The World in Her Garden: Remembering Polly Park
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast:
May 10, 2017
Dearest reader,
On this day, we remember the passing of Polly Park, an American-Australian amateur gardener, speaker, and writer whose passion and creativity left a lasting impression on the gardening world.
Alongside her husband Peter, Polly designed Boxford, a remarkable garden located in Canberra that enchanted visitors from across the globe.
Boxford was no ordinary garden; within its half-acre suburban property, Polly and Peter created six unique garden styles, each a tribute to different cultures and their garden traditions. Among these were a modern garden inspired by Roberto Burle Marx, the renowned Brazilian landscape architect; an English knot garden; a parterre garden graced by an Italian statue from Florence; a Chinese garden modeled after the famous Suzhou garden; an Indian garden complete with a charming stone courtyard; and a serene Japanese garden featuring a meditation house and pond.
Polly was the visionary behind the designs, while Peter provided the physical labor—together, a perfect gardening team. Polly’s mosaic for the modern garden, inspired by Oscar Niemeyer, added a stunning artistic touch, while Peter crafted the tranquil water features of the Japanese garden. Their collaboration was a testament to how creativity and sheer determination cultivate beauty.
In 1988, Polly captured the essence of Boxford in her book, The World in My Garden, allowing readers to experience the magic of their creation.
Though Boxford was recognized as a National Heritage site, sadly, it was destroyed when the Parks sold the property in 2006.
Peter passed away in 2011, and Polly followed on this day in 2017 at the venerable age of 96.
Dear reader, as you ponder Polly’s legacy, might you reflect on the power of gardens as cultural tapestries—spaces where creativity meets nature and where traditions from across the world can harmoniously coexist?
How might your own garden embrace such diversity and artistry?
Polly Park’s life and work remind us that gardens are deeply personal yet profoundly universal places of beauty and connection.
The gardens are gone, but the idea remains: the world can be gathered, tenderly, on a small plot of ground.
You can get a used copy of The World in My Garden by Polly Park for around $17.
