Edna for the Garden: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Edna Walling
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast:
February 25, 1989
Dearest reader,
On this day, the pages of The Age newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, introduced the world to a delightful new play penned by Suzanne Spunner, intriguingly titled "Edna for the Garden."
This charming production pays homage to a singular woman whose very name became synonymous with garden excellence—Edna Walling. A gardener, designer, conservationist, and writer par excellence, Edna’s influence blossomed far beyond the soil she so lovingly tended.
One cannot overlook the emblematic phrase often whispered among her enchanted clients: "You must have Edna for the garden."
What a testament to her revered status this saying is!
It is no surprise that this affectionate endorsement inspired the title of the play, capturing the magic and magnetism Edna conveyed, both in her garden designs and in the hearts of those fortunate enough to know her work.
Edna Walling’s gardens were not mere collections of plants; they were living poems—a union of art, nature, and soul. How often do we, dear reader, encounter such a charismatic figure whose very presence in the garden world shapes desires and aspirations?
Does this saying not make one wonder what mysteries and delights Edna brought to every plot and border she touched?
As gardeners and lovers of green realms, we might ask ourselves: what qualities elevate a garden designer into legend?
Is it their vision, their hands, or perhaps their keen understanding of nature’s whisperings?
How might the spirit of Edna Walling inspire us today, as we cultivate our own patches of earth?
In celebrating this day and this theatrical tribute, let us muse: if you had to recommend one gardener for your own Eden, would you say, "You must have Edna for the garden?"
And what might your garden say of you in return?
