What were our early gardens like?

In a recent post we highlighted an exhibition of photos taken of several Central Tablelands towns by Merlin Beaufoy and Charles Bayliss of the American & Australasian Photographic Company in the early 1870s. Many of the the 3,500 surviving images - known as the Holtermann collection - show views of gardens, and while many of these domestic landscapes are underwhelming, several photos show residents with a deep love of horticulture and gardening. While none of the Holtermann collection images are of early Capertee district gardens, these photographs offer us valuable clues to the look of late Victorian and early 20th century gardens within our own area.

Despite the humble construction of this Hill End home, this
family are clearly proud of their formally laid of garden

The more notable garden images in the Holtermann collection show a preference for formal designed gardens. By this we mean a preference for symmetrical layouts, a style popular since first settlement times.The Hill End photo (seen above) shows a garden with a mix of ornamental and productive plants. The central gravel path is bordered with cottage pinks (Dianthus), while the surrounding beds are filled with roses and other ornamental shrubs. Behind the house is an orchard planted with productive fruit trees. By the size of the trees the garden is only a few years old.

Most plants from that time have not survived due to changing plant fashions, grazing, neglect and bush fires. Despite this, evidence of original plantings can still be seen near many early homes, even when the original building has been lost. Most flowering roses are grafted on tough species rootstocks such as Sweet Briar. While the original bush may have died the understock has survived. Many of the pink flowering single roses we see in spring are often the progeny of original early plantings.

Another formally laid out Hill End garden 

Another 19th century plant to survive is the grey Agave. This plant has survived and prospered near many local mining-era dwellings such as at Airley and Blackman's Crown. Architectural style succulents such as Agave were popular plants in late Victorian and early 20 th century gardens thanks to their ease of culture. These plants reproduce mostly by vegetative growth or by seed.

Despite bush fires, grazing, and neglect, two large circular patches of
19 th century blue-flowered varieties of Iris continue to grow close to 
the front door of a, now lost, miner's cottage near Cherry Tree Hill

One of the toughest and most reliable garden plants from the 19 th century is the Bearded Iris. The only reason the Irises shown above has survived over one hundred years is due to the hardiness of the plant. Iris's have been grown in Australian gardens since colonial era times. They were popular then because they were easy to transport when lifted and reproduced well from annual division.  While many other plants were grown in this garden only the hardy Iris has survived.

One organisation interested in the look of 19 th century gardens is the Australian Garden History Society.This 2,000 strong organisation - formed in 1980 - publishes a fascinating quarterly magazine titled Australian Garden History. http://www.gardenhistorysociety.org.au/

Local Parks: Mugii Murrum-ban State Conservation Area

The Capertee district is rich in natural wonders and this has been recognised with the establishment of several local reserves, most notably the Capertee and Gardens of Stone National Parks. The most recent addition to the protected Crown Lands portfolio in the area is the Mugii Murrum-ban State Conservation Area which was established by the former Labor State Government in March 2011.

Apart from some perimeter signs there is little
evidence of any changes in this Conservation Area
 since it was established in 2011

This new Conservation Area consists of 3,650 hectares of land which roughly intersects the Capertee NP (to the north) and the Gardens of Stone NP (to the south). Much of the area of the new Mugii Murrum-ban State Conservation Area includes the picturesque peaks of Mount Genowlan and Mount Airly. While not having the full legal protection of a National Park or World Heritage Area this new reserve is an extension of the Gardens of Stone National Park which was originally established in 1994. The Conservation Area is named after the Wiradjuri Elder, Charley Riley. Mugii is Riley's Wiradjuri name and means a Mopoke Owl, while Murum-ban means eldest son in the Wiradjuri language.

According to the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service the new reserve includes more than 340 different plant species as well as distinctive sandstone and shale rock formations. Native vegetation includes several rare and endangered communities including plants associated with dwarf she-oak heathland, as well as 20 metre high Brown Barrel eucalyptus downstream of the "Grotto". Hopefully future National Parks and Wildlife funding will lead to more knowledge of the Conservation Area being known to the public.

Tangible evidence of the former mining village of Airly
 still survives in the newly established Conservation Area

Much of the drive to establish the reserve was the threat from coal mining in the area. Prior to the establishment of the Conservation Area proposed coal mining would have led to major subsidence as well as possible changes to the water table. After the Conservation Area was announced local miner Centennial Coal publicly welcomed the establishment of this State Conservation Area, but in late 2012 their Airly mine was scaled down due to financial reasons.

As well as the notable local geology and the diverse natural vegetation growing in the reserve, the Mugii Murrum-ban Conservation Area also includes archaeological remains of the former shale mining community of Airly, which was active from 1883-1913.While the nearby mining community of Glen Davis is relatively well documented the century old former shale mining community at Airly clearly shows the speed that human habitation turns to dust. Visible traces of this community includes mining ventilation shafts and the remains of several brick and stone dwellings.



Link to National Parks & Wildlife website: http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/