A Nurseryman's notes

WWI photo of Cpl Offord.

Beginning in 1922, the Hurstville Propeller newspaper published a weekly column of ‘Gardening Notes’ by a local nurseryman, who went under the pseudonym ‘Acacia’. The column invariably appeared next to an advert for Mr A E Offord’s Rutherglen Nursery at Oatley, and after a couple of years, the pretence at anonymity was dropped and Offord’s name accompanied the articles. His column ran for the next quarter of a century, and totalled well over a thousand weekly articles. Albert Edward Offord was born in Hammersmith, England in 1884, son of Alfred and Mary Offord. The family came to Australia in 1886. Albert began work as a nurseryman in the 1900s. In 1905 he married Grace James, and they came to live at Oatley.

Despite being married, and with a heart murmur possibly brought on by an earlier bout of rheumatic fever, Albert enlisted in 1915, aged 31, and proceeded to France with

the 17th Battalion AIF. He was promoted to Corporal, but after two months’ front-line service, heart problems in late 1916 led to hospitalisation in England. He was returned to Australia and invalided out of the Army in March 1918.

While invalided in England, he had had the opportunity to visit many of the English nurseries picking up ideas. Three months after his return to Australia he opened his nursery at Blanche Street, Oatley. A feature of the nursery was the bush-house, in which Offord grew ferns and palms for sale. He specialised in roses, fruit trees and rockery plants, but also did good business with flower and vegetable seeds. Although he was competing with several established nurseries in the area, his expertise ensured him a supply of regular customers.

His wife died in 1933. Despite worsening health and extended recuperation in nursing homes, he continued to contribute his Gardening Notes up to 1944. For health reasons, he then moved from Oatley to a property at Heathcote, and with the easing of paper restrictions, he restarted his column in 1946. A bushfire threatened properties in Heathcote in November 1948, and while absent from home helping others fight the flames, his own house and garden were burned to the ground. He lost everything, including military pension papers, typewriter, a lifetime’s mementoes, and his pet dog. It was a blow too many. He died in 1950. From Propeller, November 1924:

“Let me tell you of a backyard garden at a local Bank. On two sides of the yard the asphalt has been cut away in a strip about one foot wide. Nearest the fence is a row of sweet peas and a row of epicure beans. In front of these are plants of geraniums. On the third side of the yard two courses of bricks make a pocket on top of the asphalt. In this made bed chrysanthemums are growing. On the fourth side of the yard two courses of bricks are laid on top of the asphalt. This pocket is filled with rich soil. Tomato plants are set into this bed, and at the present time the plants are laden with large fruits and just about to ripen. Besides the above there is a large box filled with good soil and holes bored in the side of the box. Young strawberry plants were inserted into these holes and at present the owner is picking decent strawberries. In another corner of this yard a smaller box is filled with red verbena. The plants are trailing over the sides of the box. As the plants are in full bloom the box makes a very effective display.”

Accompanying photos: aerial view of Blanche Street, Oatley (AER007); WWI photo of Cpl Offord.

1937 aerial view of Blanche Street, Oatley, Rutherglen Nursery in centre of photo