Note: This garden was opened in 2022
The property is perched slightly on a knoll, with tremendous views to the Otway Ranges. This was the most significant reason why the property was purchased by its current owners all those years ago. The design philosophy was to leave the terrain as they found it – a small knoll with some very nasty hydrophobic sandy soil at the top, giving way to some very nice deep loam towards the valley floor. Plant selection wavered between desirability and what would actually grow. The owner designer’s former role as Landcare project officer and first job as a landscape gardener have also influenced the choice of plants and arrangements, that have been knitted together to form the garden.
The garden lies across approx. 8 acres. Entry is via a small gate house, adorned with stain glass doors and slate roof, which leads to a chapel beside a small garden bed with flowering shrubs and wall flowers, flanked by two claret ashes.
Cacti predominate in four very large beds. A golden ball cactus features at the front. Many sculptural shapes can be found and seen among the cacti, yuccas and aloes, which combine to present a striking ensemble.
Over 30 bottle trees have been planted throughout the garden and will make quite an impact in the years to come. Two feature with very large urns at the entrance through a dry stone wall to the pond, with crazy paving under foot and mop tops above your head.
Beyond the pond is an arbour, a favourite spot where Dutch iris, johny jump ups clivias and a host of other plants proliferate under the dappled light of a Chinese elm.
From the arbour, a pathway leads towards a lake at the bottom of the property, where lemon scented gums stand as sentinels. They seem to anchor the bottom of the garden and with their sleek smooth bark invite a touch from passers by.
As a plant lovers, the owners have indulged their passion for many types of plants, with emphasis on ensuring that every month fresh flowers could be sourced from the garden. There are a few areas that feature clipped shrubs but hedging has been resisted. Instead, dry stone walls are a feature across the property. The owners hope visitors derive the same enjoyment and tranquility they experience from being in the garden.