Image: Jacaranda tree in Meredith Street, Homebush, November 2024. Courtesy Strathfield Local Studies.
Aren’t the jacarandas spectacular at the moment?
Jacarandas were introduced to Sydney from South America during the 1850s. The first ‘splendid’[1] tree was recorded in the Royal Botanic Gardens in 1857. They became particularly popular in Sydney from the 1930s onwards however an article in The Sun from 1912 noted that: ‘The handsome blue jacaranda is now presenting a fine mass of colour in suburban gardens. On the way to South Head, in the vicinity of Double and Rose Bays, these fine trees flourish amazingly, but the gardens about Strathfield and Ashfield are also showing them to full perfection.’
Image: Davey Square, 12 November 2024. Courtesy Strathfield Local Studies
Gardening was popular during the second half of the 1800s and horticultural societies were all the rage. It was not unusual for larger properties to employ the services of at least one gardener who often lived onsite. This was certainly the case in Strathfield by the 1880s. Competition could also be fierce. Sydney gardener, George Mortimore was often quoted in the newspapers.
‘Mr Mortimore, gardener to Mr T.S. Mort, exhibited Rosa mycrophylia, Hoya Pottsii, Jacaranda Mimosifolia…etc’ at the monthly meeting of the Horticultural Society of New South Wales on 5 December 1866.[2] He went on to exhibit his Jacaranda for several further years. It was some years after the introduction of the Jacaranda to Sydney before propagation was mastered and the trees could become more readily available. Meanwhile, the single specimen in the Royal Botanic Gardens gained a loyal following.
The Sydney Morning Herald of 2 December 1868 specifically notes that:
‘The Jacaranda Mimosifolia is now flowering in the Botanical Garden.’ [3]
George Mortimore gave an entire paper on the jacaranda at the horticultural meeting of 2 December 1868 recording that:
‘This most beautiful flowering tree is a native of Brazil, and no garden of any pretensions can be said to be complete without a plant of it. The specimen in the Botanic garden is well worth a journey of 50 miles to see. Its beautiful rich lavender blossoms, and its light feathery foliage, render it the gem of the season. I am glad to see… that the difficulty of the propagation had been overcome, and Jacaranda mimosifolia, instead of being rare and scarce, will now be within reach of all who love a garden.’ [4]
Image: Under the Jacaranda by R. Godfrey Rivers, 1903 https://collection.qagoma.qld.gov.au/objects/5113 Courtesy Queensland Art Gallery
Within a few years:
‘Without remarking on the general attractiveness of the Gardens, we may call attention to the large trees near the entrance to the upper garden, which, for the last week or two, have been clothed in a mass of violet bloom. One of these trees (Jacaranda mimosaefolia) is, we believe, the finest specimen of the plant in the colony; and many enthusiastic flower-fanciers would think it worth a day’s journey to see it in flower. The Jacaranda was introduced into the conservatories of England in 1822, and the plant retains its Brazilian name. The tree has the merit of great rarity as well as of incomparable beauty; but as some of our nurserymen appear to have discovered the art of propagating the plant, we hope soon to see this handsome variety of Jacaranda adorning the shrubberies in and around Sydney.’ [5]
This was indeed the case.
Image: 40 Broughton Road, Strathfield, November 2024. Courtesy Strathfield Local Studies.
During the 1930s the Sydney Organising Committee attempted to rally councils to embark on tree-planting projects throughout NSW, in connection with the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935, concentrating on the four main roads leading from the country to the city. [6] Most councils responded enthusiastically although the Sydney Morning Herald observed that:
‘Many of the suburbs of Sydney have for years been further advanced in tree-planting than the city itself. Take Ashfield and Strathfield, to name only two, where tree-planting schemes were in vogue from 20 to 30 years ago.’ [7]
Indeed, by 1930 it was acknowledged that:
‘Strathfield has nearly 10,000 palms, trees and shrubs and is planting at the rate of 250 a year.’ [8]
At its meeting of 1 May 1935, Homebush Council resolved that ‘two-hundred trees of three kinds, Queensland Silver Wattle Podalyrisefolia, Jacaranda Mimosaefolia, Scarlet Gum Ficifolia be purchased from Swane Brothers Enterprise Nursery, Ermington.’ [9]
Enfield Council planted 1100 street trees in 1938. [10]
‘Among many other beautiful Australian towns, Strathfield is a notable example. Not many years ago it was anything but a floral and arboreal park. Now South Strathfield is one of Sydney’s most beautiful suburbs.’ [11]
Image: Strathfield Library carpark 12 November 2024. Courtesy Strathfield Local Studies.
Not only were jacaranda trees growing in popularity but so too was the colour itself. From the late 1920s, and for many years afterwards, newspapers reported on fashions where ‘jacaranda blue’ was often used to describe the gowns and accessories of society ladies.
At the 1937 wedding of Miss Mary Peters to Mr Donald Melville (both of Strathfield), attended by no less a personage than the Premier of NSW, Bertram Stevens, the bridesmaids ‘wore veils of jacaranda blue tulle to match their old world taffeta frocks.’ [12]
And when Miss Marjorie Hall wed Mr Harold Pain of Strathfield in February 1939, her attendants wore ‘jacaranda blue ninon over cerise taffeta… Their frocks will be in old world style and they will wear jacaranda mittens. Tulle veils of jacaranda blue and topknots of flowers will complete their ensembles…’ [13]
Residents also consulted the gardening pages of newspapers for advice. M.S. of Strathfield received the following advice from the Sydney Morning Herald’s gardening expert in 1933:
‘Do not prune a jacaranda tree until after the flowering, when the new shoots are about due.’ [14]
Jacaranda trees continued to spread throughout Sydney. In the Sutherland Shire during the 1950s, at least one maternity hospital gave a jacaranda seedling to each new mother[15], planted on suburban lots throughout the Shire.
By J.J. MacRitchie
Local Studies Advisor
References
[1] Sydney Morning Herald 19 December 1864 p.2 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13110476
[2] The Sydney Morning Herald 6 December 1866 p.5 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13150189
[3] Sydney Morning Herald 2 December 1868 p.2 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13176622
[4] Sydney Morning Herald 3 December 1868 p.2 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13176687
[5] The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser 2 December 1871 p.1257 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164374101
[6] The Labor Daily 9 March 1935 p.6 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/236519850
[7] Sydney Morning Herald 27 April 1937 p.10 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17363055
[8] The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate 19 June 1930 p.3 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/103864599
[9] Homebush Council minutes 1 May 1935
[10] Construction and Real Estate Journal 4 May 1938 p.7 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222925526
[11] The Maitland Daily Mercury 6 January 1938 p.6 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131278477
[12] The Daily Telegraph 31 March 1937 p.9 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/247131674