We explore a country garden

My friend Dolly suggested we make a trip to the country to visit a garden that was in the Open Garden scheme. Off we went on a lovely autumn morning. The garden is called The Olives after the 160-year-old olive trees that were planted as a windbreak back in the 1860s.

The property is nestled among rolling hills (just visible in the distance in this next photo) a few kms from Yankallila.

The house is National Trust-listed and was completed in 1859.  The property features the original gardens that had been carved out of the farmland, with lavender, deciduous European trees, a date palm planted in the 1860s, and old, gnarled fig trees giving the house its lovely old-world feel.

On the eastern side of the house was open farmland. When first settled the property was far from a town and neighbours, so the house would have been a true sanctuary for the original owners.

A new garden created in 2007 by owners Mark and Wendy Day (and still being added to) uses the natural slope of the land and features long walks bordered by geraniums, oleanders, agapanthus and roses, a glorious pond with a fountain, a wisteria arbour, and sweeping lawns. The house is visible in the background nestled among the trees.

At the rear of the house an ornamental vine put on a dazzling display...

...and some hardy potted geraniums added colour to the walkway.

I had never seen a stag (or elk?) horn this size before.

We strolled along, admiring the garden design - many of the plants were tried and true hardy types but made a beautiful display nonetheless.

This is one of Dolly's photos.

We loved the use of the succulents surrounding a bench.

 Here, two deciduous trees in their autumnal glory are in stark contrast to the green of the gum trees.

A sturdy Iceberg rose was still blooming.

And I think this is an oleander.

Even the ancient olive trees are still fruiting and looking remarkably healthy.




















The pond has pride of place in the lawn and features a Japanese-inspired modern sculptured fountain.

It was such a pleasant and pleasing visit, though I think the garden is at its best in summer. Unfortunately for us, the vast beds of heritage roses had finished their display, the wisteria was a bare vine, and the fruit trees that were in the covered orchard (apricot, nectarines, peach and mulberry) were also having a rest. But we did enjoy the sense of history, the thought and effort that has gone into the garden's design, and the friendly owners.