37 Robert Hoddle Grove, Mudgee
Splendid vistas and shady hideaways
The Rayners’ Bombira garden, which they’ve been working on since mid-2024, has benefitted from the excellent “bones”, including many advanced trees, established by the previous owner. The Rayners’ approach has been to trim the existing plantings, and fill the gaps, and this process is on-going.
On the uphill side of the house, terracing of the well-protected north-facing slope, and dense planting of a huge variety of shrubs, has created a surprisingly cool microclimate, which, together with the exciting variety of plants on show, makes the paths along the terraces very pleasant to walk on, even on a hot day. A mass planting of lambs-ears creates a silver cascade down the slope. You’ll come across a well-established jacaranda, robust specimens of Loropetalum “Plum Gorgeous”, many rose varieties, crepe myrtles, hostas, hellebores, hedged conifers and escallonia, and magnolia varieties.
A landscaped area featuring a rustic fence and gateway, marks the transition between the front and rear garden areas. The northern expanse below the house, is bounded by tall eucalypts along the fence line, and graced with extensive bucolic views to the north. Saltbush and other hardy shrubs are doing well in dry soil under the ironbarks.
These bordering beds surround an extensive, gently sloping, grassed area. Planted throughout are olives, weeping cherry, ornamental pears, various viburnums, large lilli pillis, pin oaks and various smoke bushes.
Wisteria and ornamental grapes have been allowed to grow over arbours, and there are several secluded spots with denser plantings, which invite exploration.
A stairway of silvered timber, linking the lower garden area to the house, is flanked by hedging. Plantings on either side of the steps include an extensive areas of pigface, lavenders, rosemary, teucrium, buddleias, silver birch, prunus, bottle brushes and escallonia.
Magnificent Lombardy poplars border the western boundary. Throughout this garden you will find several unusual shrubs, rarely seen elsewhere in Mudgee, thriving in the sheltering niches which have evolved in this bountiful garden.
