox. It originally came out in 2007 and I am enjoying every
second and herb it covers. Thank you, Tina Marie–your book is a
blessing to me.
This year’s Bioneers Conference takes place March 27th through the 29th in Berkeley CA and the lineup of speakers looks outstanding–if you can go–let us know what you take away! If I wasn’t speaking in Pueblo CO that weekend for a native plant symposium by Master Gardeners there, I would be in Berkeley!
Also, down in LA – the Theodore Payne Foundation is hosting their
amazing native plant garden tour again this year on April 5th and 6th–it
is always educational and community building–it's self-guided and features 34
stunning gardens across Greater Los Angeles, each highlighting the unique ways native plants conserve water, support biodiversity, and offer year-round beauty. Whether you’re looking for design ideas, love seeing pollinators in action, or want a gorgeous weekend outdoors, this tour is for you!
And don’t forget, the longer you can wait to tidy up your garden in spring the more pollinating insects and friends you care for to maturity! Relax a few weeks longer friends!
We grow the world better if we’re doing this right. Never forget that. And Happy Spring! (or Fall to those of you on the other side!)
WAYS TO SUPPORT CULTIVATING PLACE
Cultivating Place is a co-production of North State Public Radio, a service of Cap Radio, licensed to Chico State Enterprises. Cultivating Place is made possible in part listeners just like you through the support button at the top right-hand corner of every page at Cultivating Place.com.
The CP team includes producer and engineer Matt Fidler, with weekly tech and web support from Angel Huracha, weekly communications support by Sheila Stern and Carley Bruckner, transcripts by Doulos Transcription, and regular guest hosting by Abra Lee and Ben Futa. We’re based on the traditional and present homelands of the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of the Chico Rancheria. Original theme music is by Ma Muse, accompanied by Joe Craven and Sam Bevan.
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