She’s exhausting, but Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is on the cutting edge of wokeness. It was way back in 2019 when she argued that the reason community gardens fail is that we look at them through a “colonial lens.” Minorities keep trying to start community gardens, but then some white yahoo goes and colonializes the whole thing by planting cauliflower, a white person’s vegetable, instead of yucca.
It was actually the end of November when James Wong wrote a piece for The Guardian on the politics of gardening and the inherent racism in the U.K. gardening scene. “If you believe gardening should be a politics-free zone, you don’t consider it a form of art on a par with music, sculpture or cinema, but instead just a sort of frivolous pursuit of decoration,” he wrote, apparently inspired by an incident about five years ago when he was observing at a flower show “a design inspired by the issues facing displaced peoples around the world.” He writes:
That “native” or “heritage” are often used as a byword for “better” in UK gardening, even if the plants given this accolade aren’t actually either, reflects and reinforces inescapably political ideology. In fact, the very idea that politics should be kept out of gardening is itself a resoundingly political statement, as it dismisses the status quo as apolitical, objective reality and anything challenging it as inapposite “activism”.
That inspired a recent Twitter conversation with Ed Wall, head of landscape architecture urbanism at the University of Greenwich.
Gardens are denied their political agency because they too often reveal uncomfortable politics of individual ownership, spatial inequity, & unsustainable practices. There needs to be more honest conversations about gardens in the UK! https://t.co/vxhoqjyOnG @Botanygeek @guardian
— Ed Wall (@eddwall) December 12, 2020
Indeed!
Absolutely U.K. gardening culture has racism baked into its DNA.
It’s so integral that when you point out it’s existence, people assume you are against gardening, not racism.
Epitomised, for example, by the fetishisation (and wild misuse) of words like ‘heritage’ and ‘native’. https://t.co/V33PozV2HU
— James Wong (@Botanygeek) December 12, 2020
I was once asked to present a planting concept for E London to a room of (100% white) critics.
Feedback was that international planting ‘didn’t fit the area’ and I ‘should do native wildflowers’
The site was founded by Romans & an immigration epicentre for +2,000 yrs.
— James Wong (@Botanygeek) December 12, 2020
The idea of field of ‘wildflowers’ (they ironically meant non-native cornfield weeds) was ‘more in keeping with the area’ is not just historically fucked.
It also is predicated on often unconscious ideas of what and who does and does not ‘belong’ in the U.K.
— James Wong (@Botanygeek) December 12, 2020
That’s before the ‘advice’ to me afterward about how I could make it more ‘fitting’ the ‘British’, ‘genius loci’.
And that I had a ‘lot to learn’, not about horticulture (they were all planners and architects) but about Britain.
I was born like 2 miles away from the site.
— James Wong (@Botanygeek) December 12, 2020
This is the kind of exhausting shit you have to go through everyday if you work in U.K. horticulture.
Unless of course you internalise these unquestioned (often unconscious) ideas that are predicated in large part on a bedrock xenophobia and racism.
— James Wong (@Botanygeek) December 12, 2020
Working in U.K. horticulture can be mentally and spiritually exhausting.
I believe it’s precisely this stuff that holds gardening back from being treated on par with other forms of high art, like painting, music & film.
And excludes huge swathes of society from enjoying (and contributing) to the enormous creative potential.
Meaning we all miss out.
— James Wong (@Botanygeek) December 12, 2020
Can you imagine this mindset in, for example, fashion?
“No, no, that smart Italian suit isn’t in keeping with the local area or British genius loci.
Have a Celtic headdress, a scythe and this Boudica costume.’
That’s literally the equivalent.
— James Wong (@Botanygeek) December 12, 2020
Makes you think.
This is one of the most ridiculous things I have read in a good while.
— Crosspatch (@VictorB123) December 13, 2020
Fuck!
This is actually genuine, I thought it was another parody – it’s getting so hard to tell these days— Marky Mac (@real_marky_mac) December 12, 2020
I thought he was going on some sarcastic rant. Then I realised that he wasn't.
I have no words.
— Clarence Flanagan (@CR_Flanagan) December 12, 2020
When it’s still in my garden I’m sure I can hear my conifers humming white supremacy rock tunes.
— Lady Es (@casuallyattired) December 12, 2020
Exactly. I spoke to my garden and it’s horrified and is now asking for its own party.
— Natasha (@natashalakic) December 13, 2020
There is no new idea here. Just an old, tired idea being thrashed long past its point of inanition. This “everything is political and we are all racist” trope would embarrass the bore at any local pub.
— Ross Baglin (@ross_baglin) December 13, 2020
Funniest thing I’ve read all morning, this gives @TitaniaMcGrath a run for her money
— Joshua Patchett (@PatchettJoshua) December 12, 2020
I'm looking forward to a new fad of intersectional gardening ?
— ABCWorrier (@ABCWorrier) December 12, 2020
Someone’s been at the fertiliser again
— gerry oliver The silent majority ??????? (@gerryoliver1) December 12, 2020
I was laughing along with this, eagerly waiting for the punchline, and then the slow, agonising realisation dawned that this wasn't satire.
— Steve QJ (@steevqj) December 12, 2020
I've always thought that the removal of Japanese Knotweed was steeped in racism, but didn't know how to highlight this. Thank you for creating this thread.
— Andy_?????????♻️ (@Andy72726059) December 12, 2020
Your article reads like you've a desire to see gardening recognised as an art form comparable to others but you attribute other art forms' success to their politicisation so you've somehow concluded the key to achieving parity is to politicise gardening too.
Very sad.— The Real O'Neil (@NeilView) December 12, 2020
Imagine finding problems that don't exist in something like gardening
— Atanarjuat (Dissolve the CIA) (@rstnghmcdfce) December 13, 2020
I'm pretty right wing and anti-immigration. You'd certainly consider me racist.
I'm also interested in heritage vegetables.
I've honestly never connected the two, heritage varieties come from all over the world.
Maybe I'm so racist they're bound up subconcsiously in my mind.— GammonBot (@mingmingmung) December 12, 2020
Gardening. It’s a simple pleasure involving getting your hands muddy with soil whilst wielding a pair of secateurs that is enjoyed by millions of people. That is all.
— Claire Nottage (@claifolk) December 13, 2020
All the other fields of wokism must be exhausted, that you have to pick this one to find racism in.
— Erick Parker (@trailer_parker) December 12, 2020
There's strong gardening culture amongst the ethic minorities where I live. Many are adept at utilising hydroponic gardening methods to grow plants in their attics. Some are even so popular, people turn up throughout the day to buy small cut offs.
— Barry Tone (@YorksBaritone) December 13, 2020
You're the reason why in your country and mine nationalism and illiberalism are on the rise. Not to censure you, I can't, but consider that it's too intrusive what you're saying: that it's ludicrous to object to people gardening on their private property. Really. Patently absurd.
— Chaz Mena (@florida_tommy) December 13, 2020
They’re coming for our gardens now!
— Syllabub (@fargreenhills11) December 12, 2020
Give gardens the vote! ?
— ???????English Rebel – Kingdom of England (@TheEnglishRebel) December 13, 2020
How about keeping politics out of gardens? Mine is my place of peace, where I grow food to eat, where I chase and play with my dog. If you have an issue with me having a garden, it says more about you than me! Next you'll be taxing them!
— Captain Y Fronts (@Capt_Y_Fronts) December 13, 2020
I've given my garden a good talking to and it's promised to do better in future.
— Richard Disney (@RichardDisney) December 12, 2020
Just profoundly exhausting. https://t.co/Ctp6KrCJsy
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) December 12, 2020
Wearing us down is part of the plan.
— Dennis (@spongeworthy2) December 12, 2020
Related:
This is your BRAIN on critical race theory –> Headline from The Root about straight black men is straight-up racist AF https://t.co/deA5IBrXoc
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 2, 2020
Join the conversation as a VIP Member