Dorothea Mackellar wrote a wonderful poem, My Country, that tells of her love for the Australian countryside. The first verse, though, is of the country she left behind and it contrasts the gentle greens of England against the harshness of Australia.

It begins

The love of field and coppice, of green and shaded lanes
Of ordered woods and gardens is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance, brown streams and dim blue skies -
I know but cannot share it, my love is otherwise. 

As we travel around the English countryside this poem rolls around in my mind and I can’t help but contrast the green rolling hills of the West Country against the red barren land of Australia.

I know but cannot share it, my love is otherwise …

You can find out more about Dorothea Mackellar here and read her poem in its entirety.