I attuned to Cullerne as my Experience Week work department without knowing what the name stood for.
Cullerne Garden 2005
Four mornings, over twenty years ago – how could such a short time have had such a powerful impact?
Tea break in Cullerne Garden
It was the structure of the work that amazed me: taking a moment to hold hands in a circle before beginning, the tea breaks, the time spent individually with each guest before they finish the shift, and the willingness of staff to satisfy my curiosity about nature spirits whilst working.
This was all very different from my experience of work elsewhere. At first I was wary of contact with the other guest with whom I was set to weed young pea seedlings; after that week we became firm friends.
He returned many times to Findhorn and although I do not know whether he worked in Cullerne again, we did a Trees for Life work week together.
Dürten Cullerne Garden
Later memories as a volunteer include the companion planting of marigolds around the edge of the polytunnels, being trusted with the sweet peas under Adriana’s watchful gaze, and digging out the whole of a comfrey root with Dürten’s encouragement.
There was also the time when, taking a toddler for a walk in the garden, I turned round to find he had thrown himself, as well as some seed heads, into the smaller pond. Dürten appeared immediately with towels and the boy lived to tell the tale.
Now at times I wander quietly among the haphazard growth or take advantage of the blackberry jungle for making jam.
Rhubarb joys Cullerne Garden
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Photo credits: all photos by Adriana Sjan Bijman
Born London, grew up in Teesdale in the north-east of England; Teesside Art College and St. Hugh’s College, Oxford; work in Birmingham – health authority, market research company, small charity. Environmental conservation, Birmingham Organic Gardeners (BOG), volunteer with local credit union, drawing and painting, hill walking in Wales (HFTH).
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