Celi, from thekitchensgarden, has asked that bloggers all around the world show her what they see from their back door. So, this is what I can see from my Perth back door. I have joined two photos to get a panorama.
On the left is the garage. It is not the original garage. One evening, many years ago, I put my foot on the accelerator instead of the brake as I was parking the car … and that was the end of the original garage. The roof and walls collapsed onto the car. I had to crawl out of the car from under the rubble. I then realised that the interior light of the car was on so I crawled back in, avoiding fallen electric wires, and turned it off. I didn’t want a flat battery to add to my woes!
All that was standing was the door frame and two big wooden doors. I closed them as best I could. When Maus came home, her first words were, ‘Why didn’t you close the garage doors properly?” She had a surprise coming!
On the right is the “wash house”, a separate building as was the custom when the house was built in 1926. Originally, it had a big wooden fire-place incorporating an old copper tub (we still have it) in which clothes were put. The poor old house wife used to stir the clothes with a big wooden paddle whilst they boiled. Fortunately, we have modernised the interior.
Behind the laundry is another garage, a later addition. It used to be Maus’ woodworking shed before she got one six times as big in Bridgetown.
The big tree in the foreground is an apricot tree. It was espaliered against the original garage but, when I knocked the garage over, we moved it to its current position. We have never had many apricots from it. It used to fruit and we would spray them weekly to prevent fruit fly but they were still infected so we ceased to worry about them. Each year, we would have rotten fruit splattered all over the brick paving. The tree has now stopped fruiting and all is well. The yellow leaves you see are from the apricot tree. We returned to Perth just last night so we haven’t had an opportunity to rake them up. Anyway, I quite like them. Here is a close-up.
We used to have lawn but, when we got two little puppies called Maggie and Lily, before long the lawn looked more like the lunar landscape than lawn, so we decided to go with brickpaving. We, specifically, requested a flat area to accommodate large dinner parties but alas, the last large dinner party we had was on the fore-mentioned lawn 🙂
Here is a close up of the back section. I planted Cocos palms everywhere when we moved in (1985). They were all the rage in Perth at that time. Since then, cottage gardens were popular and, now, native gardens are in vogue. I figure the tropical look will make a comeback, one day soon.
The only edible plants are a kaffir lime tree (you can just see the pot on the right in this photo) and a curry tree, which is just out of this photo on the left.
Passion Fruit Garden 
We have to make concessions for pups. Having the garden you like is possible when they get older. Saying that, mine are nearly 8 years old and still dig 😦
Hi Joy. Mine don’t dig much now – only in summer when they are looking for a cool place. They have a couple of favourite spots where I leave their holes.
I love the tree, it looks like garden sculpture. The brick work is nice, too. I’d stay with tropical, too.
Thanks Pattie – the palms are here to stay, There is way too many of them and I am too old to pull them out now. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Glenda, that’s so glorious! I’ve seen your other backyard, but this one is so elegant!
This one is significantly smaller and much easier to handle – 7 acres sometimes gets a little too daunting for us.
Your garden up close and Perth-sonal! 🙂
Hi Col. Very smart, so smart in fact it took me a while to work it out, oh dear:( Thanks for visiting and commenting.
We would love a tropical garden like yours right now, beautiful 🙂
Thanks so much Joanna. Your garden was pretty cool too.
I love tropical backyards, of course they’ll make a comeback!
Lisa, I love your optimism!!
What a delightful back yard – I’d be quite embarrassed to show mine. Loved the old garage story – sometimes accidents turn out for the best.
Hi Doc. You have a vegie patch which is wonderful. I can’t grow vegetables in Perth – too much shade.
What a beautiful view you have Glenda – such a gorgeous spacious area!
Good for you going back to turn off the interior light of the car – hee hee.
Have a lovely day.
🙂 Mandy xo
Hi Mandy. It is weird how the brain works. You would have thought I would have had more on my mind than a flat battery.
Fabulous to see your morning view, and I enjoyed the stories too! I’m going to have to get my act together and write something up too – but most of all I can imagine wandering around your garden (with a cup of tea, of course!) first thing in the morning and greeting the day
Hi Claire. Isn’t it a lovely idea checking out everyone’s back garden?
Great idea for a post Glenda. Your house was built the year my father was born, I’d never made the connection before. And what’s this about no dinner parties, well not large ones perhaps (those are held in Bridgetown) but many a fine boozy lunch and dinner has been held in the welcome shade of your garden. Finally, any post about your garden is not complete without a photo and description of your large frangipani tree- tell us more!
Hiya Colette. I forgot about THE frangipani. It is losing its leaves at the moment. It didn’t make it into the panorama.