Tree Talks is a podcast series launching in February of 2024. The podcast will explore wider narratives rooted in the flora of Lunuganga. The first season will delve into the themes of rituals, healing, and habitats while questioning our relationship to trees and nature, which are often taken for granted. The podcast series will give insights to the process of deriving a multitude of conversations based on the garden featuring the likes of ornithologist and ecologist Professor Sarath Kotagama, naturalist Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, and artist Dr. Mariah Lookman.
Episode 1Rooted Histories
This episode is a walk through Lunuganga on a cool January day with Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, naturalist, photographer and author of 'A Naturalist Guide to the Trees of Sri Lanka'. Gehan uncovers the intricacies of Lunuganga's flora and the fauna that flourish in its embrace as he reflects on the histories and migrations of select trees along the path and the influence of humans on globalised horticulture.
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Rooted Histories
This episode is a walk through Lunuganga on a cool January day with Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, naturalist, photographer and author of 'A Naturalist Guide to the Trees of Sri Lanka'. Gehan uncovers the intricacies of Lunuganga's flora and the fauna that flourish in its embrace as he reflects on the histories and migrations of select trees along the path and the influence of humans on globalised horticulture.
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Episode 2Plant Pigments
This episode is an exploration of pigment extractions and the human connection to trees through craft with Fashion Designer and Researcher Sanjeewa Wijesundara. Sanjeewa expounds upon the nuances and diversity of pigments and the processes used throughout history for extraction. With the help of select trees he reflects on the intimacy between colourist and plants nourished through technical experimentation and respectful curiosity.
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Plant Pigments
This episode is an exploration of pigment extractions and the human connection to trees through craft with Fashion Designer and Researcher Sanjeewa Wijesundara. Sanjeewa expounds upon the nuances and diversity of pigments and the processes used throughout history for extraction. With the help of select trees he reflects on the intimacy between colourist and plants nourished through technical experimentation and respectful curiosity.
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Episode 3
Shaded Divinity
The Moonamal tree placed so meticulously on the crest of the Cinnamon Hill lawn draws one's eye from the Main House to the Dedduwa Lake. The Dedduwa lake is avowed for mystic folklore, most interestingly the lore of the spirit of a monk that resides abode a tree on the lake’s Honduwa island. Stories passed down from generations can often have an interconnectedness with nature. In this episode, ayurvedic expert and cultural anthropologist, Dr. Danister Perera delves into the cultural and spiritual curiosities of trees like the Moonamal.
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Episode 4A Tree Story
To be released on the 30th of May
A Tree Story
To be released on the 30th of May