On The Homefront: Gardens & Yards

During the war years, householders were encouraged to develop home gardens and to grow as many vegetables as possible. The Queensland Minister for Agriculture, Mr. T. Williams was also eager to encourage country State schools to be involved in a vegetable growing scheme.

Scarcity of food, including vegetables and soaring prices since the outbreak of war were cited in the local newspaper as reasons why householders should develop a home garden.

Splashes of colour were provided by householders on footpaths, mostly using petunias.

Garden competitions held in the late 1940s and into the 1950s were supported by the Horticultural Society, the local Save-the-Trees Committee, Council and the Parks Curator.

In 1949 the Queensland Times stated that there were:

60 homes in the suburbs which could be entries in a front garden-front lawn competition without any further preparation or attention. Greater number of footpath gardens. 10 houses in Glebe road appear to have a private competition - couch lawns, front both sides of the road and gardens show all the seasonal flowers with the emphasis on Iceland poppies, pansies, snap-dragons, mignonette, and stocks.

In 1950 the Queensland Times P/L and Cribb and Foote Ltd organised a garden competition.

Hundreds of people living within the boundaries of Greater Ipswich spend many spare-time hours in their gardens with effects that are a real attraction to visitors and passersby. There was a section for good neighbour’s for presentation to the public of a good front view, by residents on neighbouring allotments. Frontage appearance, including the footpaths and fences was one consideration in this category. The aim was to improve the general appearance of the whole street and to ensure that frontage work was not confined to isolated properties.

The following year a Jubilee Trophy was awarded for the best garden in the open class. Trophies were also awarded for:

the other 4 classes – 2, best garden, no outside labour; 3, open, labour employed limited to one day per week; 4, open, best vegetable garden; 5, good neighbours, open to holders of two adjoining allotments. It was hoped that during the Jubilee year that a special effort would be made by home owners to make the competition even more successful.