I became a ‘wild gardener’ – and it changed my life

Author Victoria Bennett explains how letting her plants grow freely helped her accept and let go of the things that she could not control

Maybe, just maybe, the weeds are whispering the answer (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

We are seeing a celebrity moment for weeds and wild gardening, but why now? There are obvious benefits — for one, they provide food and shelter to a wide variety of insects and wildlife, thus encouraging a more sustainable and biodiverse ecosystem.

Yet, there is still a kick-back against this movement towards re-wilding the domestic space. The language around gardening is still rooted in domination; the garden a place of mastery, and nature is something to be contained. For many, the wild garden will always be a symptom of losing control. 

Which of course, it is. But sometimes, losing control is exactly what we need to do.