20 Cheeky Questions: Greg Hatton
- Words by
- Georgina Reid
- Images by
- Georgina Reid
Greg Hatton carves out his living from plants. Wood, to be exact. When I visited him and his partner Katie Marx at their property ‘Butterland’ in country Victoria he was busy attacking a pile of tree stumps with a chainsaw, cutting out solid, rustic stools from the timber. His appreciation for the beauty of the natural world is obvious, and his perfectly imperfect furniture is in demand. An incredibly talented craftsman and a truly laconic Aussie bloke, Greg is quite a character. Read his answers below for proof! Georgina
Please tell us a little about yourself and your life with plants? Some of my earliest memories involve planting plants with my dad as a small child. My childhood was spent climbing trees and digging holes – not much has changed since. I’ve worked as a fisheries and wildlife officer, vegetable gardener, landscaper and furniture maker, all of which have a love of plants closely aligned.
You know you’re a sucker for plants when you find yourself staring dreamily up at a tree canopy or turning the car around to go back and admire a roadside specimen (and your girlfriend’s a florist!).
Recently I came upon an old house site where a remnant garden of overgrown fruit trees and ornamentals continued to grow unchecked. A huge grapevine had grown up an apple tree and coils of its trunk had rooted in several spots where it touched the ground. It was amazing to see the form it had taken left uncontrolled.’
Last week I was camping in the southern Flinders Ranges and had to save a log from the fire because it was too beautiful to burn, I think that best sums up my love of plants.
Do you sleep naked? yep
If you were a plant, what would you be? I’d be a bull-oak (Casuarina luehmannii)
What cheers you up? Honey sandwiches
What is the habit you are proudest of breaking or want to break? Being in love with more than one person at a time
What is your favourite word? I quite like parlance
Have you ever been in love with two people at the same time? Sure have
Name a skill you wish you had: I wish I was a gun surfer
What is the most played song on your playlist (phone etc)? My pal by GOD
If you had to make a garden with 3 plants, what would they be? Kangaroo grass, wallaby grass and red gums
What makes somebody sexy? ( apart from confidence!) A sense of humor (smart-arses especially) and nice hands
What do you miss most about being a kid? Being totally irresponsible
What’s the first thing you notice about people? Their eyes but then I judge them by their shoes
Favourite natural scent? Lemon rind when you scratch it with your fingernails
What qualities in people do you admire the most? Honesty, determination and friendliness
What would you be doing in an alternate life or career? I’d like to be an explorer but the worlds been pretty much covered these days.
What’s your perfect three course meal? Oysters off the rocks, T-bone steak on a camp fire and paw paw with lime juice for dessert.
What is special about where you live? Well, the building I live in is an old butter factory. It’s pretty special, but the town I live in is pretty special too, A woman who worked at the pub once told me she liked the town because everyone waved to you when they drove past even if they didn’t like you.
If you could control your dreams, what would you dream about? Climbing trees naked with Alina Aliluykina, old cars, mountain climbing, the beach at Durras, roast pork, gin and tonics, smoking joints, sandy toes, riding bikes down everlasting hills.
Favourite kind of weather? Autumn, still balmy days with beautiful light.
How many people are you completely yourself with? Most I think, I should really edit a bit more! Then some people might even like me.
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Greg is on instagram, so is Butterland!