Cat has a passion for growing things, and has a wealth of experience when it comes to designing with plants. The daughter of a botanist and garden lover, and granddaughter of a passionate gardener, it was almost inevitable she too developed a love of gardens and gardening. Creative from a young age, she literally grew a passion for designing growing spaces. From a young age she has had a fascination for collecting succulents, and was intrigued by the natural world. With a background in Landscape Architecture and having worked in Community Development, completing her Permaculture Design Certificate solidified a passion for designing and creating spaces which facilitate both people and nature thriving. Cat is most excited about working with people to see their food security and livelihoods improved by implementing permaculture practices which empower people and work sensitively in the natural environment. Cat has been involved in development work both overseas and in Australia. 

  

Her philosophy is centred around an understanding that there seems to be an inherent disconnection  in relationships throughout life and the world, which is seen in the relationship between people and the environment, the relationships between people within communities, the relationship people have with themselves, and the relationship people have with Creator spirit. To Cat, permaculture is a useful framework for beginning to see restoration of all these relationships which sustain all. In this way many see Cat as a relationship builder and facilitator of connections.

 

She loves inviting people into a space where they can be inspired and empowered into co-creation with the Creator. For Cat it’s all relational. Seeing and understanding the relationship between why this fruit tree thrives when grown next to that herb, bulb or plant for the benefit of all in the designed system, or seeing the potential for reducing time wasted in the life of a busy family by designing chickens next to compost and kitchen herbs next to the back door, or how the sun heats different parts of a living space throughout the year and helping people discover the best ways to exist in your space, is what she finds most fascinating and exciting. Designing spaces which facilitate people experiencing the fullness of life in their gardens and outdoor spaces, brings her the most joy. Working with people and families to discover and draw out their deepest desires for what health in life looks like is so rewarding. From working with families to grow their own food, to involving kids in gardening and seeing them marvel at the wonder of growing, to encouraging play in created sensory gardens full of tactile, edible, and beautiful plants and flowers, to creating spaces which encourage pollinators and wildlife, to working with people living with disabilities, to seeing a family’s food and budget and bills reduce from clever site design or reworking. In this way, she effectively has the honour of coming into people’s lives and seeing how they live, seeing and understanding the place that they live in and land they live on, and putting it all together with design framework and solutions in a massive puzzle that factors in all the complex and changing needs of a  people and place.

 

She has a lot of cross cultural experience having practised permaculture in various parts of Australia, as well as overseas, and she draws on that expertise to enrich and diversify her design and consulting work. She relies heavily on a premise that understanding Indigenous farming and agricultural history and techniques in any given place, is imperative to working well with the land and the rich history of its traditional owners.

 

Furthermore, she believes strongly that gardens and the gardening process are therapeutic. She delights in designing spaces that facilitate the thriving of all. If gardens are to be accessible to everyone, then special design consideration needs to be given to the needs and wants of people who live with disabilities, who experience different neurodivergencies, levels of trauma or who have lived experience of mental illness. In this inclusive design, all people can experience new levels of enjoyment and healing through being in and participating in the garden.

 

Upon recognising that many others around her have a dream to see their gardens bring them joy and feed their families, Sister in the Garden was born. It exists with a simple but important goal, to empower others to achieve their dreams in having a space that facilitates the flourishing of family and community life, and to grow healthy nutritious food to consume and share. And in this way, Cat is happy to share her passion and knowledge.

 

Now based in Melbourne, Cat is supported by her husband and small daughter who also love being in the garden. Most days you'll find Cat outdoors with her young daughter in tow, growing anything exciting they can get their hands on, and picking and eating most morning and afternoon teas straight off their plants or out of the ground. At the end of the day, there's nothing Cat loves more than harvesting a basket full of fresh produce while having a chat to the chickens, then getting busy in the kitchen. The days are satisfying pursuing a passion and love of cooking with fresh healthy ingredients grown in her yard, preserved from excess harvest or trading with friends and community to create delicious wholesome meals for her family.  

 

These days Cat has a passion of collecting unusual food plants, and she is also driven to grow things others say are impossible to grow in Melbourne. Her garden at Number 34 features approximately 350 different species of edibles, medicinal plants, and cutting flowers, as well as species important to pollinators, soil and the benefit of other species. When Cat’s not in the garden, she likes to pursue interests in making things, language preservation, sewing and textile arts, building networks which empower and support those who find themselves marginalised, and organising everything into rainbow order and gradients.

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