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“The original part of the house was built in 1835 of convict bricks. This is where Governor Macquarie stayed when he was in the area. I’ve been here for 9 ½ years, and have kept the garden pretty much as the previous owners established it, with some replanting.”  Jill, East Maitland

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“We cut this path down from the house to the corner of the paddock.  We

just trim the grasses of the border as they grow up with a hedger.  It is

mowed so it is narrower the further away it is. It makes it look longer

and the red ceramic seat provides a great focal point. I got the idea

from the garden of a manor house in England where they had down the same

thing with their garden beds to make it look bigger.” Richard, Berry NSW

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“I don’t have a favourite place in the garden, I like it all. I treat the plants like family and often talk to them.” Norah, Benoldba NSW

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“The scout camp at Glenrock was an old coal mining site and I’ve been transforming it over 42 years into a 6.2 hectare garden and haven for native birds and animals. I combated salty winds, infestations of blackberry, saltbush and bitou bush, coal chitter dumps and rock-hard clay soil to plant many thousands of native trees and shrubs. I won this gold spade as a ‘Gardening Australia’ award for Gardener of the Year in 2018.” John Le Messurier NSW (Photo taken near Gresford NSW)

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“This ginko tree was here when we came to ‘Riverglen’ 16 years ago. She’s my favourite. She turns a lovely yellow in autumn. She’s always the last to drop her leaves.” Maree, Allynbrook NSW

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“I love pittosporum. This one has been here for quite a while, it got bigger and bigger with little care. It always throws shade. The birds love it, two topknot pigeons nest here every year. I sit under it with Puggles and a cold drink most afternoons. The soft winter grass and native violets make a lovely carpet to sit on.” Danny, Dungog NSW

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"I took some chrysanthemums to Mum at the farm at Wingham where she put them in the ground, I brought back these cuttings from them and they're doing really well. I've been waiting for a good drop of rain to get my vegies going again. I've had a bit of trouble with rabbits eating my vegies in the past! " Rachel, Dungog NSW

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“This fig tree was planted almost thirty years ago. It’s grown from head height to what it is today. Whenever we have a storm I always say I hope it doesn’t get struck by lightning.” Sue, Stroud Hill, NSW

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"My backyard has become a haven for rescued native birds. The most beautiful thing is to see a bird, like a kookaburra, released back to its family." Jane, Newcastle NSW

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" I collected seeds from a number of plants which grew naturally on my property. I wanted to transfer these to my new home in town. They've thrived and I'm pleased to say they are a great attraction to native bees." Georgina, Dungog NSW

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"I like to just wander around my garden. This character is Treebeard, one of Tolkein's oldest living being, an Ent from Middle Earth. They have a great sense of time - like a tree." Zoe, Dungog NSW

Tolkein wrote of Treebeard "These deep eyes were now surveying them, slow and solemn, but very penetrating" from The Two Towers