“On the Edge”
Getting our ‘ducks in a row’ for sprucing up the Secret Garden border alongside the Bloemgracht canal.
“If you want a thing done well, do it yourself” said Napolean Bonaparte
once self-proclaimed “Konijn” – Rabbit of Holland, who despite conquering Holland, failed to master the tricky Dutch language. However small in stature, Napolean was big on gardening which provided a retreat from the battlegrounds of war and politics.
The Secret Garden whilst pint-sized like Napolean, belies the tumultuous events and battle of wits from start to finish. Following the glory of the guerrilla garden land-grab, our secret gardening heroes required much needed liquid replenishment at Café Chris Headquarters, and a few days’ rest.
Now, fully recovered from the victory celebrations, the serious back-breaking work begins in earnest. Garden edging rather handily stops clumsy people and bicycles crushing our plants, and is a divisive topic marking the way to a heated debate amongst our revolutionary Secret Gardeners.
The Secret Garden is a hotbed power struggle of landscaping and horticultural prowess. Will it be the sharp, classical lines of marbled ceramic tiles, or wonky, rustic wooden edging? The latter wins as a spritely Secret Gardener realises her son’s generously donated her kitchen tiles, and reclaims them.
Surveying the result of a sudden burst of activity from a resident student, the quality is deemed an eyesore for the critical gaze of one of our Secret Gardeners. “Edging is the finishing touch. It’s like Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’, the earring rounds-off this beautiful painting”, he says as he takes the task in hand to meticulously redo the work.
Our Secret Garden is now a landscape painting springing to life, the garden edging gently undulates and blends with the Bloemgracht canal backdrop.
