Burke’s Backyard recently re-visited Leo Schofield at his home, Bronte House, in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. The garden has been renovated since Burke’s Backyard visited several years ago and Leo told viewers of his ideas behind the change.
Colour and cacti
Borders have expanded and plants have grown, but one of the most noticeable changes to occur in the garden is the implementation of stronger structure and stronger colour themes. Leo explained that the light in Australia is so intense that paler colours become wishy-washy. “My idea of colour is to just go for it…so I’ve looked for a bit of drama” he explains. Canna lilies (Canna sp.) are one example of the bright colours used in the Bronte House garden. A cluster of these bronze foliage and orange flowering plants form a spectacular backdrop to smaller apricot roses, purple and mauve plantings in the main border. Leo has a small collection of Angel’s trumpets (Brugmansia sp.) in blue, yellow, pink, orange and a beautiful red. Each has a different leaf form and growth habit and Leo particularly enjoys their fragrance.
For a dramatic contrast in sculptural form, Leo says nothing can beat succulents. Agaves and yukkas of all shapes and sizes are dramatic specimens, and the cactus garden is his pride and joy. A previously undetected rockery forms the basis of the cactus garden and was discovered when ficus were removed from this arid section. Underneath was a virtually intact late Victorian rockery of natural rocks blended with artificial walls.
No fuss gardening
“People have to come to the view that a garden is really like a kitchen” Leo says “You don’t want to spend your life in it but you want to enjoy the results”. Continuing his culinary theme, Leo says simplicity is the key, and compared dinner parties of the past with the simple meals of today which can consist of several well thought out ingredients. “If you just know what goes with what, how to handle it, and simply do the assembly job well you really won’t cause yourself too much stress”.
Further information
Bronte House is at 470 Bronte Road, Bronte, NSW, 2024. The house and its garden are open to the public at specific times throughout the year. Phone Waverley Council on (02) 9369 8000 for future opening details.
You can read more about Bronte House and Leo Schofield’s colour ideas in the first issue (July issue) of Burke’s Backyard magazine. Leo Schofield will be a regular columnist for the magazine which is on sale now in newsagencies and some supermarkets.