Kerryville Garden

We bought this property in 1998 prior to its auction. It had previously been an old fish farm and was badly neglected. As we walked around the acreage on its open day, we giggled when we saw the state of the land: there were small dams everywhere surrounded by piles of earth and grass that you couldn’t see over the top of. 

 
But the more we walked and talked, we realised it had potential and started to develop ideas about how we could transform it. So we made up our minds and bought it. 

During the first two years we were here, it rained a lot and when we tried to straighten out the landscape it started to resemble the moon’s surface and we had mud everywhere. We put the driveway in and started the first garden in the front centre area, which was originally a huge depression. We added loads of soil and mulch, etc and planted roses. 

The weather was still wet and we had to keep raising the plants out of the boggy soil. Eventually we gave in and developed it into a cottage garden. Other boggy areas eventually 
became gardens and we started to notice an increase in the birdlife as the trees we had planted started to grow. 

At the rear of the property, approximately 40 jacaranda trees bordering the long dam are complemented by blue water lilies. We built bridges for access over the narrow sections. 

Sadly my husband David passed away last year, but his presence is still very much felt as I continue to garden. We always found it a real pleasure to stroll around the garden listening to the birds and frogs. 

The garden is forever changing as I get more ideas. I am still working on different projects. It is very true what they say that ‘a garden is never finished’. 


Betty Mowbray