I am rather fond of palm trees and there used to be a palm tree in the garden at Grandma's house on Murray Road, Cora Lynn. The property was called
Evesham. Grandma was Eva Rouse (nee Weatherhead). Her garden was magnificent and the palm tree was out the back, near the water tank and next to a weeping cherry tree and near the holly bush. Growing next to the water tank was a tree dahlia, which as you would know, has a very short flowering season. Behind the palm was the vegetable garden and an orchard. If we went around the house to the west side, Grandma had lots of dahlias; round the house to the front or the north and the the east side - were trees, blossom trees, magnolias, a feijoa, a camellias, various roses - bush and climbing; lilacs, a wisteria, bird of paradise, and then around the back on the back path to the back door there was a Cecile Brunner pink rose, fuscias, violets, hellebores, Chinese lantern trees, snowball trees, a mulberry tree. Plus various flowers everywhere - stocks, snap dragons etc. The garden was her pride and joy.
My Dad (Frank Rouse), my aunty Marion, and Grandma - off to church on a Sunday, around 1955 - and there's our palm tree in the back, behind the water tank.
Grandma in front of the tree dahlia, 1966 - and there's our palm tree on the right, next to the elevated tank.
No palm tree in this photo - but this is Evesham and Grandma with two children and holding a baby, most likely my dad, who was born December 1934.
Evesham, 1958. No palm trees in any of the following photos, but here are some other photos of Grandma's garden. The fence was constructed by my Dad and my uncle, Jim Rouse. The top pipe was a water pipe, which could have a hose attached to the end and it had taps at various intervals to connect hoses.
Evesham, 1958
Evesham, 1958. This is the driveway, the little building on the right is the chook feed shed. The bricks on the left are for a 3 bay open-fronted shed that was being constructed.
Evesham, 1964
