Growing passion

By Emma Sun
AVID gardener Val Anzin keeps herself busy in her Dewhurst garden of nearly half a hectare.
A self-confessed plant enthusiast, Val said gardening has always been in her family.
“My sister was a passionate gardener,” Val said.
“All my family has been interested, but it was her passion that made me really interested.”
Val’s garden consists of many different varieties of plants.
“I’ve got some rare plants, but I love all plants,” Val said.
“I’ve got a couple of areas that are very cottage-like, they’re quite pretty at the moment.”
Val loves foliage as well, adding that she has a lot of flowering plants in her garden.
“I have lots of roses, there is quite a large framed area with red roses,” Val said.
“I’ve got an area I call the pink area, which has a lot of pink roses and a pink climber at the entrance.
“I also have an area with rare woodland plants like arisaemas, trilliums and several other plants. They’re quite unusual.”
Val also admitted she isn’t much of a fruit or vegetable person.
“What was once my vegetable patch became my bulb bed,” Val said. “We don’t really have fruit trees, just one lemon tree … but it’s not very old.”
She also loves her herbs. She grows herbs like origanum, sage, mint, coriander, parsley and many others.
One might wonder how Val manages to keep her plants in such good condition.
“I’m a great believer in mulch, so I mulch heavily because I find it keeps the weeds down,” Val revealed. “I never let it bother me, but I always have a big weed and mulch in spring.”
Val spends a considerable amount of time in her garden.
“It really depends. Sometimes, I spend a whole week where I spend a few hours a day in the garden,” Val said.
“Other times I may spend less time. I have quite a few perennials, which involve quite a bit of work because you have to cut them back.”
Val knows she will continue with her gardening, as she is always spotting new and beautiful plants.
“I get a catalogue from a nearby nursery, and it’s pretty rare that I go past a nursery and not think ‘oh, that’ll fit in that spot,’” Val said.