Betty lived on the southern Monaro, a few miles east of Bombala, at Stonehenge, for 62 years. 

Travellers taking Cathcart Road will have watched the Crankies Plain landscape along 

the Coolumbooka River change as the many trees and wind breaks she planted established and matured.

Family and the farm were her life and focus for more than 40 years. 

She progressively took over the day-to-day management of the farm from her husband Norman (deceased) and his uncle Alban Platts.

The care of the stock and soils fell under her prudent management. 

Maintaining the fences and yards, controlling weeds and the rabbits, all fitted into the annual joining and sowing calendar. 

Each year there was time for tree planting and building tree guards.

The paddock trees and much of her large garden came from seed collected on trips through Cooma or Canberra. 

Driving trips with Betty frequently involved a quick dash across the median strip to collect seeds or pieces of a shrub. 

These treasures, stowed in empty takeaway coffee cups or a handbag, would be carefully planted, watered and nurtured. 

Once ready, the seedlings would be given the best chance of thriving in the garden. 

As her expertise and range of plants increased, street stalls, fetes and garden visitors were all recipients of a few plants.

While the garden was her haven and creative centre, the farm was the greatest challenge.

The seasons on the southern Monaro deal up many challenges and she took each on as it came, preparing and planning for what might come. 

Dealing with the many years of drought she also made the most of the good seasons. 

In the early years managing the farm, she was one of the few women taking on all aspects of running their farm business. 

There was no job too mucky or too hard and she would be out in all weather. 

Shelter sheds were built for lambing ewes and shorn sheep and each was planted with windbreaks and shelter trees to extend the protection.

Clearing sales were a favourite, each one being a likely source of second hand materials for building. 

With these weekend excursions came the chance to catch up with neighbours, friends and family over a cuppa.

Along with the practical items came an increasing interest in collectables and old equipment.

Betty was a firm believer in reuse and recycle long before it gained fashion. 

Old telephone line insulators still mark the electric fence line, and a wet day spent welding in the shed saw bits and pieces made into gate gudgeons or garden supports for roses and jasmines.

When the garden developed sufficiently to provide shelter, she began growing varieties of tree peonies from seed that have given her great pleasure. 

She loved to share the treasures of her garden with friends old and new. 

Many of you will still have plants that went home to your garden in the boot of the car after a visit to her garden.

In the years leading up to her retirement she was pleased to open the garden as part of the NSW Open Garden Scheme. 

It was all hands to the wheelbarrows and rakes in the weeks leading up to the event. 

Sheep manure to be dug and spread, mulch and bark chips to be spread, snakes to scare off and parking signs to paint. 

Betty is survived by her brother John, daughter Anne, Anne’s partner Kelly, her grandchildren Ciara and Reece, thousands of trees and her garden.

A ceremony to celebrate her life will be held in her garden at Stonehenge on Saturday, September 20, 2014. All welcome.