Lynne Morrey- 2024

Artist's Statement

The planet is in trouble. Above and below the earth’s surface,the many crises that lay between the melting ice caps can’t be resolved by anything less than a global effort. What can one person do?

Plant a garden.

There is still value in an old saying: “Instead of lamenting the absurdity of the world, let us try to transform that corner of it into which we were born.” This semester when I thought about my corner of the world, I realized that gardening connected me to the earth and its processes more than anything else.

I have lived in three homes in Cache Valley, and with each move I developed landscapes that began with poor soil that I had to learn how to navigate. When my shovel couldn’t penetrate even two inches of rocky or hardpan dirt, I learned how to make rich, loamy soil where earthworms magically appeared; the only way a garden can flourish. I learned to select plants that prosper in our conditions, to use a drip system to conserve water, and to dress the top with compost for micronutrients. My plants now require little if any fertilizer, and no pesticides in the ecosystem in which they thrive. The pollinators and birds find their way there. It is comforting to see how quickly Nature responds to a little nurturing, and this gives hope for large scale solutions. It’s also a way to give a nudge to others about caring for the earth.

Environmentalists and naturalists have written about the value of gardening. My video project will show some of their thoughts, along with photos from my gardens. Some of the the photos are credited to my neighbor, Jeanna Livingston, who captures local wildlife from her door. John Morrey provided the technical support in making the video. The licensed music comes from Music Bed.