I think it would be interesting to consider the link between
gardening and colonialism. Although I don't know much about the
history of gardening in the colonies, I think it had many overtones of
attempting to create a sense of home-away-from-home (e.g. an English
country garden with lawns and flower beds rather than the rugged untamed
landscape). In doing so, indigenous/native plants were ironically the
plants that became out of place.
Aside from the deconstructive analyses we could bring on this process
(e.g. the taming/ ordering/ civilizing objectives in colonial projects) I
can identify at least two more immediate tragedies that resulted from
the introduction of foreign species. The first is that colonists and
their descendents have missed out on the wonderful biodiversity the
indigenous plant material has to offer. In KwaZulu/Natal (South Africa)
alone, there are in the order of 700 indigenous tree species (as opposed
to Europe's 60 odd). Yet most gardeners prefer to plant trees from
elsewhere because they don't know about this fantastic material.
The second tragedy is that the introduction of exotic plants is having
detrimental effects on the ecology. Unlike the indigenous plants which
evolved to suit the conditions, exotic species can spread with few 'natural'
limitations, can be more demanding on limited water reserves, and
worst of all are not useful ecologically to the local fauna. Gardens
comprising exotic plants and lawns have been described as 'green
deserts' because of their very low ecological value.
Within this context it is interesting that there are growing
movements throughout the postcolonial world to eradicate 'aliens' and
promote indigenous gardening. Maureen Fordham's message suggests that
there are similar movements in the UK, and while she feels that uncritically
demonising exotics here is problematic, I see it as entirely healthy
process in places like South Africa. It represents a long overdue
recognition of the aesthetic and other values of indigenous plants in
SA, and, to an extent, a rejection of colonial projects on that land.
If the promotion of native species at the expense of exotic ones is a
kind of nationalism (a thought in one of David Wood's messages),
then it is an entirely appropriate nationalism for South Africa.
If anyone knows of any references on indigenous gardening movements
(also happening in places like the US and Australia), I would like to
hear about them.
Richard
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RICHARD BALLARD - Contact Details
University
ADDRESS: Geography Department, University of
Wales Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP
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