2024_Gardens, News, Showgarden

John and Helen Wood

A landmark building transformed and graced by a new walled garden

1a Lewis Street, Mudgee

Author: Jane Munro

The former Tyrepower building at 1A Lewis Street is almost unrecognisable after a major architectural transformation, and the creation of a lovely walled garden at the rear of the building, some four years ago. Bordered on the southern side by an elegant colonnade which runs the full length of the residence, the garden architecture incorporates several features created from stone and timber salvaged from the building works.

The building’s location adjacent to the front of the block provides just enough space for a very appealing planting jam-packed with salvia, rosemary, dianthus, seaside daisy, alyssum and irises. Visitors will approach the walled garden via a driveway bordered with rows of cypress underplanted with a choisya shrubbery and various groundcovers.
As befits the dimensions of the walled garden, surrounding a buffalo lawn, its simple design skilfully incorporates a harmonious balance of groundcovers, ornamental shrubs, small trees and climbing roses.

Groundcovers used include lambs’ ears and artemisia, alyssum, pinks and snow-in-summer. These are surmounted by various purple and blue salvias, occasional small spheres of shaped buxus, scattered foxgloves, irises, and white iceberg roses.
In autumn, voluptuous, lavender-hued velour sage flower spikes draw the eye, and midnight-blue salvias, which seem to lean out from out of their crinkled-leafed foliage, are the other floral highlights.

Small trees are scattered around the perimeter, including quinces, and “little gem” magnolias planted in-ground and in large planters.

On the garden walls, pink climbing roses are establishing themselves. Along the colonnade, wisteria and ornamental grape have been planted to maximise enjoyment of the seasons.
Other noteworthy features include a simple stone bench made from an original window, a charming display of succulents in terra cotta pots, and outbuildings built from original floorboards.

2024_Gardens, News, Showgarden

Debbie and Gordon Wilson

A garden where you can wander and explore

104 Bellevue Road, Mudgee

Author: Jane Munro

Debbie and Gordon Wilson have built on the work of previous owners of their Bellevue Road property,  realising their vision of creating “a garden you can walk in”. Lawns and formal garden beds surround the residence, inviting a leisurely stroll along paved pathways with frequent pauses to admire the iceberg roses. Perhaps to linger under the wisteria arbour on a spring afternoon. But the central heart-shaped bed with its weeping birch, Japanese maple and hanging cups and saucers, suggest there’s going to be more to this garden than its formal beauty.

To find the vibrant heart of this garden, you’ll need to venture beyond the boundaries of the lawn, and enter the broad swathes of densely planted trees and shrubs.

Fish sculptures mark various points where you can enter to explore what’s hidden away. As Debbie instructed, we followed the fish into the enticing depths. No formality here- instead, a playful mix of natives and ornamentals, and sculptures, structures and gardenalia reflecting the gardener’s quirky imagination, creativity and lively sense of humour.

What appears at first glance to be rather unruly bushland has been subtly pruned to enhance sculptural effect and accessibility. Sawn discs from a felled gum tree form the path’s stepping stones. Artfully repurposed domestic items are scattered throughout- surely a delight to the children for whom this magical garden has been created. Look for the camouflaged tent, and the endearing sculptures of fantasy characters created from found objects. Even the big kids’ snowboards have a place.

Wherever you walk you’re likely to find water sources for birds and bees. In October, expect to see flowering- crab apple, may, pears, wisteria. Keep an eye open for the bonsai collection- which includes a 19 year old crepe myrtle which flowered for the first time in 2023.

At the end of your circuit you’ll find the cosy art studio, with its gorgeous, tiny garden of potted brightly coloured flowering annuals. Here Debbie paints vibrant landscapes and gift cards. The studio will be open during the weekend and proceeds of sales will go to Mudgee Rotary.

2024_Gardens, News, Showgarden2

Community Garden

Sanctuary off busy Church Street has plenty of wheelbarrows

89 Mortimer Street, Mudgee

Author: Jane Munro

If you’d like to learn about innovative, sustainable, water-wise gardening, with minimal chemical use, while getting to know like-minded people, you need look no further than the Mudgee Uniting Church Community Garden. Their mission is to provide opportunities for people to become familiar with a variety of gardening methods and techniques so they can grow fruit and vegetables at home. This peaceful space, sheltered by trees and the high walls of Church Street commercial buildings, is surprisingly quiet. Small birds find sanctuary here too.

Most of the plantings are in thoughtfully-designed raised beds, ideal for people with limited mobility. Several wicking beds, constructed after trials of a variety of designs, have, reduced watering requirements to just 10% of conventional in-ground beds. All tools are provided.

In spring, the garden will be bursting with a multitude of garden vegetables and culinary herbs.

There’s a wonderful variety of fruit trees- well laden citrus varieties, stone fruits, pomegranate, and olives. There are well-established ranks of espaliered apples pears, quinces. There’s a huge grape arbour with berries- raspberries, blackberries, boysenberries- a favourite refuge in hot weather.

Various herbs are scattered throughout, many helping with pest control.

Flowers are permitted- but only edible ones, such as viola, calendula, marigold.

The Community Garden is run by a dedicated team of volunteers, with special thanks to the Uniting Church for their on-going support. It’s open to the public- look for the signs at front of the church.

2024_Gardens, News, Showgarden2

Dallas and Karol Lawry

Pleasing plantings complement a dramatic landscape

“Shearstone”, 1262 Ulan Road, Mudgee

Author: Jane Munro

Shearstone is named after rocks which were historically quarried on this property for use as sharpening stones for wool shears. Karol started gardening at Shearstone over 20 years ago, following a visit to the Coolah open gardens.

The house site and garden have been carved into the hillside with expansive views over Mudgee. Hardy, untamed Xylosma creates windbreaks and privacy screens. Plane trees and rusty old farm machinery add points of interest. Karol herself has built extensive dry-stone walls.

Paving stones and a grand, rock slab staircase lead from the house to the top level of the garden. Here, an expanse of lawn forms the stage for a dramatic outcropping of rocky boulders. The backdrop is an array of deciduous trees- including golden ash, desert ash, Chinese elms and poplars.

The northern side of the house looks out onto a wall of foliage- catmint, snow in summer, erigeron, star jasmine, and a proliferation of self-seeded agapanthus. The floral colour palette is dominated by whites, blues and cheerful pops of pink.

Karol says she has achieved the “holy grail”- a low-maintenance garden with few weeds. She’s achieved this by taking risks, learning from experience, and not being afraid to use a chainsaw when required. Recent additions are numerous poplars, which Karol propagated by “chopping branches from a fallen tree into pieces, sticking them the in ground and giving them water”, and an orchard, now 4 years old. There are cherries, various nuts, mulberry, and citrus varieties with veggies interplanted, and 3 rows of delicious table grapes. The table grapes are lavished with special attention- including using a leaf blower to dry the fruit after rain.

2024_Gardens, News, Showgarden2

Lindy Rouse

A joyful garden created with enthusiasm, energy and humour

11 Wiradjuri Close, Putta Bucca

Author: Jane Munro

If you’ve ever driven past Lindy Rouse’s garden in springtime you’ll recall the glorious show of wisterias and roses that grace the front fence. Lindy has been gardening here for 18 years and her garden displays all the signs of her love of plants and her affection for interesting garden collectables.

The long driveway is bordered by agapanthus. Honey locust, Chinese tallow and other deciduous trees are scattered about or planted in groups, on the lawn beyond, along with a fountain, bird baths and standard roses. This is a park-like garden, with plenty of space for children to run around.

Around the perimeter of the block are beds bursting with an eclectic variety of ornamentals and shrubs, displaying the diversity of plants which flourish in Mudgee’s extreme climate. The basis of this garden are the hardy salvias, valerian, lavender, daisies, and gorgeous pink and red geraniums, and many rose varieties. Sensational pink roses tumble over fences and trellises. Succulents are planted at various spots throughout the garden and in pots, which you will find in appealing groupings in secluded corners. There are swathes of winter and spring bulbs- jonquils, iris, water iris, jonquils and bluebells.

Here and there, rock borders have been formed around standard roses or camellias, underplanted with silvery-grey succulents. A post-and-rail fence protects a veggie and herb garden.

Interesting archways, bird baths and other constructions abound, many created out of all kinds of found objects and materials. Lindy has built rustic rockeries and informal walls out of slabs of ironstone, which form unexpected focal points. See silvery weathered tree roots used in sculptures, metal archways and decorative towers and trellises, archways. Ornamental birds, flowers and small creatures hide everywhere. There’s a dedicated peacock zone. Look out for 3 giant metal cicadas climbing a tree. Food and coffee will be available here.

2024_Gardens, News, Showgarden

Toby and Ali Anderson

A garden to delight the senses and inspire the cook

“Balabudgee”, 1544 Ulan Road, Frog Rock

Author: Jane Munro

There’s a rich profusion of ornamentals and edibles scattered throughout this garden, delighting the senses and begging the question, what’s for lunch?

A pebbly path leads through an archway in a wall, which opens out into a garden wonderland. There’s so much to look at, where to start?

Neat circular stone borders surround beds of brightly coloured bush roses, catmint, while corrugated iron raised beds support a lush variety of kitchen garden plants, herbs and calendulas. Between these run pebble paths, through plantings of irises, stone fruit trees and echiums.

Close to the house grow irises, gorgeous pink cannas, sacred bamboo, various dark-leaved salvias, buddleias, small-flowered dahlias, their dark stems topped with orange and hot pink blooms, and profusely flowering perennials

Thriving mature apple trees are underplanted with pretty pink yarrows, and sky-blue easter daisies. White clematis twines its way over the pergola.

Looking to the north, vibrant beds filled with roses, leafy green vegetables, catmint and alyssum, contrast with the visual serenity of paddock grasses, grey-green swathes of distant stands of eucalypts, and the hazy blue-grey of the mountain range which forms the horizon.

The order of the house garden gradually gives way to natural randomness. An atmospheric native garden has been left to its own devices on the western side, with low-key colour contrasts provided by occasional succulents. When we visit, a tea tree variety is covered with dozens of brown and black butterflies.  A small orchard of olive trees complements the muted greys and greens of the natives.

Further away from the house, where the garden merges with the paddocks, mixed informal groupings of natives are side by side with free-growing clumps of startlingly blue plumbago and delicate spikes of bee lavender.

Also not to be missed, the elegant chicken coop, and the state-of-the-art, five-bay composting system.

Food will be available here- and it’s a lovely spot to settle in for a picnic lunch.

2023_Gardens

Gora and Ellie Singh-Mann

Gem Manor- a grand vision nestled in the hills.

39 Hill Sixty Drive, Mudgee

Author: Jane Munro

Gem Manor’s garden is on a large scale, starting with 2 rows of poplars along each side of the driveway, flanked by rows of ornamental pears and prunus. Many broad beds feature cypress, roses, lavender and iris. A lake with views to Mount Frome has a graceful pavilion and a pagoda, surrounded by formal gardens with many weeping cherries, roses and gazanias. Fish jump and water birds circle lazily overhead. The breeze carries the tinkle of wind chimes and the powerful fragrance of hundreds of roses. A new native garden features gorgeous lemon scented gums, callistemons and dramatic rock features.

The residence houses a remarkable display of art works- paintings, sculptures and ceramics, collected from 170 countries and a huge collection of Aboriginal Desert acquired over 40 years, including significant works by artists from Papunya, Broken Hill and the Central West. Blue Mountains artist David Hill’s colourful landscapes are well represented. There’s room after room filled with exotic lamps and glass sculptures, rich Chinese tapestries, ornaments and furnishings and ancient porcelain. A must-see for anyone with an interest in painting and the decorative arts.

Please note that there is an additional $5 charge for an optional visit to the house internal art collection at the Singh-Mann Garden, payable at house entrance. 

2023_Gardens

Tom and Sharon McMahon

Chemical-free market garden on small acreage showcases smart designs

953 Spring Flat Road, Spring Flat

Author: Jane Munro

Tom and Sharon have lived at their 10Ha property since 2005. In 2014 they made the decision to become market gardeners. Initially selling their chemical-free produce at local markets, the decision was soon made to diversify by using their surpluses to create small batches of chutneys, relishes, pickles and jams. These delicacies they now sell at a small shop on-site, as well as at the markets.

The property is situated on the north-facing slop with views towards Mount Knowles. In addition to their raised vegetable beds, there are also sheep, alpaca and chickens.

In the vegetable gardens they grow garlic, herbs, brassicas, silver beet, root vegetables, lettuce, beans, zucchini, pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes and asparagus. Being chemical-free, they use companion planting and natural remedies to control pests including fruit fly. Caterpillars are removed by hand.

Tom and Sharon have developed a great understanding of how to manage a property of this size and will share their wealth of information and lessons learned from their experiences in scheduled talks and farm walks over the Gardens of Mudgee weekend. As well as information about plants and soil, you’ll learn about efficient watering, versatile garden bed and infrastructure construction, smart ways of reducing unnecessary labour and minimising cost of equipment, fencing and many other gems of information.

2023_Gardens

John McCrea

Rewilding creates a haven for wildlife and humans

18 Wiradjuri Close, Putta Bucca

Author: Jane Munro

Entering John McCrea’s property at 18 Wiradjuri Close, Putta Bucca via an avenue of claret ash, the extensive lawn areas with established deciduous trees and broad beds of flowering perennials reveal enticing secluded pathways and pleasing vistas. The house block is bordered by tall hedges of photinia and honeysuckle, and an avenue of pines. Around the perimeter of the block’s 5 acres, John has planted hundreds of native trees- particularly casuarinas and callistemons. The birds love this garden, with 125 species recorded over 23 years.

John’s garden reflects his dedication to conservation and love of wildlife. Shrubs such as buddleia, grevillea and callistemon attract and provide safe refuges for small birds and butterflies. Fallen branches are sometimes left in situ to encourage organisms essential for healthy soil. In spring the lawn area blooms over months with several varieties of naturalised golden daffodils, flowering in waves over the season.

Bird baths and nest boxes attract Striated Pardalotes, Eastern Rosellas and King Parrots for breeding. A romantic style garden close to the house features iceberg roses, and a magnificent display of cannas. You may see Eastern Spinebills hovering as they sip nectar from the salvia flowers, or Superb Blue Wrens splashing in the bird bath. Several varieties of finches provide entertainment as they feed from the elegant bird feeder which John designed and built.

John created a rewilded mini wetland by excavating into a low-lying area and planting a few casuarinas and callistemons around the perimeter. Over 20 years, visiting water birds have brought in species including cumbungi, phragmites, swamp lily, cyperus and spiny rush on their feet. These are all now flourishing in this thriving, rewilded aquatic ecosystem.

2023_Gardens

Anne and David Knight

A garden for all moods and seasons

3 Stockmans Drive, Mudgee

Author: Jane Munro

The front section of the Knights’ acre of garden on Stockmans Drive makes a statement. Its manicured circular lawn is surrounded by uncluttered, open, well-mulched beds. These beds are dotted with spherical and ovoid shapes of topairied variegated euonymus interspersed with clumps of liriope, and roses (Iceberg and Seduction, bush and standard) around a central water feature. Pencil cypresses and prostrate conifers grow along the eastern boundary. From here there’s a relaxing view across Mudgee to the western hills.

At the rear of the block is an extensive, less formal park-like expanse of garden, The theme of well clipped shrubs (including a beautiful weeping rosemary, salvias and mays) continues here. There’s also an abundance of flourishing groundcovers, shrubs and perennials which soften the overall effect and provide interesting detail in every direction. In between the garden beds there are broad areas of lush green lawn. There are many varieties of trees but some standouts are the prunus, ginkgo, cypress and crabapple. The selection of groundcovers includes seaside daisy, lambs ears, scabiosa and buttercups.

There’s also a secluded section of the garden shaded by a golden ash, which has some surprises- cunjevoi and aspidistra, as well as columbines, more buttercups and ivy. This garden provides a place to be for quiet contemplation, for enjoyment of nature’s diversity or the appreciation of the grandeur of the Mudgee landscape.