Harkaway’s Eric Clapton shares his name with an international star, but says he puts his thumbs to better use.By Glen Atwell
HARKAWAY resident Eric Clapton doesn’t make a living strumming a guitar, but prefers to use his thumbs for much greener purposes.
The keen gardener shares his name with the legendary musician and admits he has heard every joke you can imagine.
“I’ve heard them all, even a few funny ones,” Eric said.
The other Eric Clapton rose to fame in the sixties and seventies and went on to win multiple Grammy awards for his album Unplugged in 1992, which featured the 1992 song of the year, Tears in Heaven.
In August of 2005, Clapton released his latest work, Back Home, the same place our Eric enjoys the thrill of gardening. And, gardening is Eric’s passion. He is a member of the Friends of the Wilson Botanic Park group and the Berwick and District Garden Club.
Eric spends a lot of his time in a number of different gardens, probably about the same amount of time his celebrity namesake spends on the guitar.
“The Wilson Botanic Park is a great garden, it has a very interesting landscape.
“But I have an acre at home to look after as well,” Eric said.
Eric provides visitors to Wilson Botanic Gardens with guided tours, normally before the Berwick and District Garden Club meetings.
The Friends of the Wilson Botanic Park assist with staffing at the gardens and help the City of Casey maintain the 36hectare facility.
Anyone interested in a guided tour of Wilson Botanic Park can phone 9707 5818.
But Eric said there wouldn’t be a guitar in sight.
