Tony And Wendy Smith

Tony and Wendy Smith, Gordon Street, Armidale

We moved into this house in 2008, and had water, drainage and retaining wall issues on the 860 square metre block to sort out. There has been constant concreting, retaining wall and garden bed formation; erection of a large garden shed/man cave and a greenhouse. Many tonnes of concrete, blue metal and dirt have been delivered and then wheelbarrowed and shovelled from the front to the back; and 800 blocks and some caps also moved from the driveway to the patio and then around the yard.

We will be displaying before photos to show the transformation.

Our pride and joy is the productive raised vegetable garden beds, and the grafted fruit salad trees that include citrus and stone fruit. There is a mix of berries in pots and three grape vines on a bespoke trellis. We also have a very happy little fig tree that along with all the other trees is covered with netting in the summer as we don’t share with the birds. All the produce is organic and fertilised with a microbe enhancing product resulting in healthier and sweeter fruit and vegetables; and pest and disease resistant flowers. We have also incorporated a composting area at the end of one garden bed.

Wendy has specifically chosen the fragrant roses at the side of the house and these are under planted with Tony’s chosen tulips and a variety of aquilegia. Other beds have bee attracting grevilleas and lavenders; hydrangeas and ornamental grasses; camellias mixed in with rhubarb and a very happy herb patch.

Out the front there are agapanthus, standard roses under planted with penstemons, carnations, and a weeping cherry also under planted with annuals such as petunias and lobelia. Along the patio is a lone Daphne that has survived an infestation of scale.

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