Both the @decolonisethegarden account and #decolonisethegarden hashtag began on Instagram in response to the BLM conversations that opened up in the Spring/Summer of 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. It was born out of a realisation that there was a pressing need for a change in the narrative and to provide a prompt for gardeners (many of whom might otherwise think the issue of racism is irrelevant to them) to interrogate their biases, question where their messaging comes from and to be alert to how language, narratives and visual messaging can perpetuate supremacy and feed racism. Too often plants, gardens and gardening are viewed through a colonial, Eurocentric lens without any awareness of the appropriation and erasure that takes place.
11 March 2021, 6:00PM – 8:00PM
Speakers:
Sui Searle (founder of @decolonise the garden)
Jason Allen-Paisant
Christine Lalumia (University of Leeds)
Norfolk Green Care Network 