Bradley Bush Regeneration

INTRODUCTION

In the late 1960’s as a young man I was engaged in Sydney with my family’s Native Landscape Garden business - the first of its kind in Australia. The primary aim of this business was to bring the Australian flora to the fore of the gardening ethos which otherwise promulgated a lawn mower mentality and the propagation of exotic species.

Many years earlier and not far away, the Bradley sisters, Joan and Eileen were developing their now well known “Bradley Method” of Bush Regeneration.

Subsequently my mother, Edith Jean Walker and her sister Betty Maloney's book, “Designing Australian Bush Gardens” which became a best seller in 1965, effectively flushed Joan and Eileen out of the bush to become good family friends. Joan and my mother collaborated and with the help of others produced another book, “Bringing Back the Bush” which also became a best seller.

Fundamental to bringing back the bush is the clearing of weeds in such a way that spontaneous regeneration of dormant seeds occurs and the bush returns naturally and strengthens itself.

The Bradley Method maintained three basic principles:

• Work from good bush to bad (work from dark to light)

• Allow Regeneration to dictate the rate of (weed) removal

• Minimal disturbance (do not use great force, weeds come out easily if one picks the right place and method of work, always ensuring that vast amounts of light are prevented from penetrating the soil)

I drew many of these cartoons for Joan who for many frustrating years, tried to gain credibility for their work. This book as it was intended, put a smile on her face which otherwise saw a governmental black-hole of indecision and incredulity.

After all how could two little old ladies restore hectares of bush with only a pen knife, trowel and secateurs?

This book is dedicated to those persons who engage in the changing practical processes of discovery which successfully eliminate or control the invasion of exotic weed species which threaten Australia’s diverse range of flora and fauna.

Also to the memory of Joan and Eileen Bradley who have enhanced beyond their wildest dreams, our understanding of the Australian bush. And to my late mother, Edith Jean Walker who with her sister, Betty Maloney are credited with pioneering the Bush Garden movement in Australia.

Ian Trafford Walker

2019