If you visit the Cooroy library during June, you will see another aspect of what’s in YOUR garden.
The past year has provided me with a challenge. In 2024 I took an on-line course in weaving with natural materials by Harriet Goodall. It set me wondering about the potential of the native plants in my own small urban garden.
A dozen seemed worth investigating: Monkey Vine, Bulrush, Sedges, two palms, Pandanus, Lomandra, Milla Millaa Vine, twigs from nearby Eucalypts, Frogmouth, Native Wisteria, Scrambling Lily, Dianella, Cordyline and an unknown wiry climber.
The best part was lots of passive research. The Internet and YouTube took me on a journey to south sea islands with tropical palm creations, Asian bamboo screens, willow sculptures in elegant English gardens and corn dollies that contained the spirit of the harvest. I soon realised that the brilliant fibre artists I watched had been doing it for a looooong time.
The hardest part was coming to terms with totally unfamiliar material and its preparation to just the right stage of pliability. The threat of mould was always there. (Spraying a solution of vinegar/water laced with clove oil helped.)
Gaining enough skill to produce a promised display for Cooroy library by June 2025 was certainly a challenging but interesting exercise. Fortunately my plant information sheets were printable and provide a colourful distraction in the display.
I hope you find the result interesting.
Stephanie Haslam