Several years ago, I visited a Spring Harvest day at Elizabeth Farm in Rosehill, NSW. Let me tell you a little about that place. It was the home of John and Elizabeth Macarthur, who arrived in the colony in 1790 on the Second Fleet. The building commenced in 1793. It is the oldest existing colonial house in Australia. Today, it is a museum operated by Sydney Living Museums on behalf of the people of NSW. You can read more about the history of the place here.
As I wandered around the re-created 1830s garden, it was difficult to believe this historic property is in the middle of a built-up and densely populated part of Greater Sydney.
Images of the garden and its simple structures have stayed with me over the years.
I love the uncomplicated shape of this fence. My garden has a few similar supports attached to a dividing fence but they are brittle and breaking down. Perhaps I could make replacements.
This woven fence around a vegetable bed is visually appealing, with its texture and faded colour enhancing the healthy green vegetables. I do wonder, though, how practical it is. How could you reach the centre of the bed for planting or harvesting?
Even if historic gardens are usually larger than the average backyard, you can usually spot some idea to apply to a home garden. What ideas have you seen in other people’s gardens that you can use in your own?