Andrew Parkes (Poetry School)Our Mixed Borders poets have been working hard in their resident gardens, tilling the imaginative soil to cultivate new poems and activities for the fast-approaching Open Garden Squares Weekend, on June 17-18. Here’s a quick peek over the garden fence, so you can see some of the ideas coming into bud:
Nicola Jackson is making seed packet poems in Montagu Square, and is also incorporating a huge list of local domestic service workers’ names from the 1871 census into her writing.
Selina Rodrigues has been devising a poetic ‘what’s your ideal garden’ quiz in the Red Cross Garden, and has been making connections with the other community gardens.
Hamizah Adzmi is thinking about childhood memories associated with Ashworth Mansions Garden and is organising a poetic lucky dip for the weekend.
Joanna Ingham will be writing triangular poems in the Triangle Garden, and will be encouraging her visitors to do the same to add to her poetry bunting.
Steph Morris has been creating poems from the menus on the café tables at The House of St Barnabas Garden and – as St Barnabas is the patron saint of encouragement – is going to encourage visitors to write a garden haiku.
Andrea Robinson is planning lots of mini readings in the Share Community Garden, and will be chalking poems on paths and (possibly) carving poems on squashes.
Frances White has been writing lots of small fragmentary poems on stones for people to make and remake in the Woodville Day Centre Garden, and is thinking about displaying some crocheted forget-me-nots.
And that’s just some of the fruits that will be available for harvest over this weekend! So on June 17-18 be sure to don your wellies, sharpen your pruning shears and head down to these open gardens to reap the delicious crop!
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