5 Questions | Jessica Wyld

  When photographer Jessica Wyld was invited to England for her good friend's wedding, she decided to make a tour of it. (As you do when you're based in Perth, Western Australia) after all, Europe is on the other side of the globe.   Here we delve deep into her travel adventures for a dose of travel inspiration with a difference (Jess didn’t exactly plan the usual type of a European holiday.) 

 A frequent traveller, what was different about the planning for this trip and how did this result in more meaningful and fulfilling travels for you?

 Since my last big journey in 2019 I have become a full time stepmum which has simultaneously sped things up and slowed them down. Solo travel is a lot harder these days and any time alone must be spent doing what brings me absolute joy! I knew I had to get my hands dirty in a way that I couldn’t with our kids whilst my partner graciously took the reins for 5 weeks. This led me to search for volunteering options abroad, specifically sourcing garden-based ones to accompany my 2^nd love of horticulture and garden design. I wanted my time away to be slow, considered, educational and beautiful and upon seeing an Instagram post shared from a friend regarding Chateau la Gonette I just knew I had to incorporate it into my journey! Giving back to the creative community, is important to you - tell us about your experiences at Chateau La Gonette and how can we go about following in your footsteps and volunteer? 

 La Gonette is a magical place caught somewhere between dreams and reality, nestled by Simiane la Rotonde in Provence. It was purchased by its Australian owners as a base for all things conversation and creativity and to host soul nourishing workshops and gatherings, and they needed some help bringing her back to life in time for the summer programs after lying uninhabited for 13+ years. There is such warmth amongst the walls and hosts that I found myself just wanting to knuckle down and help, knowing that this would be a place for many wonderful memories to come! I have a very small garden at home, so it was wonderful having whole sections to myself to clear decade’s worth of wilderness and slowly reshape the gardens to their former glory with a fresh touch of permaculture. It will be much more than the initial 4 weeklong program though – follow their Instagram/mailing account to keep an eye on future call outs for help!This one’s for the gardening enthusiasts amongst us - you described your destinations as ‘really just a huge gardening tour of Europe’ Where did you visit, and which would you recommend for those making the trip?

 I don’t know if it was lockdowns, getting older, slowing down or just finding myself smiling whilst looking at plants but gardening has really become my thing the last few years! And I’m not even remotely embarrassed by it. I’m doing an online garden design course with the aim of helping those less design focused to bring their spaces to life, with a focus on permaculture and Australian natives. So I was super interested to see how they do it overseas! Over my 5 weeks I visited The Abbey Garden Valsaintes (Provence’s first and deeply beautiful permaculture garden with it’s own degustation restaurant), West Dean Gardens in West Sussex (a kitchen garden specialising in Espalier fruit trees, very inspiring for my own small space), Dewstow Gardens and Grottos in Wales (just WOW, a cave obsessed kook’s creation, well worth a gander!!), Puzzlewood near the Welsh border (moss covered iron boulders and ravines that inspired Lord of the Rings, so magical!) and the immense wonderland, woods and tropical greenhouses of Kew Gardens in London. I recommend all! Tell us about your travel wardrobe, how did you go about curating your travel capsule. Which KM pieces could you not have done without?

 Despite the sun, it didn’t get above 12 degrees in Provence, and not much more in the UK! Due to wedding gifts and photography things I didn’t have much room for clothing, so lived in my rust skirt with leggings and merino turtleneck paired with a chunky scarf on daily explorations. Plus Blundstones or Merry People gumboots! On a warmer weekend in Turkey, it was my skirt and scarf again this time with a simple black tank top. When hiking I wore culottes or jeans with the Everyday Useful Blouse in Pine Green. And often I threw my Cinnamon short sleeve shirt over whatever I was wearing as a quick cover. Considering how light I packed I loved the variety of looks I could create over the 5 weeks! Any other musings on your experiences, destinations or how to capture a deeper connection in one’s travels. 

 Write down things that make you happy and dedicate some serious time to doing those things. It doesn’t matter if alone, bring a book or camera or strike up a conversation with strangers. Your soul with thank you! 

Connect with Jess here for all things photography and gardening related

Discover Chateau De Lagonette here 

Photography | Jessica Wyld www.jessicawyld.com