Georgina Reid: Growing into her skin
Journalist, Gardener
Interview by Janne Ryan | Photography by Daniel Shipp
Journalist Georgina Reid, founder of The Planthunter, has only recently imagined herself as a gardener. After years of self doubt, this humble publisher finally found her path. Now, with over 79K Instagram followers on The Planthunter, Georgina tells Sparkkle about understanding fear, and finding her way forward.
WHEN DID YOU REALISE YOU WERE A GARDENER?
Only in the last couple of years really. For me gardening is a new invention. I always had it in my body, but for a long time I didn’t have it in my mind. I realise now that it was about a connection with my mother – a horticulturist and gardener – and my need to be close to her. If she was dividing agapanthus, I was dividing them too. I just loved it, or maybe I just didn’t think about loving it, I just did it. I was always playing.
Bill Henson’s garden, from The Planhunter Book 1
What is a garden?
It’s a relationship with plants and with the world. I find it constantly challenging, curious and fulfilling. There is a way in which it evolves. It’s not like a person-to-person conversation. It’s awe on the one hand, heartbreak on another. And there’s a humility there I really like, that’s very important … like when a wallaby eats your kale.
“IT’S AWE ON THE ONE HAND, HEARTBREAK ON ANOTHER.”
In The Planthunter Book 1, gardener and bassoonist, Simon Rickard says: “to me gardening is anew art form”.
WHAT DID YOU STUDY AT UNIVERSITY?
I studied journalism and writing at the University of Canberra, but I was not very committed at the time - always trying to work out what I really wanted to do. Studying gardening didn’t enter my mind at the time. I had done well at school [Hurlstone Agriculture High School] and thought: why would anyone who gets good grades not go to university? So there was an ego thing there.
WHAT DOORS DID JOURNALISM OPEN?
I worked at Media Monitors and came across a story about permaculture, which, to me, was a revolutionary way of looking at the world. I thought about doing a permaculture course, but decided I would study plants first, which I did at Ryde TAFE in Sydney.
The Planthunter’s library, at home on the Hawkesbury River, NSW.
“I LOVE TREES. I FEEL NURTURED BY THEM.”
WHAT WAS YOUR TURNING POINT?
I started really ‘seeing’ the world. I remember clearly driving from Manly, where I lived, to Ryde and looking at the trees. I had just learned many of their names and suddenly saw them in a way I hadn’t before. I realised then the relationship between knowledge and seeing, and between seeing and valuing. It was a revelation. I love trees. I feel nurtured by them.
WHAT WAS THE GAME-CHANGER?
The Planthunter has been a massive game-changer for me. I spent 2013 working on it, it was a long time coming ... and I had so much anxiety about it.
Orongo Station by Nelson Byrd Woltz / ThomasWoltz, from The Planthunter Book 1.
WHAT WERE YOU AFRAID OF AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT?
Many things. Of failing. Of disappointing people, which is curious. I am so tough on myself. I have realised that so many of the things that hold me back or make me anxious are all fear-based: fear of being seen, fear of not being seen. Ironically, it was the journalism that gave me the confidence to start The Planthunter.
“FEAR OF BEING SEEN, FEAR OF NOT BEING SEEN.”
Trisha Dixon’s garden, from The Planthunter Book 1
DID YOU MAKE A LIVING FROM PLANTHUNTER FROM DAY ONE?
No, I wrote for design magazines and continued my landscape design work, but all of a sudden there was an audience and people were looking at it and The Design Files wrote about it. Two weeks in I had about 9,000 hits on the website in one day. I was terrified that people were looking at it, and then I was terrified people would stop looking at it!
DO YOU MAKE A LIVING NOW?
Enough to live on. My income comes from a mix of streams – freelance writing, events, the Planthunter Directory, and Planthunter reader support. It’s precarious, always.
HOW DO YOU KEEP THE PLANTHUNTER RELEVANT?
In the past year or so I’ve realised it’s an art project. I’m not only looking for relevance, I am looking for engagement. I care about making people feel something. I want people to fall in love with the world. Recently I’ve been thinking about words like care, love and beauty. These words are powerful words, but they’ve been de-valued.
“CARE, LOVE AND BEAUTY ARE POWERFUL WORDS.”
Room with a view, the Planthunter’s home on the Hawkesbury River, NSW
WHERE TO FROM HERE?
Making a new website and tweaking the branding. I am hoping to start doing more events, more face-to face things … and to stop hiding. I’d like to publish more books.
HOW WILL THE BRANDING SHIFT?
It’s growing up a bit. Like me, I guess. I could have made much more money spruiking things for others on Instagram, but I think the brand is worth more because I don’t do this. I say no to pretty much everything, unless it’s very strongly aligned. I’m really protective of the brand.
“I JUST STARTED ‘SEEING‘ THE WORLD.”
The gorgeous Bess (‘Scruff’) at The Planthunter’s home on the Hawkesbury River, NSW
WHY DID YOU NAME IT THE PLANTHUNTER?
I like the romance of the name … it’s about curiosity and exploration. It’s about seeing and valuing the world.
HOW DO YOU VIEW YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR?
Creating a work life, a home life (on the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney) and a personal life that’s evolving in line with my values. I’m human, so there’s a long way to go – hypocrisy and failure – but I feel very proud that my output, my interactions, my actions generally, reflect what’s important to me on a deeper level. Authenticity becomes more important as you get older.
