'Lot of famous people in my garden': Dame Judi Dench says she plants a tree for each friend who dies
LONDON, ENGLAND: Dame Judi Dench revealed she plants a tree in her backyard in honor of each friend who dies.
One of the most successful British actresses, Dame Judi, 88, shared her passion for gardening and nature during her stint as a guest editor of ‘Countryfile’ on Sunday, August 27.
Recalling her habit of planting trees, the Academy Award-winning actress said, “I have a lot of famous people in my garden,” per Daily Mail. She first revealed her love for trees in a 2017 BBC documentary.
Dame Judi Dench doesn’t ‘like seeing trees being felled’
The ‘Skyfall’ actress shared that her love for nature started during childhood. She did not like seeing large trees being cut down.
She recalled during the episode, “As a child I used to get irrationally upset to see long lorries with huge trees on. I can't explain that. I still don't like seeing trees being felled.”
Why is Dame Judi Dench losing her eyesight?
The ‘Shakespeare in Love’ actress also spoke with ‘Countryfile’ veteran Charlotte Smith about her failing eyesight while visiting the Inveraray Castle.
Asked how she stays positive with faltering eyesight, she said, “I have no option, or I'll just fall over. But I've got wonderful people who help me.”
Dame Judi has been diagnosed with advanced macular degeneration, which causes loss of vision.
However, the octogenarian has no plans to retire soon. Instead, she wants to work “'as much as I can.” She says her associates help her learn the scripts and that she has a photographic memory.
The oldest person to ever appear on a Vogue cover, the ‘Twelfth Night’ actress once shared with The Mirror’s Notebook Magazine, “I mean, I can't see on a film set anymore. And I can't see to read. So I can't see much,” per Daily Mail.
But she sounded hopeful as she said, “But, you know, you just deal with it. Get on.”
Which actors are honored at Dame Judi Dench’s garden?
During an interview with Louis Theroux in 2022, The ‘Belfast’ actress named the occupants of her garden, which includes memorial trees for Alan Rickman, Helen McCrory, Natasha Richardson, Diana Rigg, Stephen Sondheim, and John Gielgud, among others.
She said, “Well, I love them. I love trees and I just thought what a nice thing that would be to do.”
Her garden also has a tree dedicated to her late husband Michael Williams, who died in 2001 of lung cancer. The tree is named simply “Mike.”
The actress said, “There’s Mikey. It’s a lovely tree, he liked it very much. We didn’t plant that one, that was here. It seems only right, as he found the house. I like that," per The Independent.