GRAND GARDEN

From humble beginnings, the garden at the Richmond home of Jan and Bevis Ross has evolved from a mere paddock to the magnificent work of art that it is now

Jan and Bevis Ross’ Richmond home has evolved from a mere paddock to a superb work of art

Jan Ross doesn’t want to be hailed as a great gardener but what she has created around her historic cottage in Richmond is a great garden. It suits the climate, is inviting to wander in, neat and tidy without appearing to have been worked in and importantly is lovely to look at – any time. But for Jan and husband Bevis, this is a family garden and it has grown up with their family as a place to play, relax and come together.

Jan and Bevis Ross have lived in their home in Richmond for 43 years. In that time they have raised three children and now welcome back grandchildren who, aged 4 to 11, love to be in Grandma’s garden. The garden features plants from Jan’s late father Jack Keogh, as well as from friends and neighbours, along with bits and pieces of garden art and furniture that members of the family have made or found.

“We bought this cottage 43 years ago when, what’s now the garden, was just a paddock,” explains Jan. “There were some established trees along the road but it was bare and the road beside the house led to the local tip.

“The house too was fairly unlivable but we’ve made it a comfortable home. I am lucky to have a handy husband.”

Bevis Ross is very much part of the story of the garden. His handy work and craftsmanship is evident everywhere.

Now retired, Bevis was a primary school teacher and later headmaster. He worked at various schools in and around Hobart and also at New Norfolk. His last post of 14 and half years was at Princes Street Primary School in Sandy Bay.

When the boys were young, the garden, which is the equivalent of a double block in size, was big enough to have room for a cricket pitch and space for rough games, bike riding and general boy stuff. As the family grew older Jan says she was able to reclaim the space as garden.

“Although now there are grandchildren to play here, some of the space is reverting back to being child-friendly,” she says.

There’s always been a sizeable vegetable patch along with fruit trees and vines, which grow so well in the climate including lemons, a grapefruit, apricot trees and of course, plenty of delicious raspberries.

“As we have vegetables, fruit trees and chooks we can be reasonably self-sufficient,” Jan says. “I grew up on a fair bit of land at Claremont and my mum and dad, Barbara and Jack,

always grew vegetables and were keen gardeners. Dad worked at the zinc works and mum at the Cadbury factory but they moved to Richmond when they retired.”

And like Jan, they always loved their garden. Jack Keogh used his skills as a welder to make some of the items in Jan’s garden including the handsome metal obelisks that are used for ornaments and as plant supports. Jack’s tools have also been incorporated into some of the garden art, which add interest and stories to the garden.

As with everything in this garden, it all comes back to family. Jan’s son Richard has made many of the garden sculptures including some made from old car parts and another that incorporates pick heads.

“Including art in the garden makes it more interesting,” says Jan. As well as works created by her son, husband and father, Jan has also bought pieces from local garden artists including Andy Wilson, who makes bird houses and metal bird sculptures including the very lifelike magpie in Jan’s garden.

“Lots of people look twice at the magpie,” Jan says with a laugh. It certainly has a realistic pose on the garden fence.

GARDEN ROOMS

To turn the rough paddock and boys’ playground into a garden, Jan and Bevis gradually planted the space to divide it into separate areas – fashionable now as ‘garden rooms’ – but for Jan it was just the logical way to use the space and to put plants where they wanted to grow.

“I grow what I know will survive,” says Jan, who has battled with the dry conditions despite having access to town water but as she says, “there’s water now but there will always be water restrictions”.

One of the plantings that unifies the series of garden spaces is box, used throughout as clipped hedges. They add a formal element to the informality of summer perennials.

“We clip the hedges once a year in late spring and then give them a tidy up in autumn,” says Jan, who adds that they’ve grown really well.

The box hedges also add structure to the garden through winter when much of the garden is bare and dormant. Some of the evergreen plants are clipped as topiaries and Jan also grows several conifers in tubs which also add year-round interest.

“I actually like the garden in winter just as much as any time through the year,” confesses Jan. “It is cut back and most plants have died down to wait for spring but there are plants in flower.

“The violets were brilliant this year and so were the hellebores which have colonised large areas under the shade of our large trees.”

In other areas, trees have been carefully shaped by underpruning (removing the lower branches) to let in more light and air but also to allow interesting views through their branches to the garden beyond.

Box is not the only hedging plant in the garden. Across the front of the house is a flowering hedge of yellow daisies (Euryops pectinatus), which enjoy the dry conditions and add a welcome to visitors.

“I love their colours against the colours of the house,” says Jan. Bevis, who is in charge of painting the house, confirms that the house is painted in a colour called Adobe (a rich terracotta brown) with cream trims.

The hedge has been growing well for at least 20 years she adds but was recently replanted with plants grown from cuttings. Bevis revitalised it a few years ago when he pruned it with a chainsaw.

“It looked pretty bad for about three weeks,” admits Bevis so he was relieved when it not only reshot but was soon lush and green again. Nestled beside the house is a tall informal screen of variegated pittosporums.

PLANT SUCCESSES

As well as incorporating sculptures and garden art among the plantings, Jan has built up a collection of interesting plant containers, which are now filled with succulents and arranged in the warm, sunny courtyard space outside the kitchen. Adding to the appeal is the way the pots are arranged standing on weathered wooden crates.

Some of these plants belonged to her father and are a living reminder of him.

Many families inherit treasured plants when their parents die. Jan says these ones are treasured but also suit the climate.

Jan is particularly fond of the old shallow sandstone trough, which is ideal for growing succulents. She says the yellow metal daffodil ornaments here were a fundraiser for the Cancer Council. They have found a happy home among the succulents as has another wall piece made from found objects.

Also growing well in the garden are roses. Jan has a rose garden, which is hedged with box and underplanted with perennials but there are other roses in carefully chosen sunny locations throughout the garden like the ‘Blushing Pink Pierre de Ronsard’. A favourite is the yellow climber ‘Graham Thomas’, a David Austin variety, which cascades in a froth of yellow flowers.

GARDENING COMMUNITY

Jan says Richmond is a lovely town to live in. Not only is it well placed, not far from either Hobart or the airport, it is also the centre of a vibrant community.

There are lots of gardeners in town and in the surrounding area and many are members of the local Coal River Garden Club, which has about 100 members. At least 80 are active and attend the regular monthly meetings at the Richmond Football Club, says Jan.

“We are fortunate in having the venue at the football club to hold garden club meetings as it is a large and comfortable space,” she says. “The garden club does a lot of work to raise funds for the local community and is involved at the community garden at Richmond Primary School.”

Richmond also has several standout local public gardens. “This area comes under Clarence Council which are very proactive where gardens are concerned. There are two great gardeners in town who look after the garden and who are very proud of their town.”

Although Jan downplays her gardening skills and knowledge, she has worked with her climate and soil to create a garden that works not only in the local environment but also for her family and friends.

“It’s not grand or horticultural but I like it for how it is and I think you garden to suit your house,” she says.