supporting an urn and bordered with a dense collection of low and ground-cover perennials including beefsteak plant (Iresine herbstii), spike flower (Plectranthus ciliatus), Ctenanthe, Mercury Bay weed (Dichondra repens) marks the top of the steps to the front door and access to the lower garden. Nearby a large stone bench is a feature, built from remains of an old wall demolished elsewhere on the property. New plantings of evergreen magnolia and Camellia have been planted around the bench and adjacent beds. At entry level to the house a steep bank of Mexican lilies (Beschorneria yuccoides), grey sage (Salvia leucantha), green Ctenanthe, ornamental wandering Jew and rock roses (Cistus sp.) dotted with feature Michelia sp., dwarf date palms (Phoenix roebelenii) and pink angel's trumpets (Brugmansia cv.) provide colour and texture viewed from the house. Two traveller's palms (Ravenala sp.) supported by fruit salad plant (Monstera deliciosa), several Brazilian red cloaks and a frangipani (Plumeria rubra cv.) give interest. The path leads around the house's southern side. Below the garage is the garden shed and compost area, hidden behind dwarf palms (Rhapis excelsa), ornamental bananas (Musa ornata) and a large drift of ginger which screens areas below and the adjoining residence. The walk down this side of the house is made from recycled sandstone details collected by the owners. Adjacent to this, past troughts of rabbit's foot ferns the basement stone works contrast with timber steps added by the Yiannikas' and the edge of the harbour-front verandah, designed by Clive Lucas, replacing the original that had long ago been removed. On Ewenton's eastern side the garden opens up and reveals its relationship to the harbour. Once the home of a sloped garden path to a reclaimed lower paddock and boat house, the older landscape has been transformed over the years to become a purposeful lawn, and the publicly accessible Ewenton Park, maintained by the Inner West Council. A mature Moreton Bay fig (Ficus macrophylla), once part of Ewenton's garden and visible in photographs from 1872, is still here today offering protection from southerly winds and the view to White Bay wharves. Bordering the lawn to the south, Philodendron x "Xanadu" forms a carpet that rises up to a collection of Cordyline stricta, beehive gingers and rare Thai blue ginger (Dichorisandra thyrsiflora), under the shade of mature evergreen alders. Adjacent to the house are three clumps of Alexandra palms (Archontophoenix alexandrae). Modifications and