Bright outlook for garden entry after big growth
ENTRANTS in this year’s The Chronicle Garden Competition are growing thick and fast, with one couple hoping to wow judges with their oneacre property.
Julie Brown and Stephen Balogh have enjoyed gardening for as long as they can remember.
But when the couple moved from their 20-acre hobby farm in the Hunter Valley to Toowoomba in 2019, their passion intensified.
“We’ve been surprised by just how quickly the garden has grown in two years, and we’ve noticed the more it grows, the more species of birds it attracts,” Ms Brown said.
“Our windows are tinted so they can’t see us, but we can see them, and it’s just so lovely to watch these gorgeous birds hop in and out of our tulip pot.”
Filling their one acre yard with the likes of lavender, buddleias, salvias, gardenias and saltbushes, the couple said there was plenty for the judges to observe.
Mr Balogh said one of his favourite parts of the garden was the fresh fruit and vegetables it produced, from pumpkins and plums, to sugar snap peas, lemons and limes.
“When our grandchildren come to visit, even before giving us a hug, the first thing they do is run out the back to pick the berries,” he said.
“Julie offers the surplus food she grows to neighbours or donates it to Foodbank.”
And while Ms Brown said she loved to garden, it didn’t come without learning curves.
The recent frost has damaged parts of the garden where she spends many hours of the day working.
But looking on the bright side, Ms Brown said she expected some plants to grow back in time for judging days in The Chronicle Garden Competition from August 30 to September 3.