The Queenslander Garden
This page is intended to provide information about traditional / heritage / historical / colonial style plants and gardens suitable for Queenslander or "colonial" style houses.
However, information about architecture of these houses is more generally available, and links to such information have been provided below. Sometimes they include photographs and snippets of information about the gardens of the time. Some links about garden history from Britain and North America have also been included for historical background.
What is the Queenslander garden?
The "Queenslander garden" refers here to the type of plants and gardens which would have been associated with a traditional Queensland home, from settlement of the colony in Brisbane to our own grandparents' gardens.
Why is the Queenslander garden important?
If you're restoring an old Queenslander, you might like to consider restoring the garden in a way that's appropriate to your house and suburb. Or, you may have a modern home built in a colonial or Queenslander style, and want to recreate the ambiance of the Queenslander lifestyle.
On the other hand, you might just be interested in finding plants that are reliable and easy to grow in this climate. In the old days, most plants would have been passed around from neighbour to neighbour and from one generation to the next. These plants would have to be easy to propagate, and easy to keep alive in the days before irrigation systems or even mains water (although they may have had more rain in those days!).
Unfortunately, some of the plants turned out to be a little too easy to grow. Some species are now considered environmental weeds and should not be planted: e.g. Camphor Laurel, Privet, Cocos palm, Ochna. Exotic Dutchman's Pipe should not be planted because of its detrimental effect on the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly.
What about a Cottage Garden?
A Cottage Garden would also be be very compatible with a Queenslander home, but what tends to be considered a modern cottage garden style (with a predominance of flowering perennials) is heavily influenced by Northern hemisphere gardens and contemporary gardening magazines. (More garden styles)
Plants
Below are just a few suggestions. The links will take you to the relevant pages on this site for more information on those particular plants.
Maidenhair fern
Spirea
Bleeding Heart
freesia
gladioli
arum lillies
marguerite daisy
shasta daisy
chrysanthemums
feverfew
Accessories
If you're looking for decorative accessories to complement your Queenslander garden, try the following pages on this site:
News
Help for Brisbane Heritage homeowners
A new Heritage Incentive Scheme (HIS) will provide free consultation and grants for conservation work to property owners on Brisbane's City Plan Heritage Register. More information from Brisbane City Council (December, 2005)
Avenues of Honour
The Avenue of Honour Project 1915-2015 aims to document, preserve and restore trees planted to honour servicemen and women in the last century, in addition to planting new ones, in time for the Centenary of the Anzac in 2015. Many coummunity groups and government bodies (including Brisbane City Council - More information about their participation HERE) are collaborating with the RSL and TREENET on this project. If you have any information about memorial trees in your district, or you would just like to learn more about the project, visit the website: TREENET Avenues of Honour Project
More Links
Garden & home heritage, Queensland
‘Ashgrove 150’ Heritage Bus Tour in: Australian Garden History Society Queensland Branch Newsletter October 2006 (PDF). Some information and pictures of historic homes and gardens in Ashgrove, Brisbane
On the Edge of a Garden Example of a terracotta tile manufactured in Brisbane in the late 19th or early 20th century and used for edging gardens of the period
BRISbites offers historical information on many Brisbane suburbs
Queens Park Ipswich. Queensland Heritage Register, Environmental Protection Agency, Queensland
Our House This website by the Australian Heritage Commission contains profiles on several Queensland properties
Historic trees
Information on several heritage-listed trees in Qld, such as the "Burke and Wills Dig Tree". Environmental Protection Agency, Queensland
Archicentre Fact Sheets Download factsheets on a variety of Queensland house styles, including "The Colonial Queensland Home". Archicentre, Australian Institute of Architects
Cooktown Life includes some pictures & information about history of the town
Garden & home heritage, other parts of Australia
Garden history, international
Here are some links about garden history in Europe and North America, should you wish to research historical styles that would have influenced settlers establishing gardens in Australia, or what styles were contemporary in the northern hemisphere at the time.
Making of America (MOA) is a digital library of historical texts including several gardening books
George Washington: Landscape Architect Read about George Washington's garden, including a list of plants he ordered for his Mount Vernon (Virginia) estate from John Bartram's nursery in 1792.
The Elizabethan Gardens North Carolina, USA. A tribute to the first English settlers.
The Pulham Legacy Website about the English landscaping company of the 1800s and early 1900's, James Pulham and Son
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