This episode was initially published on April 21, 2023 under the title The Urgent Need for Restorative Gardening
Internationally acclaimed landscape designer, activist and bestselling author of The Garden Awakening and her newly released title We are the Ark, Mary Reynolds discusses her efforts to restore the earth through her global ARK campaign, (Acts of Restorative Kindness). She launched her career by achieving a gold medal for garden design at the Chelsea flower show in 2002, the story of which was made into a 2016 movie called “Dare to be Wild”. She later founded the global movement “We are the ARK”, an organization advocating for more wild spaces and to raise awareness of our current extinction event.
Topics Discussed

Mary's new book We Are the Ark: Returning Our Gardens to Their True Nature Through Acts of Restorative Kindness with illustrations by Ruth Evans

Mary's story of the pivotal moment that changed her career

How Mary reframes the concept of gardens

The ARK concept

How the idea of feeding the world is greenwashing, when we should support the world to feed itself.

Floral designer Amber Tamm @ambertamm



Doug Tallamy, founder of Home Grown National Park - a grassroots organization regenerating local biodiversity

Native species vs non-native plants and how they affect local eco-systems

The 100th monkey syndrome

Shifting Baseline Syndrome/ Daniel Pauly 

How has Mary's mission evolved from The Garden Awakening to We Are the Ark


Mary's project in Westport, County Mayo


The difference between a garden and an ark is intention

How can people become less afraid of the wildness?

Where does Mary find hope that we will be able to save the planet and ourselves? 

Spreading the message of The ARK all over the world


From What is to What If written by Rob Hopkins

The book Silent Spring  written by Rachel Carson


Connect with Mary:

Website: We Are the Ark


Instagram: wildmarymary



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Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.
? The Good Dirt Producers:
· Wendy Gray

Original music by John Kingsley. Our technical partner for this series is CitizenRacecar, Post-Production by Alex Brouwer and José Miguel Baez, Coordinated by Gabriela Montequin and Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.
Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.