A life in the green

By Emma Schenk
FOR more than 40 years, Anja Potter has been smelling the roses and enjoying a life full of gardening.
“I love everything about it,” Mrs Potter said.
“Watching the buds bloom, smelling the flowers … it’s so satisfying to witness something like that.”
Her passion began back when she was 14, when her Dad would take her out to the garden and show her the tricks of the trade.
“He was an avid gardener too and I was fascinated with the creation of new things,” she said.
The Beaconsfield resident is the nursery manager at Beaconsfield Home Timber and Hardware and speaks happily about working among the beautiful begonias, garvineas, myrtles, pansies and banksias.
But her main passion and focus is her own garden, which she has been growing for 26 years.
“I wouldn’t open it to the public, but I’m pleased and proud with what I’ve created,” she said.
“I absolutely adore statues so there’s a lot of ornaments, bird-baths and decorative rocks in my yard.”
“We also have a vegie garden, gum trees and a lot of roses because they’ve always been my favourite flower,” she said.
Mrs Potter admits the life of a gardener is not always easy though and despite her years of experience, she can’t seem to tame the weeds or her curious dogs.
“If it’s not the weeds, it’s my two Labradors that stop the plants from growing,” she said.
“Even though I love them, I get so mad. They sit on the dirt and dig it up. I’m still trying to figure out how I’ll grow anything on the areas they’ve played on.”
She has picked up some tips along the way though, and recommends people look at their neighbours’ gardens to see what plants suit their area.
“Doing this lets you see what will grow and what won’t. It’ll give you an idea of the kind of soil in your area, whether it’s alkaline or acidic. And you can also see where the morning and afternoon sun falls so you can choose plants suitable.”
The 56-year-old spends most of her free time watching, reading or thinking about gardening, and also enjoys tennis and horse-riding.
“I watch all the gardening shows on TV, own about 60 different books and attend all the exhibitions and shows. I guess I’m a little addicted,” she said.