Paul Bangay Garden

I had seen his gardening books but not been to his garden.  On the map I realised it is behind Fran's property where we went to see all the kids each Boxing Day.
It is called Stoneleigh and home of Paul Bangay, widely described as one of the foremost garden designers in Australia.

His Garden at The Melbourne Garden Show 

The Open Garden weekend was a fundraiser for Stephanie Alexander School Kitchen Garden Scheme so she was there as well in the book signing tent.
I didn't buy any books as I have been given her books for gifts of the years.
The garden and house were created out of a stone covered paddock so is amazing.
Parking was in a paddock with a road in and another pout! But traffic management was good so the exit out only took 10 minutes.

The car park was filling fast when I arrived at 1015 (opened 10am!)

The grass was like a dense carpet that dented sl. with footprints 

A swimming pool like no other!!!

The pool looking to the house 

A planted border

Hedge on the pool terrace

A stylised garden That I admire but would not plant for myself 

Roof  of a small pergola 

The Apple Walk

The white garden and the small gutter trail

The gate is on other side of the hole

The gate 

Paul and Stephanie busy in the tent!

   

Ann is 90

I was thrilled to be invited to help celebrate Dr Ann Morgan's 90th birthday.

I first met Ann when I requested help from the Mental Health Department at Royal Children's Hospital in 1986.

The patient I was concerned about was a baby, so I was not sure mental health would be interested . But unknown to me some of the Department were just developing a group interested in Infant Mental Health 

When I said it was for a baby, I jokingly recount that it was the fastest mental health referral accepted in history! 

From there I joined the IMH group and developed a respect and admiration for this amazing woman.

Ann with Joanna Murray Smith at an IMH meeting in 2014

We went on to do some joint consultation and her insight opened a new way of thinking for me .
Ann is a Paediatrician and a Child Psychologist and even now runs a tutorial for the Master in Infant Mental Health at Melbourne Uni.
The party was at one of her sons' house in Hawthorn (7 children ) and  many grandchildren were present as well.

There were lots of colleagues that I knew there to celebrate with her husband John. I expect they had many other family celebrations .
She is mentally as well as physically agile but had twisted and broken her foot a few weeks ago.
So her usual  beautiful shoe collection was marred by the boot she had to wear.

We were disappointed there were not 90 candles!

John and Ann