Brian Seppelt & Jeanne Madison .: 19-23 Hillview Road, Armidale

This garden is on a 0.8 hectare of land previously used for an apricot orchard and some grazing. The house was built and occupied in 1988.

The development of the garden really began in 1996 when Brian retired and with the help of Jeanne they have continued to develop the garden with the explicit, though not exclusive intent of sharing the garden.

There was no formal plan and development progressed mainly following whims, instincts and intuition. Considerable help was supplied by local Armidale professionals.

Brian enrolled in a course in growing Australian natives in 1996 and in 1998, because he had a large number of seedlings of the same variety, it was decided to grow several ‘hedge-rows’ which you will see in the garden today. All the brown rocks around these garden beds are surface rocks from this block of land. The Callistemon hedge is Sieberi (Alpine Bottlebrush) and the Melaleuca hedge is Bracteate (White Cloud Tree). At the same time, the timber work for the vegetable beds, the compost boxes and the bridges was constructed.

In 2000 they had the large pond professionally shaped and lined and bordered with timber edges. Shortly after, a sterile creek bed was identified leading to the pond and the need arose to oxygenate the water in the pond. This water feature has recently been extended upwards to hopefully achieve this aim.

The ‘rabbit-proof’ fence around the vegetable garden has recently been replaced and the wisteria had to be cut back. It may take a year or two to recover.

You will find many different areas or rooms in this garden. There is a bamboo area, the sundial (which was presented to Brian and made by a former student) surrounded by lavender, little wooden tables and chairs strategically placed, roses, “Brian’s Shed”, and seven residual apricot trees from the original property.

For those of you who visited in 2003, welcome back – and for those of you who are visiting for the first time, we hope you enjoy the experience.