People and Places

Well-known Melbourne landscape designer, Philip Stray, moved to a heritage-listed Victorian Gothic house four years ago. Philip’s new garden has been constructed to incorporate existing fruit trees, including quince, walnut, olives, date palms, figs and a mature...

Don looked at an Adelaide courtyard garden designed by Andrew Quixley. Elaine, the owner, saw the Burke’s Backyard episode that featured Suzi Q’s garden, and gave Andrew an open brief to design her garden. He was faced with a small, tight area with ugly...

This week’s Burke’s Backyard was filmed in Adelaide, known as the ‘City of Churches’. The site for South Australia’s capital was chosen by surveyor, Colonel William Light, in 1836. The site he chose was on the River Torrens, in the...

Sheila and Nobby (Norman) Ward came to Australia from Britain about 20 years ago. Nobby is a builder, who grew tired of constructing buildings to other people’s specifications. He wanted to construct buildings based on his own designs. He conceived an elaborate...

At 93 years old, Dot De Low is a keen gardener, indoor and outdoor bowler and a table tennis champion! Dot’s garden According to Dot, her biggest problem is killing plants with kindness. Her favourite plant is the double impatiens (Impatiens sp.). She showed Don...

Don visited actor Jay Laga’aia, his wife Sandie and their kids. Jay is currently playing the role of Mufasa in the smash hit musical, The Lion King. His stage and screen credits include The New Rocky Horror Show, Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story, Water...

Don visited Red Cow Farm, a lovely garden in the Southern Highlands of NSW. Since his last visit in 1998, the owners have extended the property and the plantings have matured. Don and the crew arrived to see a breathtaking autumn flush of over 300 roses. Clematis and...

Don visited Orchard House, a modern Melbourne garden incorporating both Mediterranean and Asian influences. The planning, construction and planting was a family team effort, resulting in a garden that is unique and interesting without being labour intensive. Orchard...

This week, Don and the Burke’s Backyard team travelled to Glen Innes, New South Wales. They met the locals, looked at some of their wonderful gardens and solved some gardening problems. Glen Innes is situated high in the tablelands, at 1070m and 98 kms north of...

Don visited a beautiful country garden belonging to Fiona and Andrew McIntosh. The 8 ha (20 acre) cattle property has about 1 ha (2.5 acres) of gardens surrounding the homestead. The house itself was built in 1870. Known as ‘Brandon’, it was once owned by...