New South Wales, Australia

In 2006 I purchased a home in the western suburbs of Melbourne where there is a very rich clay soil and I started my own garden which comprised 143 roses by the time I sold up to move to country NSW. The garden could be described as a "cottage garden" with a variety of lavendar, hydrangeas, rosemary, clematis, penstemon, ground covers, liliums and other plants and bulbs. I have also recently established a vegetable and herb section which is producing very well. The roses are my special interest and I have catalogued each rose with growing notes and accompanying photographs. More recently I am turning my attention to raising clematis which are not all that common in Melbourne and have already been rewarded with some beautiful blooms.

I purchased a new home in 2016 the S.E. NSW part of Australia (big wine country) and excellent soil for roses, and was so happy to have more than 3 times the size of garden than in my previous home. The climate, however, is very harsh with frequent low rainfall and hideous heat - the worst season being 6 weeks of temperatures from 38C to 45C and zero rain for 4 months. With dripper feed hoses installed and the annual application of mulch, the garden has really managed quite well through these extreme periods and although it doesn't quite support the 'cottage' style garden, I do have flowers for vases all year round.

I keep stealing more garden space from the lawn areas and now have 223 roses but it is so addictive and I am not sure where it will end.

Experienced (19 years)

Photographer, Show exhibitor

Last visit: Wednesday, November 6th