BHG’s senior content producer Jade Coull shares a very special place made by her grandfather – a creative outlet and a family haven.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of an Aussie backyard? Is it a flaming barbecue, the sizzling of steaks, buckets of ice-cold beers, or laughter bubbling around the table as you share a meal with loved ones?
For me, it’s all of those things and more. I picture my nonno, Antonio (or Tony, as we call him), standing by his little coal barbecue, gently rotating stikini (our nickname for his specially marinated lamb skewers) until they’re melt-in-your-mouth tender. He’s often wearing his Italian cap, shorts and a T-shirt, with socks and sandals. There’s a smile on his face as he looks around at his family and the life he and my nonna, Angela, created.
From Sicily to Sydney
Antonio and Angela Catalano came to Australia in 1965 by boat, all the way from Poggioreale, a small town in Sicily. They left on a 31-day journey when my nonna was 19 and my nonno was 24, with nothing but a single suitcase and a love that has withstood more than 60 years.
Just as many people from many different countries have done over the years, my grandparents came to Australia with the hope of building a better life for their future family. Shortly after they arrived, they bought a simple, red-brick home in western Sydney.
Nonno found a job building foundations for houses before eventually becoming a concreter and starting his own business. My nonna had the most important role of all: raising their three children – Rosa, Rita and Marisa. Today, they have eight grandchildren and, recently, a gorgeous great-grandson.
A garden gallery
Nonno spent hours outdoors working in the scorching sun and rain. You’ll still find him outdoors today, sleeves rolled up, working on one of his proudest achievements – his garden.
Over the years, Nonno has transformed his yard. He started with a patch of grass, framed by flowers and fruit trees. Then he completed his first passion project using cement as the foundation – a mini version of Venice’s Rialto Bridge. Shortly after, he built his version of the Doric Temple of Segesta in Sicily, and then a miniature of the Torre del Gallo tower that overlooks Florence. Each took about six months to finish, and Nonno built them by hand from beginning to end.
Since then, he’s conjured an array of pieces, from a gorgeous garden well to a boat representing the one that brought him to Australia all those years ago, and many cement pots that he nurtures bonsai plants in.
We have a little tradition each time we visit. We’ll go inside, have a drink and be told to “mangia, mangia!” (eat, eat!) and, once our bellies are full, with a huge smile Nonno will proclaim there’s something new in his garden that we need to find.
He’ll follow behind us as we wander through his creations, a glimmer in his eye, waiting to see who will find the newest addition first. Sometimes the treasure hunt is obvious – a new animal statue or a handmade cement pot, while at other times it’s small and easy to miss.
This is when my Nonna will walk over, link her arm in mine and not-so-subtly nod her head in the direction of the new plant or statue or project that Nonno put his heart and soul into creating.
It’s in these moments, when I’m really looking, that I notice and appreciate the simple beauty of lemons larger than my fist, bright red tomatoes ready to harvest, and buds beginning to bloom. These garden tours, or hunts, are like a little gift every time we visit.
When I ask my Nonno why, at 83 years old, he still spends so much time in the garden, he answers immediately.
“It keeps me busy and I like to do something new every day,” he says.
I believe he does it for these little moments with us and strangers who walk by. His garden is one of his proudest creations. He has been recognised by his local council five times as part of the Fairfield Garden of the Year Awards.
Reminders of what matters
Nonno’s garden is special as it represents his culture. It’s filled with references of the life he left behind in Italy. As a young boy, he was a shepherd and farmer. That’s why he has sheep statues. He grows seasonal vegies and herbs, just like his parents. The miniature Italian landmarks remind him of his heritage.
Nonno has embraced the diversity in his home country, Australia. There are bonsai plants of all kinds, Australian natives, and statues representative of history (notably, the statue of Ned Kelly on a motorbike which had me doubled over in laughter the first time I saw it).
“While I miss my home in Italy, I love Australia, the country that welcomed me and gave my family this brilliant life. Like me, many people of various cultures came here for opportunity,” he says.
“We travelled from far, with nothing but hope. We are blessed and that’s why I love to celebrate. I love to spend time in my backyard and garden, to enjoy food with my family and reflect on what we have built here.”
So, while on the surface an Aussie backyard may look different for each of us, they all have a few things in common.
Backyards are a place of gathering with family. It’s where we create memories that will be cherished forever. Where we celebrate love and life with good food. They are places to stop, look around, and reflect on what we have created and what we hold dearest.
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