Bosco’s well-worn garden boots planted with flowers

Personal documentary · 2024

Growing in
Bosco’s Boots

Our no-dig permaculture homestead, market garden and food forest in Kilkenny, Ireland.

Complete documentary · 31 min 17 secWatch Growing in Bosco’s Boots

In Shane’s words

This is our story.
A tale of growth.

A film and a dream, many years in the making. A dedication to my brother, Bosco, and our garden which we named in his memory.

Shane walking through Bosco’s Garden in morning mist

Runtime31 min 17 sec

Story period2020–2023

ProductionSelf-produced through Bosco’s Garden

Shane HattonDirector · Writer · Producer · Cinematographer · Editor · Narrator

Kay HattonCo-Producer · Contributor

Aerial view of Bosco’s Garden surrounded by green fields in evening light

2020–2024

One thing led
to another.

2020Created a wildlife pond and herb garden, and drills of vegetables.
2021Began no-dig growing, opened the farm shop and started the food forest.
2022New polytunnel, doubled growing space and began supplying restaurants.
2023Doubled growing space again and expanded the food forest.
2024The film is completed and released. Screened at the Savour Kilkenny Food Festival and on UK television stations.

“Had I been making a farm or a film?”
Shane Hatton · film narration

Scene 01

The beginning

From an empty field.

Over four years, we transformed an empty field into a garden.

Sequence 01Building the growing space05 frames

Scene 02

Work and harvest

Farm shop and restaurants.

We set up a farm shop that surged in popularity over the years and we even began supplying local restaurants.

Sequence 02From harvest to customer07 frames

“Before we knew it, we were selling more veg than we were growing.”
Shane Hatton · film narration

Scene 03

An ecology in close-up

A balance of biodiversity.

Wildlife ponds for nurturing a balance of biodiversity.

Sequence 03Life around the garden06 frames

“Where there is water, there’s life.”
Shane Hatton · film narration

Scene 04

Weather, colour and time

Gardening with nature.

A garden ecosystem that we came to find integral to growing healthy plants and truly organic food.

Sequence 04Weather, colour and time07 frames

The film

The garden became the film.

“Little did I know, I might have been making a film all along.”

Official selectionInheritance Festival 2024 · Summer Edition

UK televisionBroadcast through the Inheritance Festival selection

Public screeningSavour Kilkenny · October 2024

Project details

Growing in Bosco’s Boots

Here is a little documentary film we made chronicling the creation of our no dig permaculture homestead, market garden and food forest in Kilkenny, Ireland. Over 4 years, we transformed an empty field into a garden, including wildlife ponds for nurturing a balance of biodiversity; A garden ecosystem that we came to find integral to growing healthy plants and truly organic food. We set up a farm shop that surged in popularity over the years and we even began supplying local restaurants with our amazing vegetables grown in living soil.

This is our story. A tale of growth. A film and a dream, many years in the making. A dedication to my brother, Bosco, and our garden which we named in his memory. A testament to the utility and satisfaction of gardening/farming with nature. I hope you enjoy it.

The complete film