In a chook run built by Tony there are three Hi-Line Brown hens which the kids raised from day-old chicks, rabbits in a hutch, and swings and climbing ropes hang from mature golden elm and oak tree branches. A slippery slide off the deck, which adjoins the dining room and kitchen, was built by Antony and Emma. Bower birds visit the garden and would eat everything so, for Emma's birthday, Tony built an anti-aviary fenced vegie garden which contains a successful asparagus bed, a strawberry patch, an apple tree dangled with red fruit and garden beds for each of the children.

Emma Kain is a professional gardener who studied horticulture at Hawkesbury Agricultural College at Richmond in Sydney. Her plant choices reflect this knowledge and the garden is filled with a fruit salad of trees including apricots Moorpark Special and Trevatt, a Gold Queen peach, damson plum, nectarine 'Flame Kissed', a William pear, Imperial mandarin, lime tree, three apple trees, two non-astringent persimmons, a Brown Genoa fig and another fig given to Emma by an Italian neighbour. A cumquat tree is laden with a heavy crop which Emma turns into marmalade using a recipe from her Mum.

Emma was raised on a sheep and beef cattle property on the far South Coast. She comes from a large family which enjoyed her mother's massive vegetable garden and huge orchard which influenced Emma's career.

Friends in Red Hill gave Emma a newberry, a cultivar developed by Oregon State University in 2010, that fruits as soon as the frosts are done each year. The Ron's red and Stella cherry trees are both netted and produced a cracker crop this year however birds stole all the grapes from a Black Muscatel while the fruit was still small and green.

Two compost heaps made from wide circles of rabbit wire netting in autumn and spring are filled with green and dry material, animal manure and a little wood ash which breaks down quickly to feed the garden. Food scraps go to the hens. There are two 5,000 litre and two 2,200 litre water tanks, thirsty kiwi vines, a seedling quince tree, mulberries growing in a pot, an elderberry, pomegranate, black and banana passionfruit vines, cherry guava and lemon trees.

Both Antony and Emma cook. Last year they and the children travelled around Australia for six months and, for car trips a favourite meal is Emma's 'go anywhere, finger food frittata' which includes more than the five serves of vegies we should all be eating every day. Recipe follows.

Raspberries and apples are made into a crumble as dessert on the weekly 'treat day' which is Friday. Emma shares her recipe.

Go anywhere, finger food frittata

2 tbsp olive oil

2 medium brown onions, finely diced

2 medium carrots, coarsely grated

2 cups finely chopped silver beet or spinach

1 cup finely chopped cabbage, can add broccoli

two-thirds cup boiling water

quarter cup chopped parsley

10 large fresh basil leaves, torn or coarsely chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (no stems)

1 tsp garam masala

half tsp freshly ground black pepper

half tsp salt

7 eggs

1 cup self raising flour

half cup milk

optional:

2 rashers bacon diced and fried or diced cold roast lamb or beef

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, fry off onion and bacon until browned, add vegetables and boiling water, stir then put lid on and cook over low heat to sweat for 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool.

Mix in herbs. In a separate bowl beat eggs and milk, add pepper, salt and garam masala. Mix self raising flour through the cooked vegetable mix then stir in the egg mixture.

Line a 25x30cm baking dish with baking paper, pour in mixture and spread evenly. Bake at 180 Celcius for 30-40 mins until firm to touch and golden brown.

Apple and Raspberry Crumble

half cup plain flour

half cup self raising flour

half cup desiccated coconut

half cup brown sugar (lightly packed)

three-quarters cup rolled oats

80-100g unsalted butter

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Rub the butter through them with your fingers until crumbly.

3 cups stewed apple (sweet Gala variety recommended)

half cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Put apple and raspberries in a pie dish and cover with the crumble topping. Bake in 180 Celcius oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Diary date

The Children's Garden, 50 Lindrum Crescent, Holt will be open for Open Gardens Canberra on April 29 and 30 April from 10am-4pm. Entry $8, children under 18 free. Proceeds will go to the Orana Steiner School in Weston for grounds development. Tea and coffee will be served on the deck and plants will be for sale. There is a greenspace/park next to the house where the Kain children play and Emma gardens.

Susan Parsons is a Canberra writer.