One day I returned to find a note on my table (the door was nearly open) signed "Nellie Melba".

In her usual spontaneous way she had decided she would hand over the care of her garden to me, and "would I find her some girl gardeners?"

Returning from overseas and finding that the gardener in charge of the grounds at Coombe Cottage had cut down the old Elm trees growing on the western boundary, she was furious and gave him notice on the spot! I had previously met her when I was working in her sisters garden in Toorak. As she was leaving she stopped and spoke to me, "Do you like gardening?" she said.

"Oh yes, I can't imagine anyone doing it unless they really like it" oozed out of me rather, because I couldn't confess I was a compulsive gardener! I had chosen it as an out-of-doors way of life - only to find later on I would much rather have been a farmer.

However once I achieved the building of gardens - that is DESIGNING them - I was much happier, for I discovered that the architectural side of garden-making interested and excited me more than the planting.

Dame Nellie was quite satisfied with the design of her garden, she merely wished me to supervise the three girls who were to take on the maintenance, and to pay them fortnightly.

Fortunately I found a lass, Joan Anderson, who was a much better gardener than I was, so she became head gardener and found two girls to work with her.

Luckily Dame Nellie took to her at once. She must have fancied me a bit too, because she just would not be bothered with anyone she did not like.

Returning to Coombe Cottage she would ring and ask me to come over and walk around the garden with her...