When I heard that the legendary Tim Curry had died, I did what I suspect an awful lot of people did: I immediately started thinking about all of his performances I loved.
Front and center, of course, was Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the role that made him an icon. But for me, Curry was also Wadsworth in Clue, Rooster in Annie, Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island, the unforgettable concierge in Home Alone 2, and (ahem) Nigel Thornberry in The Wild Thornberrys.
Whichever role you love the most, I think we can all agree that he had that rare quality of seeming completely himself in every role – oozing confidence, wit and just the right amount of mischief. No wonder, then, he seemed like a real gem of a man off-screen, too – and a keen gardener to boot.
All Hail Tim Curry’s Favorite Garden Feature
Yes, it may surprise you to learn that Tim Curry wasn’t simply someone who enjoyed pottering around with plants; he was a genuinely passionate horticulturist who designed, developed, and restored gardens, and he had a wonderfully thoughtful way of talking about what a garden could actually be.
The memoir of the legendary Tim Curry imparts the full range of the “escapades, illusions, and contractions I’ve collected recklessly over the course of my vagabond days”.
Asked where his love of gardening came from, he joked that “if you’re English, a trowel appears in your hand when you’re 30 like a prosthetic device”. British or not, though, most of us don’t have the opportunity to create a garden for the likes of Freddie Mercury (yes, Tim Curry really did do just that!).
Naturally, though, the true intrigue comes from Curry’s own garden. Because, when he bought a dilapidated 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival house in Los Feliz and painstakingly restored it, he spent ages tracking down the property’s original plans and bringing his own ideas to the home and garden.
And the best feature,? Well, it wasn’t what you’d expect.
In his garden, Tim Curry favored colorful planting – but, as per his biography, his favorite part of the plot was actually the clever garden seating he set out. “I made two patios with benches. From one you can see the sun rise and from one you can watch the sun set,” he explained. “Often I just sit up there and see what I imagine for the next project.”
It’s a timely reminder that a garden isn’t really finished when you’ve planted it; you need somewhere to sit and enjoy it. And it is so easy to recreate in your own yard, as all you have to do is find the place in your garden where the morning or evening light is particularly beautiful, then pop a chair or bench there.
If you have space, Curry’s idea can be taken one step further. Find an east-facing spot for morning coffee and an area with a good western view for the evening. Notice where the light falls at different times of year, and position accordingly. And, if you want to pay homage to a man who was always effortlessly himself, be sure to find a seat with its own style and panache, too!
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What I particularly love about Curry’s approach to gardening is that he didn’t seem to view it as simply an exercise in making things look pretty. Indeed, in The Great Private Gardens of the World, he described his approach to be a case of “organizing nature not just into pleasing shapes, but also as a kind of spiritual resource.”
It makes sense, then, that his two patios became places to pause, look, think and dream up the next project. Perhaps that’s the real gardening lesson here, actually: don’t design your garden solely around what you want to – instead, grow part of it around how you want to feel.
Of course, the beloved actor’s own love of gardening might have something to do with the fact that his father had created a garden from scratch during years of illness. “The 20th century has been very much about getting what you want now,” he said famously. “Gardens are about making something terrific for those who come after.”
He’s not wrong; every time you plant something, it’s an act of optimism. You grow a tree whose shade you might enjoy long before it reaches its eventual size. You improve the soil for plants you haven’t even chosen yet. And, slowly, you build a better world for local wildlife and the people who come after you, too.
In the meantime, though, there is a way to get instant gratification from your own backyard, and it all comes down to Tim Curry’s theory on benches. So, if you need me, I’m going to find my own patch of morning or evening light, put a chair there, and sit down. Join me, why don’t you?
