You have just taken the place of gardener of the Memory Gardens. What is your background?
I have always loved nature. I wouldn't have wanted to work indoors. So, at 16, I passed a CAP, then a BPA as a landscape worker. Training that I completed at the Kerplouz high school, very close to here. Afterwards, I touched everything. Groom, cook… I was a bit of a Swiss army knife and my last position was at the Plouharnel incineration plant. But the field that I like is horticulture. So when I saw the advert, I immediately applied.
There were around ten of you who applied. The choice fell on you. What do you think made the difference?
It's difficult to say, but to be a gardener here, you certainly need technical skills, I think I had them, but you also need human qualities. We do not maintain the Memory Gardens like an ordinary garden. This place has its history, its stories, it is above all a funeral site where we come to pray, we must have great respect for those who are buried here and for the loved ones who come at the foot of the trees.
We're talking about human qualities… What are the most important in your eyes for your missions?
I would say respect and discretion. When there is a ceremony, you can't come in here like a dog in a bowling game, making noise or ignoring people. You have to know how to stay in your place, also find a balance between compassion, listening and advice.
Some people come almost daily and know me well now. It is not uncommon for them to come see me to talk, to tell me about their sadness, or the importance for them of coming here. They also ask me for advice on maintenance, watering, and choice of plants. We build connections.
What are your missions?
I was hired full time. And it's not too much. I am there from Tuesday to Saturday. I have to maintain the private part of the garden, that is to say the bases of the trees. Weed, clear brush, mow, prune the part of the trees which are at eye level and detect weaknesses and diseases. The paths are in the public domain, so it is the technical services that intervene. And it’s going very well. We are very complementary. They are very responsive. As soon as I tell them about a problem or a specific need, they arrive quickly. We also spotted tree stands that did not comply with the rules, in particular because there were too many mineral elements. People then ask us to do what is necessary to get on track, to be as close as possible to nature. We do a little education and awareness.
What attracted you to this position?
Precisely, this social bond that we build with people. Some just come for a walk, others to meditate. Above all, the place itself. It is unique in the world. Imagine 120 species of trees, 1,055 trees on 4.5 hectares. The work is immense, but also very varied. Here it is beautiful and relaxing. There is an atmosphere that you don't find elsewhere. It's a chance.
