A beautiful, meticulously maintained garden opening for the 25th time

Thousands of visitors have enjoyed this lovely flower-filled garden over the past 25 years, raising much-appreciated funds for good causes. Sincere thanks to garden owner Di for this remarkable achievement, for her long association with Open Gardens and her commitment to sharing her garden so many times.

Ashgrove Iris Garden is a relaxed, pretty one-acre country-style garden with meandering pathways, plenty of garden seating and many “old-fashioned” and unusual plants adding to its diversity. The garden is well established, with most plantings more than 30 years old and six very large 80-plus-year-old ash trees.

There are around 200 roses and mass planting of over 900 named varieties of bearded iris, and each spring they produce a beautiful show of colour. The iris area has recently undergone ‘renovations’ and now includes climbing and shrub roses, hardy perennials and a selection of autumn flowering bulbs to provide year-round colour and interest. Most of the roses are David Austin varieties, including favourites such as Grace, Jude the Obscure, Molineux, and Teasing Georgia – Di loves roses in shades of apricot and yellow.

Focal points in the garden are used to great effect: a long lawn stretches to an elongated urn; a tiny ‘Summer House’ nestles amongst the trees and shrubs; soft pink low-growing David Austin ‘Mary Magdalene’ roses encircle a classic water feature. A concrete rainwater tank has been boldly painted with a colourful Art Nouveau-inspired mural of the four seasons in the garden.

Sheltered by tall trees, the woodland section is delightfully cool and shady on a hot day and perfect for the understory planting of shade-loving perennials and bulbs. Espaliered fruit trees line the western fence, and chickens and ducks are used to control garden pests such as snails and grubs.

Di was proud to be named ABC Gardening Australia Gardener of the Year in 2013.

Facebook