Harvesting quince a cinch

The cold of gardening in a Canberra winter doesn't bother Rupert Summerson, of Barton. As a geologist, he spent more than three years in the Antarctic and the Arctic. A painting of him by local artist Kerry McInnis, which hangs in the family dining room, depicts the snowy poles on either side of his body.

In 1987, Summerson came to Canberra for just a week. But on his fifth day here, he gatecrashed a barbecue and was introduced to a guest. Three weeks later they were engaged. We will meet her, Summerson's wife Janet Hughes, in next week's Kitchen Garden column.

On a crisp Sunday working in the garden, he made no concession to the weather other than wearing gumboots. He was raised, through what he calls a fortunate birthright, in County Durham in northern England in a house with an acre of walled garden and three gardeners. He was the youngest of four children and the head gardener, Tom, was his best friend as he was growing up. Summerson learned how to tend the land, and, particularly, that double digging is essential to good crops - which is what he was doing just before we met.

Five years ago, the family extended the 1927 Barton house and, as with most building work, rubble and poor soil meant their new vegetable beds on the north-facing side of the house needed a boost. Each year, they dig in sheep poo sold by the Mt Mugga scouts and homemade compost. He also has a worm farm.

They have two chickens, a Hilmer and a Bantam, and use the chook manure to improve the soil, along with compost from a Pialligo farm that runs horses.

Fallen leaves turn to rich leaf mould as a carpet under an ancient granny smith apple tree and a gnarled old smyrna quince, which are the highlights of the back garden.

The quince fruits on a two-year cycle and, in a good year, produces 250 kilograms of quinces. Because of the the weight of the fruit, Summerson uses wooden struts to stop the laden branches breaking. In summer, the tree creates a shady bower, and an oriental table and stools provide a charming spot to linger. The spring flowers and golden leaves of autumn are beautiful.

The quince was planted about 1947 by the previous owner, a Mr Bates, who was a chauffeur for the then governor-general. He came in a recent year to see the property and was shown through the old part of the place that once housed 10 people, including two grandmothers of the Bates family. Summerson gave Bates a jar of his homemade quince jelly.

Summerson ponders whether it might be Canberra's most magnificent quince tree. If any readers have a quince to compare, let me know by email: bodenparsons@bigpond.com

Susan Parsons is a Canberra writer.