Caroline Fox
Last year, 2009, was traumatic for a number of reasons so I decided to listen to that small still voice and retreat into the sanctuary of my garden to escape the chaos that had gradually filled my head.
I looked at my garden anew and decided to think of it as a canvas on which I would attempt to paint a kind of dream space and fill it with huge blowsy plants, dramatic colour, fragrance and ravishing foliage. I decided to indulge myself! I employed energy and uncompromising standards as I consciously adopted as my mentor (unbeknown to him), Monty Don of “Gardeners World ” fame. He is known for insisting that “Attention to detail is the prerequisite to a perfect garden” ….. and these words echoed in my ears with increasing regularity whenever I found myself flagging or losing heart. (The garden had become much neglected due to my recent cancer and the after effects of chemo.)
I had almost completed my canvas when a passing remark from one of my husbands patients encouraged me to approach The NGS (National Garden Scheme.) As a result, I became accepted into the NGS Yellow Book, then had photographers come from magazines including the very oldest gardening mag, “Garden News”. We opened our garden for charity in July this year. Some weeks ago, “Gardeners World Live” came for a day’s filming and my garden will be featured in 2011.To the right is a photograph of one of the garden’s “rooms”. I built the garden with my husband some 8 years ago, after coming to terms with the fact that we couldn’t afford to pay anyone to build it for us. I went on a 2 hour brick laying course one October evening and came back driven and excited.
I decided to let go of the internal chaos and follow a passion I had neglected. A new world and new friends and influences now bring a different kind of energy and beauty to my life. The garden and I have achieved a kind of spiritual and practical symbiosis; I nourish and feed it and the garden in turn replenishes and sustains me.
I have recently decided to take up shooting! I wonder where that will lead?
Caroline developed her ability to benefit the business world and ten years ago launched “Fox Intelligence”, which provides intelligence on any person or company, anywhere in the world. She also runs Intuitive and Creative Workshops for groups of CEO’s, including members of the Academy for Chief Executives. In these practically based workshops, delegates are shown among other things, how to use their intuition on demand and to discover the truth that lies behind everything. She is presently writing and illustrating a book on Intuition.
Her passion is her garden, (which she built with her husband) and which is open for charity through the NGS “Yellow Book”. “ Gardeners World Live” recently filmed her garden for “Gardeners World”. Other interests include dancing, scuba diving and shooting. Contact Caroline.
health