Despite their not-so-green thumbs, the couple turned their steeply sloping Regent Street, Maitland, block into a tidy English garden. 

Theirs is one of seven gardens open to the public for the 31st Maitland Garden Ramble.

One of the smaller blocks on show, Mrs Thomas is keen to show what can be done in an average size backyard. 

“We spent a lot of time living in London so the formality of an English garden is something we wanted, but not too much maintenance and a little bit of colour,” Mrs Thomas said. 

After moving into the Victorian homestead Marlton in 2009 the couple, with the help of Wendy Cannon, redesigned the upper level of the garden. 

They reused existing bricks to develop a terrace and planted a variety of hedges with lilly pilly, jasmine, gardenias, japanese box and lavender.

Pops of colour appear and sweet scents were planted close to the home. 

“The garden is there to be enjoyed inside and out,” Mrs Thomas said. 

“We’re still not gardeners, we’re really not. We didn’t spend a lot of time on it but it fits the bill, which is a bit of colour and low maintenance.” 

Maitland Garden Ramble will be held from September 20 and 21 this year.

Seven home gardeners will open their doors to around 5000 people to peek at the magnificent gardens and gather ideas for their own backyards.

The garden ramble is one of the local Black and White Committee major annual fund-raisers for their patron body, Vision Australia, formerly the Royal Blind Society of NSW. 

More than $1,000,000 has been raised since the committee’s inception. 

OPINION: Committee’s hard work and dedication is to be applauded