Matrimandir Gardens

On the Matrimandir Peace area - 2003

Page 93

Landscaping of the outer gardens / park area began in earnest in the mid seventies with careful planting of trees selected from all over the world for the colour of their blooms, the size and shape of their canopies, their seasonal rhythms. Hillocks and small vales were created wherever the land had already been acquired.

In the late seventies Roger took leave from Auroville, a leave which extended over almost ten years. The work proceeded in the midst of an intense struggle for the survival of Auroville as an independent entity with its own destiny. Funds were slow in coming and any development was severely prioritized.