As a child, my family moved frequently. We lived in rental accommodation so there was little incentive to take an interest in plants or gardening.
This all changed after l married and went to live on the outskirts of suburban Melbourne. In the first few years, I planted hardy agapanthus, miniature bamboo and a vegetable garden. I learned that plants don’t break with handling and that I would make frequent mistakes.
Fast forward to a small rural town in Victoria. We purchased a Federation style house with a struggling garden. Survivors included a spindly row of rose bushes, an aloe vera, a lemon tree and a kaffir lime tree with sharp leaves.
Over the past five years, we have planted a garden to anchor and complement our period home. We look for texture, colour, shape, scent and beauty. Native plants such as a yellow kangaroo paw grow next to pink foxgloves and pastel blue and purple delphiniums. Our garden style is like a carefree Australian meets a well-intentioned but slightly stuffy English relative. I favour a slightly overgrown garden, which works perfectly with our eclectic mix of purple lilacs, bird of paradise, furry proteas, daphne, azaleas, ferns, roses, irises and evergreen jasmine.
On Halloween eve this past November, four young women arrived at our front door. I complimented them on their costumes and distributed the last of the candy. One young woman smiled at me and said, ‘I love your garden.’ For those of us who are accidental gardeners, this unexpected praise was like turning a trick into an unexpected treat.
(First published in Australian Better Gardens and Home Ideas, April 20, 2022.)
