Lowick Films’ Sam Icklow, known for works such as While The Men Are Away and Apricot, has announced plans to adapt Sara Hardy’s acclaimed biography, The Unusual Life of Edna Walling, into a feature film.
Icklow will both write and direct the project, which has secured development funding from Screen NSW.
Edna Walling, born in England in 1895, emigrated to Australia in 1913 and became one of the country’s most influential landscape designers. She designed more than 300 gardens between 1920 and 1960, a period when most women were expected to remain homemakers. Her designs are still highly regarded today.
Walling’s unconventional style and pioneering use of native plants reflected her bold approach to life and design. Beyond her work as a landscape designer, she was also a writer, photographer, architect, and entrepreneur. In 1928, she created Bickleigh Vale, a unique residential community in Mooroolbark, Victoria, designed to reflect her Devonian roots and arts and crafts ideals.
Known locally as ‘Trousers Lane’ due to its reputation as a haven for independent women, the suburb continues to thrive today, a testament to Walling’s enduring legacy.
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Sara Hardy, the author of Walling’s biography, first encountered Edna Walling when she portrayed her in the play ‘Edna for the Garden’. Like Edna, Hardy grew up in Devon but later made Australia her home. Inspired by playing Edna, Hardy began a five-year journey to uncover Walling’s personal letters, photographs, and family stories, piecing together a vivid portrait of her life.
Hardy’s biography explores not only Walling’s professional achievements but also her personal relationships and evolving sense of identity as a queer woman in a conservative time. The result offers a nuanced look at the partnerships and friendships that supported Walling’s extraordinary career.
‘Edna Walling was not just a visionary gardener, but a trailblazer whose work speaks directly to the environmental and social conversations of today,’ said writer/director Sam Icklow. ‘Her story is one of resilience, creativity, and self-discovery, and I’m thrilled to bring her legacy to life on screen for local and international audiences.’
Hardy also expressed excitement about the adaptation, saying, ‘I am so excited that Sam has chosen to make a biopic based on my biography of the wonderful yet perpetually “challenging” Edna Walling.
‘Sam understands the brilliance of Edna Walling’s creative force, and the complexities of her ‘misfit’ emotions. I completely trust in Sam’s vision to create a lush filmic landscape featuring an inspirational woman who still has relevance for us today.’
The film aims to ‘shed light’ on Walling’s contributions to landscape design and her role as a pioneer for women in a male-dominated field. Her advocacy for the use of native plants and sustainable design practices positions her as an early conservationist whose ideas resonate with contemporary environmental concerns.
The Unusual Life of Edna Walling does not yet have a release date. Further updates on casting and production timelines are anticipated as development continues.
