Sue and Graham Gillon’s garden, Evandale, Tas

This grand estate’s garden keeps getting bigger.

Sue and Graham Gillon’s garden, Evandale, Tasmania. Picture: Kim Woods Rabbidge

When Sue and Graham Gillon bought Strathmore in 1993, it was already 170 years old. The Georgian house and its outbuildings, built by Samuel Bryan in 1823, sit on 120ha at Evandale in Tasmania’s northern midlands, a slice of well-preserved history that is also a much-loved family home.

“It was quite derelict when we came,” says Sue. “It needed a lot of work and the low doorways don’t suit everyone – if you’re tall you have to stoop.” The 3ha lake and mill race, connected to the Nile River 3km away, were dug by convict labour for water storage and to power the mill, a brick building near the house. The original bakehouse oven is still intact, along with the blacksmith’s bellows and a heated garden wall, one of only three in Tasmania, built to nurture tender plants against the cold. The bricks for the house and buildings were made on the property, and some of the early plantings such as hawthorn hedges, oaks and elms survive.

Sue and Graham Gillon’s garden, Evandale, Tasmania. Picture: Kim Woods Rabbidge

Graham’s work as an agriculturist brought the couple to Tasmania from country Victoria in 1967, while Sue comes from a long line of gardeners; Strathmore has given them both plenty of scope.

“The garden is three times the size it was,” says Sue, who has gradually developed different areas, starting with a formal rose garden of perfumed David Austin, heritage and French roses. The herbaceous border followed, then plantings around the lake, more trees, and an understory of hydrangeas, viburnums, hellebores, windflowers and bulbs.

The project closest to her heart is a park-like area dedicated to their son Andrew, who suffered life-changing injuries, aged 11, soon after they moved to Strathmore. “Andrew was a lot of my inspiration for doing the garden,” says Sue. Leading to this area is an avenue of Tilia cordata ‘Winter Orange’, whose leaves glow gold in autumn and stems turn orange in winter. Hedges of hornbeam and copper beech form a backdrop to groups of trees such as maples, liquidambar and flowering cherries. At the high point, a loggia designed by Sue offers views over the garden to the house and across to Ben Lomond.

Sue and Graham Gillon’s garden, Evandale, Tasmania. Picture: Kim Woods Rabbidge

The autumn garden began in a paddock of farm rubbish around two ancient apples and a pear tree. “I treasure those trees and their beautiful gnarled forms,” Sue says. To showcase their autumn fruit, she chose plants that are at their best at the same time, including sugar maples, hawthorns, Malus ‘Gorgeous’ and smoke bush (Cotinus). Nearby, an extensive orchard and fully caged vegetable and berry gardens provide a wealth of fresh produce and preserves – the cage is a necessary defence against deer, rabbits, wallabies, hares, wombats and bandicoots.

Sue and Graham Gillon’s garden, Evandale, Tasmania. Picture: Kim Woods Rabbidge

Another garden features heritage roses from the 1820s to 1890s, bringing the number of roses Sue has planted to more than 800. Its four parterres each have a ‘Mt Fuji’ flowering cherry in the centre. “When they’re in blossom they’re so beautiful I can’t believe it,” she says.

From the wisteria-swathed veranda that hugs the house, flanked by beds of roses and lavender, Sue looks out to the lake. “It gives a wonderful perspective,” she reflects. “We just love this property and its history.”

Q&A

My Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ has been excellent for seven years, with only a light prune twice a year. It now has many thick, bare branches in the centre. Should I cut back hard or start again? Clare Cotton, Victoria

This outstanding salvia has a usual lifespan of five to seven years. Yours may rejuvenate as they can stand hard pruning – after spring frosts would be good. Don’t cut stems below the point of no growth, unless there are adjacent stems that can replace them. For insurance, strike cuttings at the same time. It’s recommended to prune by about half each spring.

Can I move my four-year-old fig tree to a sunnier and hotter position? The fruit never ripens where it is. Bernadette Wyer, Berry, NSW

Edible fig trees are deciduous, so they’re easy and safe to move in winter. Take as large a rootball as possible and don’t replant it any deeper than it was. If any branches need pruning you can strike these as cuttings.

Will planting more native species attract more native bees? Charissa Naran, by email

Australia’s 1800 or so species of native bees include solitary, hive-based and ground-dwelling bees. While planting natives is always good to attract a range of native fauna, hive-based native bees such as Tetragonula surprisingly perform better in urban areas than natural forests due to a more diverse, regular food supply. They forage up to 500m from the hive, visiting many native and exotic plants for pollen, nectar and resin. Visit beesbusiness.com.au and aussiebee.com.au for more about encouraging native bees into your garden.

Muck Boots, $129.95

Send your questions to: [e-mail] or Helen Young, PO Box 3098, Willoughby North, NSW 2068. Website: helenyoung.com.au. The best question for June wins a pair of stylish, waterproof and lined Muck Boots worth $129.95 from swanndri.com.au. May’s winner is Greg Horne of Perth for his question about pots in garden beds.