EARTH’S SONGS
The first thing Maree McCarthy tells me about her garden is that she has had a recent visit by an echidna. How wonderful. That’s just one indication of how Maree has managed, over 30-odd years, to get her suburban Newcastle backyard in harmony with the reserve and habitat corridor it backs onto, which itself runs into Glenrock State Conservation Area.
“Supporting Earth to sing her songs” is the mission statement of Maree’s garden design business, Nature’s Magic Garden Designs. A horticulturist with qualifications in environmental science, conservation and land management, Maree is also secretary of the Australian Plants Society — Newcastle Group. In fact, she says, “I
