sandy, lacking in nutrients and full of the harder ironstone fragments. Sorensen turned this physical character of the soil into an advantage by hand-digging the whole of the cultivated area to the depth of and removing all ironstone found in the process, stockpiling it according to quality and colour and eventually for packing and filling. The walls formed from this stone exhibit an extremely high quality of workmanship. In many places Sorensen left pockets in the walls where he could plant small growing shrubs to soften the walls. The walls formed terraces filled level with soil, stepping down the slope to the lookout point, with the garden continuing down to the Grotto pool, created by the placing of a 40-ton rock in its present position. Sorensen was retained to carry out maintenance work on the gardens even when development work was not in hand. Work on the garden continued with an interruption due to the War until 1947 when Van de Velde died. Following Van de Velde's death the property was purchased firstly by Mr E. E. Bristow who sold to Mr Harry Pike, a grazier who in turn sold to Swain & Co. Pty Ltd, whose then principal Mr A. N. Swain was a garden lover. After acquiring Swain & Co, Angus and Robertson, Booksellers and publishers attempted to dispose of the property, advertising in Britain and Europe, in an attempt to attract a purchaser with sufficient means to maintain the garden. That attempt failed and it was aging offered for auction in Australia, but was again passed in. The National Trust purchased the property in 1962. During this period of private ownership there was a gradual deterioration of the garden resulting from the lack of an enthusiastic owner/occupier and the loss of Paul Sorensen's services. During its era of private ownership there was a gradual deterioration of the garden from the lack of an enthusiastic owner/occupier and the loss of Sorensen's services. Everglades was one of the Trust's earliest acquired properties and the first with a garden. Members were invited to visit from 1962. From 1962-70 the Trust managed it directly, a period marked by unsuccessful attempts to exploit the place and uneven decline. In 1963 the Trust requested the NSW Government resume undeveloped lots to the south of Everglades. Approval was given in 1964. The Trust was appointed trustee in 1964. Management under the National Trust of