I had never heard of Derek Jarman (b. 1942-d. 1994) until I read Olivia Laing’s books, “The Garden Against Time” and “Funny Weather”.  In both books she writes lovingly about Jarman’s immense creativity, his movies, stage set designs, his writings, his AIDS activism, and his garden on the English Channel called Prospect Cottage which he bought in 1991 with his friend, Keith Collins (aka HB).

Jarman had been diagnosed with AIDS when he and Collins drove down through Kent in 1991 in search of a setting for a Super-8 movie that would become ‘The Garden.’  Spying a rundown fisherman’s cottage on the shingle shore within sight of the Dungeness Nuclear Power Station, Jarman fell in love and bought the 200 square foot shack.  Over the next three years before his death, he turned the cottage into a comfortable home and the original “garden” into a beautiful landscape.  Driftwood pieces and salt-tolerant plants produced a stark beauty.

This book, written by Jarman with photographs by his friend Howard Sooley, and edited by Collins is many things—a ‘how to garden on a shingle beach’ handbook, a loving tribute to Kent and Dungeness and its inhabitants, a love poem to life, and much more.  Jarman’s love of poetry was expressed in the opening words of John Donne’s 1663 poem, “The Sun Rising” which he attached in relief on the side of his cottage:  “Busy old fool, unruly Sun,/Why dost thou thus”

Jarman remains a cult figure in today’s world.  Just one week after we left London this month, the Barbican screened his movie ‘The Garden’ along with readings, music, and clips from his other movies.  Through the works of Laing and others, it is likely that Jarman will remain an important figure in cinema and AIDS activism for many years to come.