Still kickin’ on…

“Still Kickin’ was given to me when I was pregnant with my oldest—- sorry, only baby, who is now 6 months old. I left it at a friend’s place & it has suffered a lot – but there’s one beautiful pink & green leaf, very new & shiny, still going!”

Emma, Redfern

Alex’s succulent

“This plant came to live with us and is now very happy.”

Alex, Marrickville

Charlotte’s Garden

“Even though I don’t have a garden nature has provided me with these plants that never seem to die, they need very little looking after. I am 83 years old and I have lost much agility that is required to look after a garden. Therefore these evergreen succulents provide me with much pleasure and will do so in the years that I have ahead of me.”

Charlotte, Bondi

Talking about the Hanging Gardens

by Underbelly Public Arts Lab and Festival

Artists: Makeshift and Nobody
Editor: Dylan Behan
Mostly filmed by: Dom Santangelo
Music: Meem

Privet rave

One Bonsai Privet’s Story

“Twenty-five years ago I was removed from a chook pen in postcode 2454
and put in a pot.

What could I do to stop it? Nothing.

What have I done about it? Adapted

The carer is not so smart and endlessly resists the reality of being
root bound in a pot.

But we Privets are hardy, so I soldier on, or endure, as a less war
like species would probably say.

If they could.

And it’s not all bad. I listen to Bach, and am treated with moderate
respect.”

Paula, Redfern

chiara’s tale

This plant was left on the desk one early morning.
We loved the presence of a little jumping spider!
Grazie Chiara!

FRA ‘N CESCA

“Fra ‘n Cesca are my two little succulents! They have been living with us since the day I went out to Glebe’s market to find a present for my sister’s birthday – I got her a pendant and two plants for me on that day.

My sister’s name is Francesca (Fra n Cesca) and she loves succulents! Back home, in Milan, Italy she has at least 20 different types of these plants and it was a tradition for me to bring her a little succulent on my way back from every travel. Now I am in Australia. I have been living in Sydney for 15 months and I miss her really heaps, but unfortunately I haven’t go back yet. That’s why I have Cesca ‘n Fra in my house…I’ve shown their pics to the “real” Francesca, and she loves them (Cesca is her favourite). They are lovely little succulent, that remind me of my younger sister! I love them!”

Chiara, Redfern

Lucas’s tale

Mama Cactus

“On new years eve, 2001, a bunch of us went for a big bike ride
around to lots of different parties – in Darlinghurst, Surry
Hills, and Glebe. We figured it was a good way to get around
town because public transport and taxi are a nightmare on
new years, and it’s fun to ride in a pack, getting a little
drunker. Towards the end of our night (maybe half past three)
we were riding through Glebe. Jane was there, and Sara Sauce
and Elaine I think. We stumbled across a party which we hadn’t
known about and just popped in. Everyone loves a few extra
guests on new years. I remember meeting Lisa Pryor at this
party, she writes urban reports for the Herald now days, and I
talked to her about her unreal estate project. As we were
leaving near the wooden fence outside this Glebe house I
spotted the embryo of Mama Cactus – just a fragment in the
dust. I picked it up and shoved it in my pocket. A few days
later I discovered the fragment again, when I put it through a
load of washing. It was looking a bit shriveled but I found a
terracotta pot and shoved it in anyway, and put it on my
windowsill. It lived on the windowsill for ages without
anything happening, but one day a bud appeared (maybe a few
months later) and from then on it began to take off. The new
bud was so youthful and bright green in comparison with the
shriveled original stub. I really liked this cactus. Every
couple of months a new bud would appear on top of the latest
one. I took the cactus with me to Adelaide when I did an artist
in residence at the experimental art foundation. The cactus
traveled on the dashboard of the transit van. After a while
bits began to drop off the cactus. I shared these into new
pots and they continued to grow. One of these I gave to Elena
for her birthday in 2004. Jane and I painted “ELENA’S PETITE
CACTUS” on the side of the pot. but now Elena’s Petite Cactus
is much larger than her mum, and Elena tells me that the E.P.C
has itself given birth to many offspring.

The End.”

Lucas, Petersham.

See below for Elena’s Tale