Is Valerie Angel Newstead’s garden the most beautiful in Bondi?
VALERIE Angel Newstead’s lovingly tended cottage garden has been a sight to behold for decades in North Bondi.
Wentworth Courier
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VALERIE Angel Newstead’s lovingly tended cottage garden has been a sight to behold for decades in North Bondi.
Now aged 91, it has been much harder for the retired actress to maintain her rose-covered portico, pink flowers and sunflowers.
A good friend and former theatre colleague, Dianne Keyowen, is now helping to rejuvenate the garden that so many locals admire on Bonus St.
“My husband and I started the garden together 25 years ago,” Mrs Newstead said.
“I’ve always had beautiful gardens, first in Bellevue Hills for 17 years and also Rose Bay for 12 years.
“But nobody really does this in Bondi anymore.”
Over the years, Mrs Newstead entered several gardening competitions including The Australian National Awards in 2001 when she won silver.
“I used to spend a lot of time out there,” Mrs Newstead said, looking out her window.
“I would go to the nursery on Saturdays, come back loaded and spend the afternoon in the sun.”
It’s easy to guess Mrs Newstead’s favourite colour just by the colour of the house, the flowers in the garden and the spray-painted car — pink.
Sticking by the colour code, her new helper Ms Keyowen drops by about twice a week to keep the garden looking gorgeous.
“We started with rejuvenating the soil with some serious man help,” the Bondi local said.
“It’s been a labour of love and is a visual joy now every time to visit.
“It retains that cottage garden look so rarely seen these days, particularly in Bondi.”
For gardening enthusiasts, the standouts include pink Cleomes known as spider flowers and Prado Red sunflowers.
There are also lemons, eggplants and tomatoes in the backyard.
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