This delightful country garden features <editerranean planting and hundreds of roses and perennials

A tree-lined driveway and drystone walls lead to the delightful country garden at St Mary’s Vineyard.

Established in 1937, the Mulligan family have created an impressive property with the garden taking centre stage. Over the years, plants suitable for the soil and climate have been added, and now more than 500 roses, along with bulbs, iris, hardy perennials, trees and shrubs surround the classic homestead and outbuildings. Salvias, verbena, lavenders, sedum, santolina and agapanthus are just some that add flower colour and foliage texture throughout the year.

In spring, the roses are at their best – the flowers of the many modern and heritage varieties, David Austins and climbing roses, create a superb show of colour and fragrance.

The Mulligans have used sandstone rock and plate from a quarry on the property to skillfully and painstakingly construct many metres of drystone walling, pathways, sculptures, ramps, plinths, platforms and, in the front paddock, an outstanding trilogy of tree rings around majestic gum trees.

A passion for fresh seasonal produce has led to the creation of a substantial kitchen garden. Using permaculture principles, a range of fruit and vegetables are grown both in raised beds and in the ground, with arches for apples and tomatoes adding decorative and functional features. A shade house is used to grow seedlings and propagate plants.

On the open weekend, there will be sales of a diverse range of plants, garden art, food stalls, wine and spirit tasting and a coffee van.

If you can, please bring cash, as the EFTPOS here can sometimes be a bit unreliable (it’s out of our hands!).