Gardening Utopia: Olivia Laing on THE GARDEN AGAINST TIME

Writer's Voice with Francesca Rheannon

In this thought-provoking episode, acclaimed author Olivia Laing shares insights from The Garden Against Time, exploring the concept of gardens as both physical spaces and metaphors for paradise, exclusion, and resistance.

Laing recounts restoring a historic garden and reflects on themes of ecological stewardship, historical gardens, and the philosophical tensions between control and collaboration with nature.

Their book juxtaposes the beauty of gardens with the historical darkness behind some, revealing how spaces of natural beauty have sometimes been exclusionary or rooted in colonial wealth.

We also replay our 2017 interview with Timothy Snyder about his book, On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. The book was intended as a kind of vaccine to inoculate us against acquiescing to authoritarianism.

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Key words: Olivia Laing, The Garden Against Time, historical gardens, utopian communities, ecological gardening, Paradise Lost, environmental stewardship, gardening and mental health, public gardens, Timothy Snyder, fascism, Donald Trump, authoritarianism, resistance.

Key Topics:

• Restoring Mark Rumery’s historic garden: beauty, decay, and ecological stewardship
• The symbolic meaning of gardens as both paradise and places of exclusion
• Philosophical themes: the balance between control and natural growth
• Historical contexts of gardens, including Milton’s Paradise Lost and utopian communities
• Gardens as communal spaces and “commonwealths” against environmental and social challenges

Key Quotes:

1. “The garden is a time capsule as well as a portal out of time—a space that reminds us of the need for slower, ecological rhythms.”
2. “In a time obsessed with dystopia, Milton’s Eden offers an important reminder of hope, the possibility of imagining a better world.”
3. “What would it mean to make gardens that are inclusive, shared, and restorative spaces—a cherished commonwealth for all?”

Host’s Note on The Election & Timothy Snyder’s Warning

Gutted by the results of the election, I went in search of comfort. I found it in Rebecca Solnit’s powerful clarion call for solidarity. Listen to it here.

But, aside from building solidarity, to go forward, we need to also think about how we got here. So we replay our 2017 interview with historian Timothy Snyder, discussing the insights from his book, On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century.

Key Topics:

• The dangers of American exceptionalism and historical complacency
• Lessons from Nazi Germany: Carl Schmitt’s “state of exception” and how tyrants exploit crises
• The risk of paramilitaries and privatization of military and police forces
• “Politics of inevitability” vs. “Politics of eternity”
• Importance of individual action: “Do not obey in advance”
• Building resilient institutions and protecting democracy

Key Quotes:

1. “If you say ‘it can’t happen here,’ you’re choosing not to act, making it more likely that it will happen here.”
2. “Democracy is not just about elections; it’s about how we choose to comport ourselves in between elections.”
3. “The idea of ‘the state of exception’ is central to how authoritarian regimes gain power.”

Keywords for SEO: Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny, American exceptionalism, democracy, authoritarianism, 20th-century history, preserving democracy.

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