733 City Planning Committee Meeting 15 March 2017
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733rd Council Meeting 28 March 2017 ADOPTED REPORT City Planning Committee Meeting 15 March 2017 679 ROSSER’S HOUSE GARDEN • CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN & ACTION PLAN 3.3 The garden beds - description, role, and significance 3.3.1 Introduction Rosser’s House gardens are assessed here as the separate garden beds and lawns, for the purpose of; • understanding the content and character of each garden bed, and • the contribution each garden bed makes to the garden as a whole The Garden Beds delineated are:- North entry gardens - “the back yard” A The garden along the north of the house. B The garden at the house west of the entry. C The planting between the house and the shed. D North orchard garden. E Gardens along the east side and the lawn. East gardens - the front garden F and G The garden beds along the east of the house. H and I Garden beds alongside the lawn entry path. South gardens J Garden bed along the south of the house. K Upper shrubbery. L Eastern shrubbery. M Lower shrubberies, ponds and lawn. N Lower garden perimeter. West gardens - “Gene’s forest garden” O and P Gardens at the west house edge, Q Western garden, S Compost and orchard area, R Lower, south-west woodland area. Friends of the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens T GCRBG nursery, These garden beds are indicated on Figure 5 on the following page. Refer to Figures 2, 3 and 4 above for locations of individual elements. The latter three figures are combined in Figure 6 at the end of this report. In this section each garden bed is briefly described and analysed, including the role of the garden, and preliminary assessments of heritage significance and conservation considerations are indicated. CATHERINE BROUWER LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS 34 733rd Council Meeting 28 March 2017 ADOPTED REPORT City Planning Committee Meeting 15 March 2017 680 ROSSER’S HOUSE GARDEN • CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN & ACTION PLAN CATHERINE BROUWER LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS 35 733rd Council Meeting 28 March 2017 ADOPTED REPORT City Planning Committee Meeting 15 March 2017 681 ROSSER’S HOUSE GARDEN • CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN & ACTION PLAN 3.3.2 North entry gardens - “the back yard” A The garden along the north of the house. B The garden at the house west of the entry. C The planting between the house and the shed. D North orchard garden. E Gardens along the east side ,and the lawn. Garden A - The garden along the north of the house Table and seats on the lawn in the trees’ shade Description This garden extends all along the house from the doorway to the house corner. At the Castanospermum australe (black bean) tree the underplanting extends out from the house a couple of metres while further to the west the garden narrows to about a metre wide. A Phoenix roebellini (date palm) is a feature just west of the tree. Orchids in pots are supported on timber planks along the west half as several years ago the garden was moved away from the house to allow for aeration and termite inspections. Role of the garden Much of the garden is directly outside the living room window and provides an attractive outlook and garden edge for this room. The plants also semi-screen the visitors view into the house. Aspects for heritage significance assessment • The continuity of this garden through the house history. • The amenity of the garden as viewed from the house. • The long term attention to this garden. Preliminary conservation considerations • Maintenance of the spread of some individual plants. • Retention of the pot plants in the future. • Maintenance of the native bee hives. CATHERINE BROUWER LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS 36 733rd Council Meeting 28 March 2017 ADOPTED REPORT City Planning Committee Meeting 15 March 2017 682 ROSSER’S HOUSE GARDEN • CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN & ACTION PLAN Garden B - The garden at the house west of the entry Description This garden extends along the house from the doorway east to the house corner. Role of the garden The garden, in association with garden area A, presents the house within a richly planted garden, contributing to the overall garden character. The plants semi- screen the water tank and the side entry to the kitchen from the visitor’s view on approach to the entry door. Aspects for heritage significance assessment • The continuity of this garden throughout the house history. • The amenity of the garden as viewed on approaching the door. • Additions in the Gene Rosser period. Preliminary conservation considerations • Maintenance of the diversity of plants, the pot plants and decorative items over the long term. Garden C - The planting between the house and shed Description There are several beds here as there are pathways through to the shed and the garden east of the house. The main features are the Schotia tree with many hanging baskets and epiphytes over the branches, and the old frangipani tree. Orchids are stored here in the shade on a tiered timber shelf unit. CATHERINE BROUWER LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS 37 733rd Council Meeting 28 March 2017 ADOPTED REPORT City Planning Committee Meeting 15 March 2017 683 ROSSER’S HOUSE GARDEN • CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN & ACTION PLAN Role of the garden The garden provides a frame to the lawn, and separation of the northern open sunny garden area from the tree canopy shaded eastern gardens. The garden extends up to, and in front of, the now disused shed partially screening and integrating it into the garden’s character. Aspects for heritage significance assessment • Garden C has two old trees -the frangipani reputedly from the Muir period and the later Schotia brachypetala (parrot tree). • The collection of hanging plants and epiphytes in the Schotia is unique in its extent. Preliminary conservation considerations • Conservation of the frangipani and the Schotia tree with its collection of hanging plants and epiphytes. • Restoration of the garden in particular the low plants and lawn edges. Garden D - The orchard garden north of the garage Description This garden has a small ‘orchard’ group of trees and herbs and vegetables underneath. A small wire mesh enclosure against the perimeter fence has troughs for vegetables. Weed matting has been spread over part of the area to assist maintenance, however it is unattractive and can be slippery at times. Role of the garden The garden provides a foliage semi-screen to the perimeter fence and the Friends of the GCRBG plant propagation and nursery activities which have extended directly outside the fence. Aspects for heritage significance assessment • The garden has old trees with associations with the Rosser family. • It was once part of the Rosser’s yard and is still part of the north yard setting. Preliminary conservation considerations • The mulberry was planted by John Rosser. • Restoration of the garden if/when removal of the weed mat and tank. The northern lawns Description The lawn extends over the level area north of the house. Specimen trees setting off the edges include the mulberry tree planted by John Rosser, and the tulip tree next to the house. The clothesline extends over the lawn. Role of the garden The lawn serves the laundry needs of the clothes line, as it did throughout the place history. It also serves as the driveway to the garage building and as a CATHERINE BROUWER LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS 38 733rd Council Meeting 28 March 2017 ADOPTED REPORT City Planning Committee Meeting 15 March 2017 684 ROSSER’S HOUSE GARDEN • CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN & ACTION PLAN turnaround and car park for visitors. The lawns provide a relaxation place at the table and chairs in the shade, and openness to view the house and garden planting. Aspects for heritage significance assessment • The open lawns represent the open yard area the Rosser’s used for their beekeeping and other farm utilitarian needs, for the childrens’ play and house utilitarian needs. Preliminary conservation considerations • Moderate maintenance only required. • Conservation of aspects of the historical character of the open utilitarian lawn. Garden E - Ashmore Road buffer garden Description Along the Ashmore Road side of the northern lawn garden and extending north alongside the Botanic Gardens fence is a wide, mass planted garden. This area is planted on soil mounds parallel to the road with mixed trees and shrubs primarily of native species. Role of the Garden The role of this garden bed is to screen the house and lawns from Ashmore Road. Aspects for heritage significance assessment • The planting is not an appropriate character for the Rosser home garden. Its extent into the lawns and the plants style in parts are intrusive on interpretation of the overall garden character and significance. Preliminary conservation considerations • Rejuvenation of the screening role of the garden bed with pruning of the plants and additional planting. • Reduction in part of the extent of this garden planting into the former yard space. CATHERINE BROUWER LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS 39 733rd Council Meeting 28 March 2017 ADOPTED REPORT City Planning Committee Meeting 15 March 2017 685 ROSSER’S HOUSE GARDEN • CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN & ACTION PLAN 3.3.3 East Gardens - the front garden F and G The garden beds along the east of the house. H and I Garden beds alongside the lawn entry path. Gardens F and G - The garden beds along the east of the house Description Area F is the garden south of the house entry, area G is to the north. Role of the garden The garden role is as an immediate planted surrounds for the house to be enjoyed both on approach and from the verandah. These narrow gardens present the house as nestled within a luxuriant garden. There appears to have been garden beds alongside the entry from the time of the garden’s establishment by John and Essie Rosser.