finsbury park - during a very dry july in 2026
Ida is a textbook polymath in her pursuits, and in recent years, has become an avid gardener. Her own journey is crafted in the outdoor space that she has created, which is an unconventional mosaic of sensory stimulation. The core goal of her Finsbury Park oasis is simple: to create a garden that lives and breathes the essence of mindful presence.Away from her professional career, Ida teaches Yin Yoga. As a style, Yin emphasises stillness and calm. The garden certainly lives these values, but they are traits that Ida herself has had to learn. Indeed, we talk much of lessons learned through life, but the Garden of Ida is as much about lessons we should unlearn. After a decade of pushing herself to the limits of high achievement – an Oxbridge degree and a high-pressure corporate career – it was a tussle with long covid that forced her to slow down. That was difficult: ‘unlearning’ the habit of discipline, of schedules, of optimisation, and of prioritising society’s expectations over your own goals has taken time. But the fruits of her labour are clear. Her garden is, above everything else, unique and original. A beautiful expression of self, of hard lessons learned, and of the intention to live an artful and mindful life.
As you first move down into the space, Nasturtium peppers the low sightline. These nests of vibrant orange flowers epitomise the garden at large: everything planted is to eat, to smell, to touch. There is no optimisation of space, nor rigid regulation. There are very few rules, but the guiding principles – plant for sensory purpose – are clear. Across the garden, Lavender and Rosemary are allowed to roam freely; purposefully chosen but then left to their own expression. Maturing fruit trees line the oasis of calm, accompanied by a more recently homed Fig Tree. Old habits do die hard. If work is particularly busy, Ida can be found on a late-night shift gathering the fruit scattered across the lawn, sometimes as late as 11pm. Climbing the far fence-line, Verbena spires demand attention, whilst Jasmine – Ida’s favourite scent – winds with delicate precision.
Her space carries stories. Acanthus, or Bear’s Breeches, remind her of Belgium and of her parents. The chalk-smeared panes of the greenhouse are botanical wizardry: “it’s my uncle’s solution to protecting the leaves from scorching”. Indeed, every attempt is made to savour edible produce, all the way to the home-grown herbs carefully hung in the kitchen to be used in teabags and stored for cooking. On this visit, Sunflowers are near bloom, positioned playfully alongside more vegetables and herbs. A reminder that above all else, gardening is fun, and not for rules. For Ida, May is the month that consistently brings the most joy, and this year, reared a remarkably resplendent run for her roses.The water feature is a subtle but essential addition. It’s background hum of peace is a metaphorical “Om”. This heartbeat is most audible from her treasured hammock nestled in the shade, where countless books were consumed during long summer days of the pandemic. As we stand and look back up the garden and towards the house. Ida is excited by her next job: assembling the steel border edging laid on the garden path. But this task won’t be completed as quickly as possible; it will be done, most probably, and with help, but for now is comfortably a work in progress.There is no schedule. Her ‘work’ in the garden is intuitive, and her ideas are authentic. We should take heed: it’s essential to be creative, to be unconstrained by the “rules”, and to be a little more mindful of the sensory joy that a garden can bring.
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