LANDSCAPE SPRAWL – AN ARTISTIC RESPONSE TO LIVING IN THE ANTHROPOCENE
Edible Estates # 14 / Diary Marie Markman (2012-2014)

Tuesday, 1 May 2012

I have accepted an opportunity to hold a public event at the Aarhus School of Architecture (AAA) concerning Traffic Island Edible Landscape in connection to Art Weekend Aarhus 2012. In this regard I have been offered the chance to invite whoever I find relevant to give a public lecture at the AAA – it is fantastic – but the timeframe is quite constrained, as there is only one month before the scheduled opening. Today I wrote to the American artist Fritz Haeg to say that the AAA would like to invite him to Aarhus, during the first weekend of June 2012 to present his work and to discuss the edible landscape at Noerreport. I really hope this become a possibility, it would be very good to introduce him to the Danish context.

 

Tuesday, 1 May 2012

I received e-mail from Haeg where he thanked me for invitation to come and speak, but unfortunately that particular weekend coincides with the planting of an Edible Estate garden, in Budapest. He suggests letting him know if there is another date that might work. It is not so good to have to write back that the available funds are attached to this event only. I have to write him that I am thankful for his prompt response and that we regret it isn’t possible for him to accept our invitation this time. Good that there is an opening though, I must see if it is possible to get funding and invite him some other time.

 

October 2012 

I have meetings with one of the program leaders at the AAA about offering a course where students have the possibility of working together with Haeg on one of his projects.

 

Wednesday, 24 October 2012

I wrote to Haeg saying that we had a correspondence last spring, where he was invited to give a lecture about his work at the AAA. I write that it is my hope that it will be possible for him to visit Aarhus in spring 2013, and that besides doing a lecture it would be really inspiring if he could do a workshop here at the school, or maybe we could even cooperate with a museum to arrange for the realization of an Edible Estate garden in a Danish setting.

 

Saturday, 27 October 2012

Haeg confirms that he is interested; as for the Edible Estates series he thinks those projects require a much longer commitment, budget, and time frame than what would be possible in Aarhus. He describes how the very few Edible Estates gardens that he creates – usually one a year and each in a different city – first begin with an invitation from a museum or art institution inviting him to do a project, with funding already in place. An announcement is then made that the next garden will be planted in town, inviting interested local homeowners to email photos of their front lawn. He then visits a few of the most promising, and ultimately select one as the site. The planting of the garden is just one part of the project, which also includes communicating the stories of the garden through various media, which are ultimately presented in an exhibition. This may include the production of a video, weekly photography by a local professional photographer, a brochure that is distributed locally and a website, etc. The budget covering the entirety of the project is usually least around sixty thousand dollars. As this particular series of projects is not as easy as just planting a garden, he will consider possibilities that could involve just planting in the city somehow.

 

October 2012 

It seems that May 2013 would be perfect, either 13 –17 or 20 – 24. I write to Haeg and propose that we make one of his Edible Estate gardens or another work of his, depending on what he would find interesting. I suggest we spend four days with students and finally hold a one-day seminar where we set up a discussion based on some of the approaches in the work that we have done.

 

Monday, 29 October 2012

The AAA has advertised that one can apply to the Innovation Fund 2013 for a grant if you have an innovative proposal that is in line with the strategic goals of the school. The deadline is 30 November 2012. A colleague encourages me to apply.

 

November 2012

I finalized the application for the grant application.

 

Monday, 3 December 2012

I submitted my application to the Innovation Fund 2013.

 

Monday, 10 December 2012

I received an e-mail from Haeg that his travel time schedule for spring is firming up and he needs to have the final dates for the visit to the AAA confirmed. I return his message with the answer that by Friday, 14 December, I have a meeting about the funding I applied for and hopefully I will know by then whether the grant will be made.

 

Friday, 14 December 2012

I have had a meeting about my application to the Innovations Fund 2013. It took place in the dean’s meeting room and I was relaxed even though I sat in front of the entire school’s management team. I had arrived directly from a driving lesson. It’s crazy – I use what is the equivalent to a two-day working effort during an hour of driving and am therefore completely relaxed afterwards. I was asked about various things related to my application and I elaborated in the best possible way. Some of the questions posed are along the lines of “Is it a lot of money you have applied for?” or “Is it a little compared to what the school gets?” During the meeting one of the participant’s mobile phones continuously rang. A couple of times the person left the room, apologizing, but it did not make me nervous; I should always take driving lesson just before important meetings. Afterwards I had a good feeling about the meeting, but I consider that it could remove a lot of uncertainty about the realization of the research projects, if the institution had a clearer strategy for financing. On the other hand, I think actually that one must be careful to establish a clear framework for research and that the situation now is an opportunity that I should just embrace and make use of.

 

Monday, 17 December 2012

I wrote to Haeg that I hope it is possible to give him an answer within a few days and otherwise I fully understand if he will make other arrangements! The worst scenario is that I won’t have an answer before mid January.

 

Thursday, 10 January 2013

I received the message that the landscape architect Birthe Urup will assist during the Edible Estates course related to the Innovation Fund 2013 grant application.

 

Tuesday, 22 January 2013

The answer regarding my application for Innovation Fund 2013 arrived. I have been granted the amount requested and can invite Haeg and implement the outlined course and seminar. At a gathering some colleagues spoke about applying for half a million Danish kroner for the organization of a landscape conference and an exhibition. I feel kind of stupid, as I have only budgeted with the fifth of that amount in my application. I remind myself that it simply can’t be true that the costs can be so great. Perhaps this reflects one of the differences between working outside or inside an established institution/system. Later, I talked to Haeg and finally I was able to give him a better sense of the process we will go through. At this point the main concerns are that it won’t be possible for Haeg to visit Aarhus and to plan before setting up the course and making a work of his. We discuss the possibility of selecting a site remotely, where I send Haeg images and a bit of background on each. We decide to see how the initial research goes, and whether I think a visit for site selection will be critical (crucial).

 

Thursday, 7 February 2013.

Today I had a meeting with Birthe Urup about the Edible Estates course. It will be really good to work together with a colleague and for now the challenge is just to find the format of the course where her skills are used in the best way without changing the overall content of what we have received money for.

 

Wednesday, 13 February 2013

Late in the afternoon I visited Skjoldhoejparken to take pictures that can give Haeg an idea about ​​the area. I have beforehand decided to start at one end of Skjoldhoejparken and then just move through the area until I come out at the other end. I have as well decided to walk the path system for pedestrians and cyclists (light traffic). In the morning I photographed in Noerreport (the Traffic Island Edible Landscape). It is quite strange that soon there will be two landscapes to follow. I started the documentation in the southeast corner of Skjoldhoejparken. There is snow and the weather clear. I followed the path system directly north and took pictures of the adjoining areas. The terrain slopes sharply upward. The area where I started the walk resembles a park with a few large trees. As I am passing I turned to take an overall view of the area, and it is significant that there is an amazing view towards Hasle Hills. I moved forward, thinking that I must be systematic so as to give Haeg a good insight into the area; simultaneously I thought that I am probably better at being present. I meet a few people, but only a few. It seems intimidating to stand and photograph people’s gardens, and I tried to be discreet with the camera. The path system is completely linear and in some places I have the impression that it is possible to see from the one end of Skjoldhoejparken to the other. Everything seems as if it is made at a large scale: large lawns, endless hedges, and paths that continues as long as the eye can see. There are no small nuanced plantings or pavements, except where the asphalt is broken or at meeting points between lawns and paved surfaces where a few small plants, which are not grasses, are visible beneath the snow. Maybe it’s because it’s winter.

 

Friday, 15 February 2013

I arranged a meeting with the board of the residents´ association in Skjoldhoejparken. The correspondence started a few days earlier where I sent material about the work of Haeg and to say that the AAA wanted to cooperate with them.

 

Sunday, 17 February 2013

I write to Haeg to say that by Wednesday I will have an appointment with the board of the residents´ association in Skjoldhoejparken along with the three gardeners, who take care of the common areas. I explained that his work has been introduced to them briefly and that they have received links to some of the work he has done. I have also explained that a realization of an Edible Estate is dependent on either a group of people or a family who will realize the piece together with Haeg and the AAA; afterwards they themselves will take care of it. 

 

Wednesday, 20 February 2013

Meeting with the board and gardeners in Skjoldhoejparken. I arrived late afternoon at the house in Skjoldhoejparken where they have their office and their equipment. The atmosphere in the house was familiar and reminded me of the one in the houses of older family members in my own family. I guess that the house hasn’t been renovated since it was built in the sixties, and that it is just the aesthetic of that time. I was offered coffee and a Danish pastry and we sat in the kitchen. I present myself, my work at the AAA and the work of Haeg. We talked about Skjoldhoejparken and they said that they would really like to cooperate, especially with regard to how they could improve their existing plantings. They also proposed that it is not possible for them increase the amount that they presently spend on maintaining the area. I am glad that I have been waking part of the area taking photographs. I recognized many of the areas they are talking about and the way they explain things reminds me that I should not be biased in terms of what is of value. I explained that it surprises me that our gardens often look so similar, even private gardens where we have the possibility of doing whatever we want. We discussed whether it is realistic that a group of people from Skjoldhoejparken would establish a common landscape together with Haeg and the AAA and then afterwards care for it. They were sceptical about making a common landscape with fragile edible plants; they are concerned it will be destroyed, but still they are open-minded about finding a way of doing some edible plantings. At the end of the meeting we agreed to start a collaboration. In doing a landscape in Skjoldhoejparken the major challenge seems to be doing something that the residents themselves will care for after its establishment. Tending the work after the establishment seems to be the work more than anything else – creating an understanding of the maintenance and of people themselves making landscape seems to be the most important and what it essentially this is about.

 

Tuesday, 26 February 2013

Meeting with and+ Centre for architecture, new technology and design. They helped out with some press material last year when I did Traffic Island Edible Landscape, and we discussed how it would be good to do an exhibition about urban farming and gardening. I briefed them about the Edible Estate project. It seemed that they would be interested in that part of the project dealing with the exhibition.

 

Wednesday, 27 February 2013

During a Skype session with Haeg a few days earlier it was decided to do an Open Call and make an Edible Estate garden in Skjoldhoejparken. I received his draft and started translating it into Danish. The board of the residents´ association have offered to hand out the Open Call when they distribute the invitation to the yearly gathering in Skjoldhoejparken residents´ association to be held by end of March 2013. I decide that it is better to do it myself, and use it as an opportunity to get a clear impression of the work ahead while walking the area.

 

Monday, 11 March 2013

I started the household distribution of the Open Call on the road where I completed the photo documentation I previously made ​​to Haeg about Skjoldhoejparken. It’s different this time because I was moving on the roads, whereas I previously used the path system. The sky is clear and sunny and there is a fine layer of snow. The roads are very quiet and in only a few places the silence is broken by people who are getting into their cars to leave the area. A few times during the morning I passed one of the gardeners who salts the roads in the area; on one occasion we wave to each other. I took pictures of all road signs, thinking that it is good, so I can recall where I’ve been, should it become necessary. It was a good feeling to finally be in the area, and I’m glad that I decided to hand out the Open Call myself, as it feels like an important way to get a sense of the area. It seems paradoxical that something so simple is un-payable in the systems we set up for urban planning today. At lunchtime I moved towards houses of the gardeners. They have offered the possibility of eating there and also to use the house and its facilities during my work there. One of the gardeners showed me how I enter the house through the garage if they are not there. We ate our packed lunch and I noticed that they have put a coffee cup at the table for me as well. I became aware that I have been walking a lot and that the sun is quite sharp. It is nice sitting here and I talk to one of the gardeners about a radio documentary made here, where for a week two reporters moved into an empty house in Skjoldhoejparken. He worked here at that time and confirmed much of what was said. During the growing season the labour of one gardener is constantly spent mowing the lawns in common areas.  There are ten kilometres of road systems. We laughed about how they in the radiobroadcast almost built up their search for people in Skjoldhoejparken as a crime report. After lunch I continued the household distribution. I met a few people and I became aware that there are actually no footpaths along many of the roads where I go. Only when I reached connector roads from where I have access to front yards do sidewalks appear. I took my last photo around four pm at Lindøvænget. I was tired when I head home.

 

Tuesday, 12 March 2013

I continued the household distribution that I started yesterday and took my first picture before I walked to the mailboxes on Glænøvænget. I have opened so many mailboxes, but it is actually amazing how little variation there is in the models people choose. I suppose it is the same ten models I meet everywhere. During my walk I noticed old pear espaliers and it makes me really happy and it also makes me think of landscape architect C. Th. Sørensen’s book Untypical gardens for a standard house. What I really like in his book is the reflection on how gardens could be places where each of us could create something that gave us joy and reflected our interests and passions. Gardens as places of making. During the day it occurred to me that not only are the mailboxes are quite similar, it is also the same plantings, the same lawns, the same gravel, the same materials and the same overall aesthetics. Actually it is quite similar to my own private garden ten kilometres west of the Skjoldhoejparken. I knew this, but yet I think I didn’t really grasp it before I experienced it during this walk. There is a certain rhythm in walking through the area and opening mailboxes. At some point I consider making a shortcut through the path system, but decide not to, because I’m afraid of losing track of where I am, as well as of losing the rhythm and the thoughts I have entered. I greeted a few people while passing, but I only meet a few. At some point I wondered whether I should go directly up to people and begin to talk, but it doesn’t seem right. A few times I registered that mailboxes are emptied behind me when I have moved a little past them. I greet most of the people I meet, but nothing new, I guess I always do that when passing another person on a relatively uncrowded street. During the day I became aware that I’m surprised how much the terrain in the area slope. I think I had an idea of feeling like I knew the area, as it was part of the area I grew up in, but it’s different now that I am actually here. Before lunch I passed a garden where I can hear some children’s voices behind the hedge. As a woman moved towards the area where I stood I decided to ask her if she has time to talk with me for five minutes. She responds positively and explains that she and some other childminders from Skjoldhoejparken have a little gathering this day. At various occasions they meet in each other’s gardens, the children play and they talk. She received my open call and I ask if I could come and talk to her and some of the other childminders, about how they use the common areas in Skjoldhoejparken. She called one of her colleagues and over the hedge we agreed to meet on Thursday. It felt like a very important opening and I was happy continuing my walk. At some point I passed an old lady; she looked as if she was on her way shopping and I occurred to me that for resident in Skjoldhoejparken the enormous warehouse, Bilka, is their convenience store.

 

Thursday, 14 March 2013

Meeting with the group of childminders from Skjoldhoejparken. At first I was a bit confused because the meeting took place outside Skjoldhoejparken, actually just next to Hasle Hills and where I grew up myself. It turned out that it as local institution that hosts them. Arriving there the place was quiet and I have difficulties finding the entrance. Finally I bumped into a woman delivering some plants and she led me to the room where the childminders were to be found. There was a quite sceptical atmosphere in the room and I thought it would be good first to break the ice somehow before it at all made sense to talk about cooperating. In a moment I considered myself lucky in having a history of doing art projects that no one had asked for and having to earn my living through doing all kind of jobs, nurturing disabled people, cleaning old peoples houses and helping them out, serving breakfast at budget hotels as well as working night shifts at a security company counting money. You meet a lot of different people in situations you not normally would connect to working in the field of art. We sit around a long table and it is probably the childminders’ first real break during the day, as the children have their lunch nap. Conversation does not going easy. I explained why I have asked for this meeting, about my work at the AAA about the work of Haeg. I asked about whether they have received the Open Call and they respond they have. Still, the conversation was really difficult, and then I asked what they thought. Silence.  Then one asked if I really want to hear her honest opinion. I turned out that she read it and then and threw it out. She felt that it had nothing to do with her; she already had some berry bushes and some fruit trees in her garden. The rest of the group felt the same way and it seemed as a relief to them that it was out in the open now. I replied that this was really bad as it was actually the hope of both Haeg and I that it would be of interest exactly to them. Then we finally began talking about what would be of interest to them. We talked about to what degree they would actually be able to tend a garden or a landscape if we made one together. They responded that it won’t be possible for them to spend time on it during their normal working hours, but that it would be nice if it were just there to visit and use, but then they became sceptical that it would be destroyed. I suggest that if they did something themselves then people would notice that it was done by them, the locals, and the children, and it would be respected. One mentioned that maybe I ought to contact someone in the municipality about this instead of them, and I explain why I have not done so.  And then the conversation opened and they talked about using different places in Skjoldhoejparken, a certain place with fruit trees, a certain place with small “hills” just next to the residents´ association building. One explained about the tunnels in the path systems beneath the roads being real adventures for the small children. The children started to wake up, and we ended the meeting with a very nice atmosphere. I think actually they considered the content of what has been proposed to them now. Though I know it is a conscious choice not to record the conversation I have with people or to photograph them, it is difficult to leave them though.

 

March 2013

At a workplace (AAA) gathering I mentioned to someone that I like the old pear espaliers I have seen in some gardens in Skjoldhoejparken. He does not like them and suggests that they have been on offer in a garden centre at some time. I come to think that they are just one of my preferences, I think what I like is the time they reveal having lived.

 

Monday, 18 March 2013

Today I had a meeting with chief of communication at the AAA about an article for the school’s newsletter about the Edible Estate project. He had read the Open Call and when I tell him about the child-minders’ response to it, he adds that he as well would change it if it were an option. I consider that it might be the tone in the Danish translation that I have gotten wrong. On the way home in the afternoon I received a call from an architect student from Copenhagen who has heard that the AAA is going to establish an edible garden in collaboration with Haeg. She was really eager to participate and asked if it was possible. I thought it was in the spirit of the project and I promise to contact her when we know how the establishment will be carried out. I dared not think too much about the fact we don’t yet have a site to transform.

 

Monday, 25 March 2013

I sent a new version of the Open Call to Anja Thordal, a journalist and radio host at DR East-Jutland P4 (who did the radio broadcast last year from Traffic Island Edible Landscape), in the hope that she will broadcast something about it. I also wrote to the child-minders from Skjoldhoejparken to say that I was very happy to meet with them, and that the Open Call has been modified due to their critique, among others. I also attached a picture of one of the works by Haeg (Edible Estates Regional Prototype Garden #4: London, England) and suggested that maybe that would be a place where they might want to go…

 

Monday, 25 March 2013

No one has reacted to the distribution of the Open Call and I have been invited to introduce the project at the annual general assembly in Skjoldhoejparken residents´ association. The assembly took place in Skjoldhøj Kirke (Skjoldhøj Church). I arrived just in last minute. The chairman of the owner association had started to talk about the agenda and go through the yearly report. I agreed and found a seat next to the two gardeners, and one of them provided a soda for me. I kept thinking that it is not good to arrive late, like I had done. It’s kind of being points behind already from the start! While listening I noticed that there are about fifty people in the room and the average age was actually pretty high. After the annual report the yearly account was presented and then there was selection for the residents´ association board. Then I gave a ten-minute presentation where I explained about the AAA’s cooperation with Haeg. I emphasized that we wanted to cooperate with some residences in Skjoldhoejparken because it would be fantastic if they, as the biggest owner association in Denmark, would lead the way toward new ways of working with landscape. People listened, a few can’t hide their scepticism. After the presentation a discussion arose when one mentioned that even being a owner one is not allowed just to remove one’s hedges around the premises. Another supported this by saying that by rule every parcel must have hedges of the height of one metre and eighty centimetres. Since the Board of the owner association supports the project I suggested that we will/would be able to find a solution, even if it is on municipal level it is to found. Someone asked, “Why don’t you do your project in Gellerupparken?” I explained that this initiative is about creating reflections about urban farming and edibility of landscapes in private housing areas. I also said that for the past ten years a lot of initiatives have been taken in social housing areas, but still we have no or at least a few initiatives in areas with privately owned associations like Skjoldhoejparken. Then a woman my age said that she thinks it is a very good initiative. The meeting ended. As I was leaving, a man approached me outside saying that hopes we find someone to cooperate with; I suggest that maybe we could do it in his garden.

 

Wednesday, 26 March 2013

I received this morning an e-mail from and+ to say that they have been in contact with Elke Krasny who did the Hands-on Urbanism exhibition in Vienna. She said she is interested in bringing a travel version of the exhibition that she showed in Venice during the Architecture Biennale – La Biennale di Venezia (2012) to Aarhus as well as to participate in the seminar. It turned out that she is interested in the combination of education, practice and research. I think I easily can adapt to working in an established institution when things like this are possible!

 

Wednesday, 26 March 2013

I talked to Haeg about how things are going with finding a garden. I told him about the presentation at the general assembly, and that I thought it will require some more work – that Danes can be very reserved people and that I think they need to feel safe in a situation! Haeg responded that it should not be necessary with all the extra work I am doing, that the work should speak for itself and that if the dissemination has been made precisely then the right people should respond! I consider again whether the dissemination actually has been formulated precisely enough! I put forward that I will have to work more consistently on creating an opportunity. Haeg states in reply, “When you have to do so much it is not the right place”. We agree that it is necessary to have a dual strategy: searching Skjoldhoejparken while broadening the open call to the Aarhus area in general.

 

Thursday, 27 March 2013

I receive an e-mail from one of the estate owners in Skjoldhoejparken. She wrote that the Edible Estate project sounds really interesting and wanted to know what one commits to when volunteering. She wrote that their garden is quite enclosed and that she has difficulties imagining that it would be optimal for the project

 

Thursday, 28 March 2013

One of the child minders I had a meeting with wrote that the picture I sent looks really good, and that it is places like this they could use. She wrote as well that the new Open Call is better than the old one.

 

Friday, 5 April 2013

Note to myself: Where is the Edible Estate garden to be established? Write to the chairman of the board in the owner association and ask whether they are interested in cooperating or else you will need to find somewhere else! Other strategy – what is your best your best suggestion? I am kind desperate at this point. My brother in law and his wife have suggested that we transform their garden in Copenhagen but I think it would be wrong as it then easily would be associated with the school of architecture in Copenhagen. And then there is my own garden but I think it would be a wrong signal to send, that I invited Haeg to come and transform my private garden through AAA funding, even it not being the case.

 

April 2013

A colleague from art phoned and wrote that she has been talking to a woman from Aarhus and that she and her family have a perfect front yard that we can transform.

 

Wednesday, 10 April 2013

I received a message from Thordal from P4, the radio station. She has finally had the time to look through the material I sent and she invited me to come by for a radio interview tomorrow. I was so relieved; I think this is the best I could have hoped for!

 

Thursday, 11 April 2013

Radio Interview about the Open Call. I met Anja Thordal at the premises of DR in Aarhus North (Skejby). She was preparing for the afternoon program and only few people were in the studio. It was not possible for me to do the interview live due to another meeting, and Thordal suggested that we just record it in advance. Thordal set up the recording gear and we started talking about the project. I mentioned Haeg a lot of times, as I kept thinking that there must be no uncertainty that the Edible Estate project is his. Then Thordal instructed me that it is very important to keep the talk about the project very straightforward and to focus on this as a project carried out by students from the AAA. Furthermore, that it is students from the AAA who are searching for a family or a group of people to cooperate with. She assured me that Haeg will be mentioned and there will be no doubt that the Edible Estates is his project, but that this way of doing it will make it easier for people to volunteer. When I left about an hour after my arrival I was happy! I think the interview went really well, and she managed to help me describe the Edible Estate project, as straightforward as it is.

 

Friday, 12 April 2013

It is amazing (kind of difficult to believe after all these worries!). At 3.57 pm yesterday I received the first e-mail from a family in Skødstrup offering us their garden for us to transform; another at 7.23 pm from a family in in Odder, at 9.14 pm one from a family in Hammel, and 9.48 pm  a message from a family in Horsens. It felt completely crazy, and at least two of the gardens seem to be perfect. People wrote so openly about themselves and why they want to cooperate. I was kind of high, that the situation totally has changed so much. Today I received one more offer. I think I understand now what Haeg meant when he said that the right family would just respond when hearing about the project.

 

Saturday, 13 April 2013

I received garden proposals from a family in Udbyhøj, one in Skjoldhoejparken, and one in Egå.

 

Monday, 14 April 2013

I received a garden proposal from people in Skanderborg.

 

Wednesday, 16 April 2013

I received a garden proposal from people in Risskov.

 

April 2013

I passed the program leader of the bachelor education in the canteen. It turns out that sixty-five students are to participate in the establishment of the garden. It seems totally crazy. It is important that the students themselves have chosen to attend the course, and I am told that either it was their first or second priority out of five different choices. There is something about the scale and so many people, it’s a considerable challenge to secure enough work for everybody so that we do not end up in situations where people wait around and the students get annoyed because they have too little to do. I am not certain about how to address this, I have too little time for long discussions and I calculate that my time is best used finding a solution so it becomes beneficial that so many students will participate.

 

Sunday, 21 April 2013

I prepared and sent pictures to Haeg.

 

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

I received Haeg’s responses to the pictures of the different gardens. Three of the gardens are deemed ideal for the Edible Estates garden. Two gardens are very visible from the street, unfenced and begin right out the front door of the house. What we needed to find out next was the other critical aspect, interest; the family needs to be very enthusiastic and at least one of them already should have some gardening skills. Also, they must be prepared for the hard work and pleasures of growing their own food, which becomes a bit more of a challenge when it is so public.

 

Wednesday, 24 April 2013

I spoke to the woman from the family in Odder. She sounded really happy and told me that she was hoping we would call. She is a nurse and has to work nightshifts the forthcoming days. We agreed to meet on Friday so I could tell her some more about the project and see the garden. Then she asked about the cost and expense and I told her that the establishment of the garden is financed by the project. I also said that Haeg works according to principles of keeping the cost to a minimum because he feels prototype gardens should resemble something everyone can do easily. We talked about the soil condition in the garden and that if it was not good enough we would change it. I explained that what you agree to as garden owner is to keep a journal of what the prototype garden produces to the first growing season and how you experience it. We ended the conversation and now I am really looking forward to visiting. Afterwards I talked to the women from the family in Hammel and we agreed to meet on Sunday.

 

Friday, 26 April 2013

Meeting in Odder. I arrived there by motor car. It is a recently built area, so recent that it seems it has not even yet become connected to the public transportation net.  There are not so many houses and only a few have things like hedges planted. Only few of the places have new sown grass established. I can imagine an Edible Estate garden there – visually it would really catch one’s eye and from a long distance too because it seems the area is so open. We sat in their kitchen and talked. I showed pictures and explained about the process of establishing the garden, and the continuing work they would have to carry out afterwards. The task was to find out whether they understood the work involved in being an Edible Estate owner. It is important that they have a realistic understanding of the work that they themselves must carry out, so that they don’t get a really bad experience if we transform their garden. They explained that they don’t have a lot of gardening experience, but that they would like to learn. They are young and have small children; she is a nurse and he is a police officer. I feel it brings some hope for the future to imagine an edible garden growing in their estate. We walked outside to see the garden and talk. It was quite a huge area we could transform and it will be quite exposed, I think.

 

Sunday, 28 April 2013

Meetings about the Open Call in Hammel and later in Aarhus. The house in Hammel was also recently constructed, located on a corner plot. We had coffee in their living room and they spoke about their house and how they have put a lot of effort into developing the plan before it was built, so it would be energy sufficient. I explained about the Edible Estate project and about the different parts of the project. They were really keen about it being a project with students. I explained about the work effort connected to maintaining an edible garden.

In the evening I write to Haeg saying that I have visited the families in Odder, Hammel and in Aarhus during the weekend, and that it has been a very good experience. It was decided not to visit the family in Egaa since it turned out that they would fence off some of the garden, and the garden then wouldn’t be visible from the street.

 

Monday, 29 April 2013

The decisions about where to establish the garden have been finalized. I have made the necessary ‘phone calls: the family in Hammel where happy and exited, and still had good conversations with this those not selected. It was difficult though, as I am grateful they volunteered. 

 

Thursday, 2 May 2013

Meeting with and +. We discussed how to make the arrangements balanced so that the participating students both should build up the exhibition physically as well as experience being part of the decision-making in terms of how the Edible Estate garden is represented in the exhibition.

 

Friday, 3 May 2013

I needed to send Haeg details of the fixed elements in his schedule during his week in Aarhus – talks, meetings, etc. – so he knows what to work around and can develop the work/planting schedule. He must also know the number of students available, what their skills might be, and when they’d be available to help. The schedule we have discussed so far is: Monday, May 13th: Meet with family in the morning – develop design, gather materials, plants, etc. Tuesday, May 14th: Gather materials – complete plan. Wednesday, May 15th: Prepare garden, layout design, shape the soil, bring in all materials, etc. Thursday, May 16th: Plant, mulch, etc. Friday, May 17th: conference. I also need to let him know where we might be getting our plants from. He has asked for as much variety and diversity as possible, as he wants to plant some of everything that produces food in the climate here. I need to look into local sources for found/scavenged materials, wood, stone, etc. It is kind of difficult to arrange everything, as it will exclude the participating student from influencing the choices, and I consider this crucial.

 

Wednesday, 8 May 2013

The course has started and it is kind of crazy with all the students. Since yester today the students have worked in Skjoldhoejparken exploring the area. Haeg arrives on Monday and tomorrow we start the preparation. Based on materials from him concerning the different tasks in making the Edible Estate garden, I sent a rough sketch of how the students could be divided into groups. In this way, they will prepare tomorrow and present a strategy for Haeg on Monday when they meet him for the first time. A meeting with Dorte and Carsten Pedersen has been arranged for Monday morning.

 The plan is that the students will be divided into following groups. Photographers are a group of three students who will make a stop-motion film (visit the garden every week to take pictures) from the same point of view – plus good “before” pictures of the site). Videographers are a group of three students who will film the garden making and growing, interview the family periodically, and edit this into a short video telling the story of the garden (Haeg would need to work with them closely on editing). The documenters are a group of three students making drawings and plans of the garden. The builders are five students who could take branches, bamboo, wood, and work on building plant climbing structures, wigwams, etc.  The soil movers are two groups of five students who turn over soil, grade it, mix in manure and amendments and lay on mulch. The planters are two groups of five people who would put the plans in the ground – it is helpful to have a bit of experience on this. The material hunters are ten students who gather and scavenge rocks and wood, etc. for garden use – or anything else they find. The signage group is one of five students who plant labels, garden sign, etc. Finally, the exhibition group, eight students to build up an exhibition with Elke Krasny and and+.

 

Thursday, 9 May 2013

The students chose which tasks they want to carry out and start their preparation for Haeg’s arrival.

 

Friday, 10 May 2013

The students presented what they have prepared for Haeg. During the presentation a discussion started about whether the garden in Hammel will be a big enough in contrast to the surrounding gardens. During their presentations we also discussed that it is important to present to Haeg the materials we use in a Danish gardening tradition, to give him a chance to understand the traditions we work from here. Thus we had an opportunity to reflect on these aspects to influence his aesthetic considerations for the prototype garden we are establishing here.

 

Monday, 13 May 2013

We drove to Aarhus early to pick up Haeg and a few students so we can get to the garden in Hammel, where we have a meeting with Dorte and Carsten Pedersen in the morning. In order not to overwhelm Dorte and Carsten Pedersen completely, only Haeg, four students and I attended the meeting. The Pedersens have set the table for morning coffee and Danish pastries and we talked and saw the garden. Haeg explained his thoughts on the project and the initial ideas he has had about the garden. The Pedersens talked about what matters to them. During the meeting Haeg outlined his overall concept for the garden. I kept in the background and thought that my role now is different now, and about how to fulfil it as well as possible. The meeting ended by deciding on a time schedule for the establishment of the garden in the coming days. The first thing that will happen is tomorrow where a picture of the family in front of their house will be taken. Then we drove back to the AAA where the rest of the students waited and where Haeg was to give a presentation about his work. Haeg drove with the students so they can discuss how to document the project. When I arrived at AAA all the students are gathered in the gym, where we had our things. Haeg was getting ready for his lecture and there was a good feeling that something finally is happening. Dirk Nowak (Nowak) had arrived from Germany and the architect student from Copenhagen had arrived as well. Haeg started the presentation and described his projects, first one in an American context then a global view, and it seems he had the whole room with him. It was perfect to sit surrounded by the work the students have prepared for him.

After the presentation all the students continued their work and Haeg went among the different groups and talked with them, listened to what they have prepared and guided them on how to continue the work. I joined in at the first group discussion, but since there were so many practical things to be taken care of, as well as it somehow seemed a little too passive just to sit in so I decided to continue the practical work and let the students and Haeg discuss together. This meant that I had to take my documentation strategy to collect information from the students extra seriously. So much will happen in the following days that I depend on the information from them in order to get the full picture of the process. I realize that I must more formally addressed questions they have to answer, so I can get an impression of some of the conversations during the work.

All afternoon I spend on coordinating and taking care of practical things related to the establishment of the garden, Haeg’s stay and the seminar. Rather than being able to strategically decide on what tasks it is best to carry out first, the only option is to work my way through as they present themselves. It was a constant feeling of being two steps behind, and I had to remind myself that lack of planning is to blame for this, as it is a deliberate choice to have postponed a lot of decisions to this point to create a situation where the students will get the most influence on the project. Even though I think that the degree of uncertainty actually really is an ordeal for the students at the moment and that one can also question setting up these circumstances to a guest professor, I am happy that there is no time to think about all the things that can go wrong.

Around midnight I sent an email with the following message to the students: “Dear all. Our funding for the prototype garden is linked to a research discussion about landscape, and since I can’t join all the discussions you have (in the groups and with Fritz Haeg) and the work you do, each of you must sum up every day and answer the questions below. You just send it to me as a word document – Wednesday morning you send the answers for Monday and Tuesday and Friday morning you send the answers for Wednesday and Thursday. I hope you will all have good discussions with Fritz. (Questions: 1/ Time documentation and activities (what happened when). 2/ Reflections towards the work and the project. 3/ Other registrations /experiences.)

 

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Breakfast. In the morning I spend time at the AAA together with my colleague Birthe Uhrup helping out the various groups with practical things and decisions to be made based on their conversations with Haeg. Part of this is ordering materials for the garden and arranging transportation. Beforehand the students have asked about their budget, but I have decided that no one has a fixed budget, and that everyone must use as little as possible but make a proposal when they have figured out what they think is important to buy, and then we prioritise. We decided on soil delivery and arranged that the truck that brings the soil afterwards will drive to a nearby gravel pit and collect stones that the group of materials hunters have put aside. The biggest challenge is making the plant list and both Uhrup and I helped the students finishing it.

In the afternoon we drive to Duelund plant nursery with our plant list. In the car were Uhrup, three students and I. We brought the plant list the planters have prepared. It has been hard work to make the list, since it is a new area for many of the students. During the work there were moments where the idea crossed my mind that the challenges facing them were perhaps too big and have not been thought through, but had the list been made ​​beforehand they would have experienced the establishment only physically and not all the choices that had to be made leading up. It is constantly a balance: had there been other collaborators we could have planned in ways so that everything had been less chaotic, but it would have been at the expense of the students’ influence and experiencing a close corporation with Haeg, where he would be dependant on them. The drive seems like a rest and it is much needed.

At the plant nursery we are extraordinarily lucky. A female gardener guided us through the plant nursery, showed everything and answered questions. The students had the list and, in dialogue with the gardener, we make ​​the final decisions about the plants. It all takes a couple of hours and this experience I could wish for all students of architecture – that someone with so much plant knowledge and sense of working with landscape discussed options with them. Leaving, we arranged that all the plants will be delivered directly to the garden in Hammel tomorrow. Driving back to Aarhus we were all in a very good mood.

 

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

The day started with a gathering in the Pedersens’ living room. They have converted their entire living room into a working space and shared their Internet code so that everyone can have access to the internet. It’s hard to imagine that we could have found a more perfect family. I would like to participate in the practical work of laying out the garden but the organization is such a big task alone that I have to prioritize this. We were also far from the 50 students that one would expect would be here by now, but it is difficult to know whether this is because the students are about to complete work elsewhere, or because they simply just are so many and therefore they don’t feel obliged to be here. I spent the first few hours calling and e-mailing around and coordinating – where are they, what is missing, who needs to do what… I made “to do lists” which I continually tick and add new tasks to and these lists continue to be the same length. At one point I found myself using two ‘phones at the same time, and for a moment I saw myself from the outside and thought it’s a joke. I helped with soil and plants but other tasks must be taken care of, and I thought again that I should not have ambitions of doing the practical things in the garden and just accept that I will coordinate and run errands. I thought it probably makes working in the garden easier for Haeg when the process only involves the students and the Pedersen family.

 

Thursday, 16 May 2013

The day starts with a direct interview with P4 Morning radio. Arriving at the garden there was a big car with a satellite on the roof parked outside the Pedersen’s house. A few students have already arrived. We greet and together with Dorte Pedersen and the journalist we went through how the radio interview will be conducted. After the interview the journalist who is the contact at P4 Morning called and she asked if she can ‘phone in the afternoon and make a direct telephone interview to hear if everything has gone as we hoped for. Later on my way to Aarhus to pick up various things the group of builders have made for the garden, there was a call from kunsten.nu (an art portal on the internet) to do an interview about the garden and the seminar. The thought crossed my mind that one must be flexible when making projects like this and be able to both remember to sent invited guests on their way with lunch packages when they have to do fieldwork, as well as be able to make directly transmitted telephone interview and say something fairly qualified. And then I thought no more about this and we talked about the project instead. I explained about the Edible Estate Project by Haeg and about why the AAA has invited him to Aarhus. I talked about biodiversity and how vast landscapes of gardens could improve it. It felt really good and easy to explain about someone else’s project in this way; it was actually easier than talking about works I have defined myself. Maybe it is the Danish tradition that one should be careful not to be too enthusiastic about one’s own excellence. The sign had been painted and the last things fell into place. Finally, we took a picture where we all stood together in the front of the garden. Just as the group picture was to be taken there is a call from P4. I walked away from the group to get a little distance, considered the scenario and the day, and then I’m on. I was asked if we had finished and I explained about the picture that was just taken and that everything has fallen into place. It was all done with a rather euphoric tone. When we subsequently have packed things away I drove back to the AAA to check that everything was okay with the exhibition and meet Elke Krasny, who had arrived. I had a few students in the car but they head off for different places before reaching the school. These drives are really good, kind of peaceful and yet there is time to listen to the students. Back at the AAA the exhibition is looking promising. The students in the exhibition group have done ​​the practical work of setting up the Hands-on Urbanism exhibition that Krasny has made and taken with her to Aarhus. They have also made an installation of the establishment of the garden in Hammel consisting of a stop-motion film documenting the plantings, the plan of the garden which was drawn after the garden was made, seeds and plant samples and pictures. In the exhibition they have also incorporated the stop-motion film about the construction of Traffic Island Edible Landscape and though the landscape has faded a lot it is still there at Noerreport, just outside the exhibition space. I’m glad that it got weeded and cleared of rubbish last weekend. I left the exhibition space, as I needed to prepare a seminar introduction and how I will structure the concluding panel discussion.

A colleague from the AAA joined me to see the garden and I am quite touched that he has taken the drive. He was curious about how the students have reacted to the aesthetics of Haeg and I explain about the questions that they raised beforehand. It seemed they accepted these when he arrived here and explained his projects and motivations.

 

Friday, 17 May 2013

Seminar. Dinner in the evening.

 

Saturday, 18 May 2013

Spent the day with Elke Krasny. Discussed the Exhibition. Drove to Hammel to see the edible estates garden. Afterwards we visited Lystrup and meet artist Tanja Nellemann Poulsen and Rikke Hansen. In the evening we met Grete Aagard. On Saturday Elke Krasny will travel through Copenhagen on her way to Vienna and there meet artist Marianne Jørgensen.

 

June 2013

Received a letter dated May 31, 2013 and a USB stick with hundreds of pictures from Nowak.

Transcription of the letter:  “Hej Marie. Wasn’t it amazing how fast everything came together, during a few days, hours, even minutes? You were busy all the time, so I hope the photos will help you to follow the development – from the first meeting to painting the sign on the completed site… The inspiration I got from all our work, the tails in my car, at the seminar, during dinner, is still driving me forward. There was a lot of interesting people’s mind-set that you had brought together! The things I have learned from all these experiences will certainly be integrated in my future projects. It would be wonderful to see how the “estate” develops. Will you send a picture of how it looks in August to everyone? (And I am pretty sure they will make a fabulous strawberry cake… I would like to have a piece of that as well) If your PhD falls into strawberry season this would be a perfect argument to come and visit again! All the best wishes go to you and greetings to everyone. Yours Dirk (on a rooftop in Karlsruhe)”

 

Wednesday, 5 June 2013

I was in the garden for the first time since it was established, taking pictures. It was strange to be back, and amazing how everything has grown. With me I brought a graphical instruction from one of the students in the group of photographers describing which locations I should use to take the photographs for our time-lapse. The Pedersens have said that I am free to visit the garden whenever I want, but it is balance not to invade their privacy. 

 

Saturday, 8 June 2013

I received the first draft of the article for the ecological magazine. I thought it was is really fine as it described the process of making the garden and hopefully it will inspire others. I have often wondered why there is so little communication / exchange between the different spheres of visual art and architecture and as well between ecologists and landscape architects. I am really happy about this article.

 

Sunday, 9 June 2013

I received an e-mail saying that the article is not finished anyway. The editor of the magazine wanted the perspective of the article to take the form of a review rather the just being descriptive. They have found that some of the work carried out was not, as they describe it, coherent with good agricultural practice, and they cannot overlook this from their professional perspective. I am quite astonished; I am so bored with this kind of discussions about professionalism. We have them in art, in landscape architecture.  I think all they ever do is create a barrier for discussing the real content, the discussions that could open new perspectives.

 

Tuesday, 11 June 2013

I receive the new draft of the article. The last section has been changed, noting that the things that are critiqued are something we can revise, as they find the overall aesthetics of the garden very good. I was furious and scared. I am convinced that we have made a good job but, of course, there can be things to critique when doing a garden like this, but it makes no sense to me thinking that one should be a professional to make a beautiful ecological garden (and beautiful because it also has the function of providing living conditions for small animal, humans as well as providing things to eat).

 

Tuesday, 11 June 2013

I wrote back to say that is okay to write that things in the garden can be improved. I said also that the interesting thing for me would be if the article then had the perspective of saying that a few things were adjusted by their help and that together we can actually make really good things if we cooperate.

 

Saturday, 15 June 2013

The article was redrafted, as they won’t write it as the original hands-on article, but rather make a review. They will notify the Pedersens as they had promised to come by with some copies of the magazine. I thought about the inconsistency in this – me claiming openness and then creating a situation that leads to this situation where the article is not published because the work is critiqued. One perspective being whether or not just accepting them publishing what they want is manipulating research results. Bad press is better then no press, they say – would it be better to let them run the article and then start a discussion publicly? But I can’t overlook this, and I am furious because they changed the condition we originally agreed on. And the Pedersens: it is a really bad situation if in a situation representing the AAA I seem to do really unqualified work and a family who trustfully volunteered to cooperate is enrolled in this.

 

Friday, 21 June 2013

I met Carsten Pedersen in the bus. We talk about the garden and he tells me that with pleasure he is nipping out weeds. He says that he never had thought it possible that he would find pleasure in this, but that it really is enjoyable.

 

Tuesday, 25 June 2013

I was in the garden to take pictures.

 

Thursday, 4 July 2013

We met in Hammel to review the garden with Duelund plant nursery.

 

Autumn 2013

I need to take the final pictures of the garden and make an interview with the Pedersens to complete the video about the garden. I had an appointment with the Pedersens so I can come by and interview but unfortunately we had to cancel it and it has be impossible to reschedule. I received the most perfect pictures from the Pedersens. It is so uplifting to see how the garden has been used.

 

Sunday, 23 February 2014

Final interview. Dorte Pedersen has finished the diary and I received a copy.

 

Sunday, 27 April 2013

I drove by the Pedersen’s with a copy of the text she gave me back in February. Leaving I noticed that Carsten Pedersen is in the garden digging.

 

Spring 2014

I have to finish the editing the documentary, as unfortunately it will be an even bigger work to instruct someone else in how to do it then actually do it myself.

 

Sunday, 15 June 2014

I received the final diaries from Dorte Pedersen and the message that she was in the garden half an hour ago cutting a bush when someone approached her saying “You have taken your sign down…Is it not an edible garden anymore?” Dorte Pedersen explained that the person had passed last year and said that he was looking forward to see how the garden would evolve. She comforted him by saying that even if the sign was gone it was absolutely their plan that the edible garden should continue, and they talked about the projects while he tasted some of the garden’s edible flowers.

 

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