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POMONAL – The Australian Plants Society is hosting its Open
Garden Weekend tomorrow and Sunday from 10am-5pm to raise money for the Pomonal
Hall.
Tickets are $20 per person and children enter free. Maps and
tickets will be available from the Pomonal Hall.
Six gardens within close vicinity of the town centre will be
open for viewing across the weekend. Here is a preview of each:
Wayne Farey’s 3.5 acre native garden in Cassell Court is an
ever evolving labour of love. The beautifully landscaped garden featuring many
ponds, dry creek beds, rustic sheds and aviaries has an emphasis on Grevilleas
both species and hybrids, some of which are grafted. The extraordinary garden
has grown from a bare paddock with one tree in 1998 to a beautiful show piece
and you’ll pick up many landscaping ideas here.
Phil William’s 4.5 acre garden in Wildflower Drive is a
mature native garden with many new plantings, big trees and wildlife habitat.
It’s a glorious collection of Australian flora with many plants clearly named.
As a special treat Phil’s house block and bush block, which are not usually
open to the public, will be on display.
Beverley and Kevin Grace’s five acre Tunnel Road garden was
30 years old before it was destroyed in the Mt Lubra bushfire in 2006. Now a
replacement garden, it is an eclectic collection of plants and is a work in
progress. It features Proteas, Leucadendrons, Leucospermums and Geraldton wax
for cut flowers. There are annuals, perennials, roses, shrubs and thousands of
bulbs as well as deciduous trees as fire diverters and there is a fabulous
native garden made from soil washed down in a storm after the fire.
Another victim of the Mt Lubra bushfire was the garden of
Linda and David Handscombe in Long Gully Road. Also a work in progress, it
features many 13 year old shrubs that have survived and regrown and many garden
beds completely replanted in the last seven years. The garden features a
landscaped pond, a wetland, gravel mulched garden beds, native and South
African cut flowers and a large collection of Carnivorous plants.
Brian Mullens’ rambling two hectare garden called
Boorooloola (Aboriginal for perpetual water) is 65 years old. Growing in stages
over the years it features many natives including Banksias, Grevilleas and
Eucalypts as well as exotic irises, roses and succulents from all areas that
will survive in this climate. Its special features include a fishpond, an old
wagon, a landscaped dam and soft flowing lawns. The views to the Black Range
are stunning and wrens, honeyeaters, parrots and thrushes abound in this
spectacular garden.
Leon and Joyce Sachse’s 3.5 acre garden at 2111 Pomonal Road
was originally purchased in December 2001 and was an overgrown block with sheep
grazing on wild oats and other grasses. It is now a picture perfect mix of
mostly natives and some deciduous trees with a fishpond, a gazebo and
beautifully mulched garden beds and five of the original six pear trees that
adorned the block.
New gardens are always underway and excess house water is
being directed into an exciting pond development.
You can bring a picnic lunch to eat in any of the gardens
and light refreshments can be purchased from the Pomonal Hall Committee
fundraising barbecue and the Pomonal General Store.
For more information about this weekend’s open gardens
contact Linda 5356 6352, 0407 700 843 or dlhandscombe@bigpond.com
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