A PENSIONER has avoided prison - but still faces the possibility of losing her house - after admitting to growing more than a dozen sizeable cannabis plants in her backyard to help treat her son's mental illness.

'The West Australian' last year revealed the plight of nurse Miriam Down, 75, who was charged with supplying cannabis after mature plants were spotted in her backyard, and reported to police.

Ms Down explained that she was growing the drug to help treat the bipolar condition of her son George, but the number and size of the plants put her at risk of losing her home under WA's strict drug trafficker legislation.

Today in WA District Court, Down pleaded guilty to the accusations, with prosecutors accepting submissions that there were 19 plants being grown - one less than the number required to prompt an automatic drug trafficker declaration.

But Ms Down could still have her home confiscated, with state prosecutors still considering whether they deem her Bayswater home as "crime used".

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Her lawyers have submissions in arguing against that, and say it would be "improper" for the state to seize the home.

Judge Vicki Stewart said that in the circumstances, she did not think immediate jail was appropriate for Ms Down, and suspended a 10 month jail term for 10 months.

Her neighbour Judith Robinson, who admitted helping to grow the plants with tomato fertiliser, was placed on an intensive supervision order.

Ms Down said in court that she now has flowers and vegetables in the garden bed where the drugs were grown.

And outside court, she said she was relieved not to be going to prison for Christmas - but was still anxious about the future of her home.

"Absolutely I only did this to help my son - I hate drug traffickers. But the cannabis was like throwing water over a fire. If your house is being smashed you have got to put the fire out - and after a while you get desperate," Ms Down said.