The ABC Gardening Australia Gardener of the Year, Bob O’Neill and wife, Dot are dwarfed by their crop of oriental lilliums, one of many features of Katandra Gardens in Wandin.DECEMBER is all about Christmas … not an open garden in sight.
But be prepared to dig the ‘sensible’ shoes out of the wardrobe again in January and February when gardeners across the Shire of Yarra Ranges open their gates once again to visitors. Nine Yarra Ranges gardens are open under the Australian Open Gardens Scheme in the new year, as well as Katandra Gardens in Wandin.
Katandra Gardens Wildflower Garden, Wandin
Bob and Dot O’Neill’s Katandara Gardens exhibits one of the largest ranges of Australian native plants in a Victorian private garden.
Extensive collections include acacias, eucalypts, hibbertias, banksias and masses of correas, which form the Ornamental Plant Collection Association of Australia’s correa collection.
Huge oriental lilliums, up to 2.7 metres high, are another feature.
Where: 49 Hunter Road, Wandin North.
When: Open January, Thursdays through to Mondays, 9.30am to 5pm, or group tours by arrangement.
Size: 3.2 hectares.
Mernda Heights
A mature garden originally planted in 1937. Stonework is a feature.
Where: 10 Old Road. Olinda.
When: 15 January, 10am to 4.30pm.
Size: Two hectares.
Mast Gully Gardens
An impressive waterfall and lily pond is a feature of this well-landscaped garden.
Where: 20 Dealbata Road, Upwey.
When: 21 and 22 January, 10am to 4.30pm.
Size: Two hectares.
Dragonwyck
An eclectic and colourful garden with cacti and succulents and a shade garden with a tropical theme are part of this garden’ attraction.
Where: 85 David Hill Road. Monbulk.
When: 21 and 22 January, 10am to 4.30pm.
Size: 0.3ha.
Lilies on Brougham
This is a beautiful three-year-old garden by landscape designer Robert Boyle. It features a rural landscape, including an orchard and vegetable garden.
Where: 62 Brougham Street, Eltham.
When: 28 and 29 January, 10am to 6pm.
Size: 1.6 hectares.
Woodbine
This garden features elegant terraced beds and impressive areas of unusual shrubs and foliage plants. It has a wide range of cool-climate plants.
Where: 9 Prion Road. Mount Dandenong
When: 28 and 29 January, 10am to 4.30pm.
Size: 0.8 hectares.
Cloudehill
This is a renowned Lutyens/Jekyll-inspired modern garden with many remarkable old trees. It has colour coordinated perennial and ornamental grass borders.
Where: 89 Olinda-Monbulk Road. Olinda.
When: 28 and 29 January, 10am to 4.30pm.
Size: Two hectares.
Kinvara
This garden has two contrasting garden styles: Naturalistic landscape of mainly Australian plants, and cottage-style plantings.
Where: 13 Rodger Road. Wandin North.
When: 28 and 29 January, 12 noon to 9pm.
Size: 0.8 hectares.
Lee’s Harmony Garden
This is an informal permaculture garden relying on organic practices and recycled materials. Permaculture experts will be on hand to answer questions.
Where: 21 Rollings Road, Upper Ferntree Gully.
When: 25 and 26 February, 10am to 4.30pm.
Size: 0.1 hectares.
Fernhill
This is a well-known English-style garden of ornamental shrubs and trees, including hedges, drifts of cyclamen and corydalis.
Where: 4 Anderson St. Kallista
When: 25 and 26 February, 10am to 4.30pm.
Size: 0.3 hectares.
