A garden lovers’ piece of paradise – a superb spot to stop and smell the roses!

Roses are known for their exquisite beauty, and to see The Heritage Garden in spring when thousands of rose bushes produce countless fragrant blooms is a very special and never-to-be-forgotten experience!

Twenty-six years ago, world-renowned rosarians Walter and Kay Duncan used their expertise and vision to transform a paddock into an exceptionally beautiful and tranquil garden. Their charming bluestone villa was once Walter’s family home in Adelaide and facing demolition, so they had it dismantled, transported stone by stone to the new site and rebuilt! Now surrounded by a garden, it looks as if it has been there forever.

The roses are undoubtedly the superstars, but the garden was planned to have appeal throughout the seasons, and there are also many magnificent trees, shrubs, perennials and hedges. A long line of 22 arches is smothered with the soft pink heritage rose Souvenir de la Malmaison, and the lovely creamy white Lamarque climbs up the posts of the verandah.

In the surrounding garden, many different modern and heritage roses are supported by a profusion of old-fashioned perennials – iris, lavender, foxgloves, catmint, kiss-me-Kate, and seaside daisy perfectly complement the roses. Beyond the house, massed planting of prolifically flowering French roses is well suited to the climatic conditions and creates a staggering spectacle of flowers and fragrance. Old roses scramble over a rustic bridge leading to a quince orchard, and nearby, a path leads through a garden of silver foliage with vivid pink flowering plants providing a lively contrast.

There is an elegant pavilion and a new stone moon-gate leading to a labyrinth filled with ornamental grasses. The garden is ever-changing, and it is hoped that this year, a superb armillary sphere and several other items of garden art recently purchased at the Chelsea Flower Show will have arrived, adding even more visual interest!

Open on Sunday, November 2 only.