The European winter trees in my neighbourhood reflect on the complex layers of history, belonging, and identity embedded in the Australian landscape. Whilst they are majestic, they share a little of my convict blood and are a nod to the Empire. They have been planted to change and replace the native landscape. Reminding so many of ‘home’, but making it harder to remember where the bush used to be, alongside the natural order of things.
I find the role of plants in reflecting the multicultural make up of contemporary Australia really interesting. They reveal the history as well as the cultural dominance. There is a sense of guilt about the nostalgia felt towards these trees as they soften and gentrify the past through their natural beauty tied up in our belief that nature is always good.