Horticulturist

Hether began her horticultural journey in 2000, when embarking on a horticultural Tafe course. Having worked in retail and wholesale nurseries in the Hunter Valley and Tamworth regions she has a wide experience in understanding plant varieties, availability and suitability to various situations as well as working with customers' needs and desires. She has also been an independent consultant, gardener and landscape designer in both regions, which has given her hands on experience in designing, building and maintaining a wide variety of gardens from:
  • tiny to acreage
  • beach to bush
  • native to exotic
  • natural to formal
  • domestic to commercial
Hether is currently undertaking a new venture in both private and retail nursery operation. She is striving to produce a range of plants in her own nursery that specialises in a combination of:
  • Organically grown and/or heirloom varieties
  • Edibles & bush tucker, bush medicine, bush tools
  • Indigenous or endemic
  • Hardy & appropriate varieties
  • Rare, endangered, unique or unusual

Eco-ethicist

What is an Eco-ethicist? It's a term coined by Hether in an effort to express the consciousness of one's impact on the environment during the course of a lifetime and beyond, and to actively strive to have a neutral to positive overall impact.
This is not easy in a culture of consumerism.
Eco-ethics is about considering every impact of our living, both direct and indirect. It is to recognise the true difference between needs and wants. It is about minimising waste, avoiding excess and appreciating life's free joys:
  • Slow down, sit down, take time out
  • Stop and smell those roses
  • Listen to the birds
  • Enjoy a cuppa and a chat
  • Take a long joyful breath of fresh air
  • Smile. Laugh. Love.
  • Especially with someone who needs it more than you.
  • Give back ... with interest.

Landscape Designer

As a landscape designer Hether has the experience of designing, building and/or making over a wide variety of gardens from the Hunter to the Tamworth Region, covering a broad range of climates, topographies, soil types and plant species. She has great knowledge of plants and hands on experience in appropriate selection, care, maintenance and various successes and, most importantly, failures.

Hether understands the complexities of good garden design and combines that with a broad knowledge of the region from the cool climate of the tablelands to the harshness of the slopes, the heavy soils of the plains and the effects of drought, frost and long hot summers. It is essential to consider as many aspects as possible such as:
  • Client tastes, uses, needs and wants.
  • Existing features
  • Climate and micro-climates
  • Soil types, topography, geology
  • Sun angles, wind direction, water flow, drainage
  • Local council requirements
  • Access and accessibility
  • Services: infrastructure and servicing
  • Views, surrounds and neighbours
  • The local environment

Author and artist

Hether MiLane was born in Canberra and has grown up with an appreciation for the bush, nature and all things beautiful on this Earth both natural and artistic. Places like Ginninderra Falls near Canberra, where she lived as a child. Her father, Rob Caldwell, opened Ginninderra Falls up to the public in 1979, hand building nature trails from the Falls to the Murrumbidgee River.
Memories of this country planted the seeds of inspiration for two books: "The River" and "The Falls". Two fictional adventure stories yet to be published. Stories that are based on romantic dreams of living out in the Australian bush, utilising bush skills, nous and an immersive understanding of the land, seasons, weather, plants, animals and the ebb and flow of harsh extremes.
Although not currently practising, Hether likes drawing with ink pens and the occasional water colour. She is endeavouring to illustrate both her books. This is a sample of some of her characters.

TCOGG member

Tamworth Community Organic Gardening Group is a not for profit community of keen organic gardeners dedicated to the sharing of knowledge, experience, hard work, helping hands, friendship and laughs. Hether has been a member since its inception in 2010 and is now acting as treasurer.
Hether specialises in organic and natural practices and is keen to emphasise the importance of recognising that everything is part of a complex ecosystem with animals and plants living in a finely tuned balance. She believes that if you take away the job of our natural predators then it is you that has to then take on that job. She also believes that diversity is the key to a well balanced ecosystem and the key to a low input, low maintenance gardening.

Qualifications & Experience

  • Certificate III in Horticulture, Parks and Gardens and Nursery (2000) Kurri Kurri TAFE, NSW
  • Certificate IV in Horticulture, Nursery Industry (2001) Charlestown TAFE, NSW
  • 2 years of 3, Diploma in Landscape Design (2006-7) Kurri Kurri TAFE, NSW
  • Horticulturist in a nursery:
    • 2001-2 Heritage Gardens Nursery (retail), Ashtonfield (Near Maitland) NSW
    • 2002-3 Old Farm Nursery (retail & wholesale), Medowie NSW
    • 2003 Heritage Plants Nursery (wholesale), Ashtonfield NSW
    • 2003 Plant Trade Nursery (retail), Bobs Farm NSW
    • 2008-13 Tamworth Nursery (retail), Tamworth NSW
    • 2018-19 The Complete Garden (retail), Tamworth NSW
    • 2019-20 Plant Trade Nursery (retail. Different owners to above), Anna Bay NSW
    • 2020-21 Own nursery, Loomberah NSW
  • Horticulturist as a sole trader:
    • 2002-3 in the Maitland & Newcastle area, NSW
    • 2006-8 as above
  • Horticulturist and Landscape Designer
    • 2003-6 in the Maitland & Newcastle area in a partnership trading as “The Backyardeners”
    • 2013-2018 in the Tamworth area, NSW
  • Horticultural Adviser
    • 2011-now Tamworth Community Organic Gardening Group
      Acting as: President, Vice president and currently Treasurer
  • Drought Refugee Horticulturist
    • late 2019 - 2020
    • Part time at Plant Trade Nursery, Anna Bay - Port Stephens
    • "The Unexpected Garden Nursery" - Pop-up plant nursery at Toboggan Hill Park, Nelson Bay
  • Nursery Manager
    • 2018-2019 The Complete Garden, Goonoo Goonoo Road Tamworth.
    • 2020-now Own nursery in Loomberah NSW
                 retailing through Tamworth Growers' Market, Saturday mornings

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