About Us

We moved into Kareela, the old archbishop's house in 1988, Ian hired a backhoe and demolished the back garden. It took 3 months to cut back the overgrown mass of jungle, leaving a very old Cecile Brunner and a Lorraine Lee. Together with a helper Ian built all the limestone walls, with the back wall having a 15 feet drop at the right corner. We waited 8 months to gather clean fill from the cartage contractors in the area and then planted lawn. Hybrid teas and floribundas have been chosen on the whole for longevity, form and colour.

We purchased the house across the road in 1992 from some lovely people who had no interest in gardening. There were two English Mays, a Jacaranda and a Frangipani and we have retained them. It was a difficult garden to build because it sat on a rock. There has been extensive jack hammering for both planting and designing, every hole has been jack hammered for every rose. Across the road we have David Austin roses which create a very different and romantic look.

One of the interesting structures across the road is the clothes line. We advertised it and a man came and purchased the bottom half leaving the top. Ian welded the framework together so we could grow Kathleen Harrop and Zephrine Drouhin. Out the front Ian and our daughter Sally have done the concreting with the tiles. Sally and I then drew in it and sometimes Ian added his touch with James, our son also making his contributions.