Whimsy And Wild

Thirty years of patience, nurturing and heavy lifting have gone into shaping this graceful country garden in southern WA.

- Kim Woods Rabbidge

Located near Kojonup, a little town three hours south-east of Perth, is a property called Pine Avenue. Sitting at the end of a drive lined with the venerable maritime pines is a nuanced, elegant garden of the same name that is settled in the gentle undulations of the landscape. Cathy and Eric (known as ‘Lefty’) Wright have been gardening here since they married three decades ago. A few protective trees on the garden’s perimeter are the legacy of Lefty’s mother, Olive, who lived here when the house was built 40 years ago. “Olive was wonderful and a real plantswoman,” says Cathy. “I learnt so much from her – and from my own mother, who created a lovely garden at our family home at Kulin, in south-west WA.”

The pretty garden at Pine Avenue occupies about 1 hectare of the 4000-hectare grazing and cropping property that is something of a landmark in the region. While the Wrights have officially retired from farming and leased out their land, they chose to remain living in the family home they love in order to enjoy their garden and to stay close to friends in the district.