the day the film crew came

There were four men in the garden: director James, camera man Mark, sound man Graham and Stephen, front man and host of the show.

The result of the day’s filming will be seen in a few weeks time as a five-minute segment of ABC TV’s Gardening Australia.

It was an interesting novel experience for me. I love talking about the garden, but after a few hours my brain turned to mush and I can’t be sure what I said.

It was a bit weird seeing the garden through other people’s eyes. What they found unusual I find perfectly normal.

Like growing whatever works in whatever configurations I like. Apparently many people neatly divide their plants into categories like edibles vs. ornamentals or natives vs. exotics. I have spent years carefully working out how to make plants look as if they were chaotically, randomly, accidentally - yet perfectly - placed.

I wasn’t surprised that they found my possum - welcoming attitude and activities intriguing. People hate possums so much that I hope I won’t get death threats after the program. Or worse: I hope the possums in my garden won’t be at risk once their cover has been blown.

The next day I realized that two juvenile Eucalypt leucoxylon trees had grown sufficiently to have their stakes removed. Looks much nicer now, but I am reminded that each day is a snapshot of a real garden changing in time. Perfection is the goal, a hypothetical end point in what is an endless garden making process.

I had another realization that day, thanks to a remark by Stephen. The Wollemi pine in the front garden is not in a suitable position. With a potential height of 20 metres (60 feet!) it has no place in my suburban garden. So I am offering it to anyone who can promise it a good home. Already I visualize the front garden without it.