When I met Miryam at a conference on vegetable gardens, it was a sort of friendly love at first sight—and completely unexpected—because we came from two different worlds: she from film and I from the visual arts and publishing, but our shared love of gardening brought us together. So I enthusiastically accepted her proposal for an artist residency and spent five days in the summer of 2025 immersed in Hardoncelle, exploring her permaculture vegetable garden—well-protected by a low wall and a majestic weeping willow—with my sketchbooks and paintbrushes. It struck me as incredibly productive within a relatively limited and highly diverse space. As we got to know each other, we came up with the idea for a creative workshop to extend the experience and share it with other gardening enthusiasts. And to give the workshop a personal touch, Miryam suggested putting her culinary talents to work by creating dishes—using produce from her garden—that were as beautiful to look at as they were delicious to eat. And so the message in a bottle was set adrift; in this place, known only to writers and screenwriters, four people—from Belgium, the Ardennes, and the Netherlands—embarked on this adventure in the summer of 2026. And the magic—or rather, the charm of the place and its owner—worked its wonders, as the atmosphere was both motivating and relaxed, making for an excellent experience. More wonderful encounters!
