From a pile of rocks to a forest paradise: The evolution of a St. John's garden
"If you're prepared to do the hard work, then you'll have a good garden," says Alexander (Sandy) Robertson.
The property surrounding the retired forestry scientist's suburban bungalow is home to 28 species of trees and several hundred species of plants.
But the Robertson garden wasn't always a forest paradise.
"This was a gravel pit, pure and simple," said Robertson, of his house and property back in 1971, when he and his family moved in.
Robertson lives in Cowan Heights, a suburban subdivision in the west end of St. John's that was developed in the 1960s and '70s. He has detailed the evolution of his garden on his website, Wind and Landscape.
Along with the lack of soil, Robertson had a north-facing lot, with a back garden that sloped uphill.
Using his scientific knowhow, Robertson gradually transformed his garden into the stunning showpiece it is today.
"The secret is controlling the wind," said Robertson.
"And forget about the lawn."
Robertson planted a mixture of tree species to shelter his garden from prevailing winds.
With only about two to three centimetres of topsoil covering most of his land, Robertson planted mostly ground cover plants such as periwinkle instead of grass.
He contoured the hilly garden with a mixture of shrubs of different heights and sizes, including flowering shrubs for bursts of colour.
Robertson grows most of his trees and plants from seeds and cuttings, and he uses trimmings from his garden to create compost, which he uses to enrich the soil.
The result, Robertson said, is a mature, low-maintenance garden that attracts lots of birds, which in turn take care of insects and other pests.
Robertson said new homeowners, facing a barren plot of land for a garden, shouldn't despair.
"There's an old Scottish saying, 'There's nae pleasure in life without hard work and misery,'" Robertson said with a laugh.
"Just a little bit of time, a little bit of soil, and keep working at it."
Have a listen as Sandy Robertson takes Weekend AM host Heather Barrett on a tour of his garden.
