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The White Hat Guide to Some Notable Private Gardens in Melbourne & Victoria

Azaleas at a Victorian private garden
Azaleas in flower at a Victorian private garden

Melbourne and Victoria have some wonderful private gardens. They are often part of people's homes or farms they are thus not generally open to the public. However many have special open days, particularly as part of the excellent Australia's Open Garden Scheme. Because they are private gardens, their location is only noted on this website when there is an upcoming event.

Two of White Hat's favourite private gardens are:

Open Garden at The Melbourne Club

Private Garden of The Melbourne ClubThe walled garden of one of Australia's most famous clubs - The Melbourne Club - is rarely open to the public. White Hat strongly recommends you take this opportunity to take in the environment of an institution which has been part of Melbourne from its earliest days of European settlement. White Hat recommends you arrive early or you could find yourself waiting in lengthy queues.

Listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, The Walled Garden of The Melbourne Club is a beautiful and historically significant walled garden hidden in the heart of the city.

Three massive century-old plane trees maintain a scale in keeping with the clubhouse buildings. Beneath the trees, plantings bordering the lawn are predominantly green and white, with a preference for scented plants and species that perform well in all seasons and tolerate the shade cast by the trees and surrounding tall buildings.

NOTE: No photographs permitted.

Enter via Ridgeway Place (off Little Collins St), Melbourne
10am-4.30pm, Sunday 13th February 2011
$6.00, no charge for children under 18

Our rating:
Five Hats

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Private Gardens Open Days

Cooking from the Seasonal Garden, with Beverley Sutherland Smith

Beverley Sutherland Smith The delightful garden of renowned cook Beverley Sutherland Smith will be . It is a celebration of floral and edible delights, demonstrating that productive gardens can also be highly decorative. No matter what the season, there is an abundance of produce with a vast array of vegetables, herbs and fruits growing among roses, perennials and annuals. Join Beverley for a tour of her garden, a cooking demonstration using her produce, and a delicious lunch featuring a 3-course tasting menu and a glass of wine. You'll also be given the recipes to take home. This event is part of the wonderful Australia's Open Garden Scheme,

Bookings are essential for this event as places are very limited. Tickets $95.00 includes lunch, recipes and tour of garden. You can book online via Australia's Open Garden Scheme's secure site here or phone (03) 9682 8227 during business hours.

11am to 2pm, Sunday 19th February 2012

Mount Waverley -

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Sustainable Water Use

Pat and John Anderson in their gardenAs well as a spectacular collection of salvias, perennials and natives in their substantial garden, Pat and John Anderson also have a large and very productive vegetable patch. They have devised a sustainable water supply of collected rainwater, linked tanks and a gravity-fed system of drippers. While most of the plants in the flower garden are drought-tolerant, this excellent and achievable watering system ensures the garden's all-round success. See further information at The White Hat Guide to Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD)

John is a scientist and he will give talks and demonstrations on how he and Pat collect, measure, store and use their water. Notes outlining their water practices will also be available.

This event is part of the wonderful Australian Open Gardens Scheme.

10am to 4.30pm, Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 March 2012

98 Bradleys Lane, Warrandyte -

$8 per head, children under 18 free
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The Wonderful World of Herbs

Nancy Bulmer in her herb garden

Nancy Bulner is a talented and experienced gardener with a particular passion for herbs. Around her rammed earth house is a delightful and tranquil garden run on organic principles and brimming with herbs and produce. Nancy's practical workshop will cover how to propagate, grow and care for herbs, the why's and how's of companion planting, their culinary and medicinal uses and how to grow herbs in any sized garden - from a pot to a paddock. You'll also enjoy a herb-themed morning tea and have a pot of herbs and recipes to take home. This event is part of the wonderful Australia's Open Gardens Scheme.

Bookings are essential for these events as places are very limited. Tickets $65 includes morning tea, pot of herbs & recipes to take home. You can book online via Australia's Open Gardens Scheme's secure site here or phone (03) 9682 8227 during business hours.

9.30am to 12.30pm, 29 March & 14 April 2012

Sandringham -

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Trees of Duneira

Trees at DuneiraA grand avenue of 90 glorious Dutch Elms leads into the beautiful hills station garden that embraces an historically significant house dating from the 1870s. Duneira boasts a notable collection of mature trees including Himalayan holly, rare cut-leaf walnut, maples, dogwoods, rhododendrons and impressive conifers such as the Noble and Nordmann firs. Sweeping lawns with shrubberies lead to a holly-hedged 'secret garden' showcasing a beautiful old Japanese flowering cherry. This event is part of the wonderful Australia's Open Garden Scheme.

There will be talks about Duneira's magnificent trees at 11am & 2pm.

Address: Officer Lane, Mount Macedon Directions: Melway X909:G10. Vic Roads 415:C9. From Melbourne exit Calder Fwy (M79) at Mt Macedon; take Mt Macedon Rd (C322) to Mt Macedon shops; travel further 2.4 km to Officer Lane on left.

10am to 4.30pm, Sunday 15th April 2012

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$10 per head, children under 18 free
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Twilight Jazz Picnic at Cruden Farm

An annual fundraising event for the McClelland Gallery held at Dame Elisabeth Murdoch's 'Cruden' Farm'. Dame Elisabeth Murdoch's wonderful property with its famous gardens is thrown open to the public for occasional fundraising events such as this oneand Dame Elisabeth has long been a generous patron of the arts and of the McClelland Gallery. Cruden Farm is on the corner of Cranbourne-Frankston & Cranhaven Roads, Langwarrin (Mel. Ref. 103 G6). Entry is only from Cranhaven Road, where there is ample parking in the grounds. White Hat suggests you go out of your way to enjoy this wonderful event and suggests you bring your own picnic. Full details at McClelland Gallery.

 

Our rating:
Five Hats

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4pm to 8pm, 18th February 2012

Cruden Farm (enter via Cranhaven Rd), Langwarrin -

$15 pre-purchase and $20 on the day at the gate. Children under 12 free. Note on pricing Bookings: (03) 9789 1671

Plant Fair at Cruden Farm

Cruden Farm

Presented by the wonderful Australia's Open Garden Scheme. This day is gardener's heaven - possibly Australia's most famous garden and the opportunity to buy a wide selection of rare and unusual plants. Over this one special weekend, we're once again bringing together around 40 exhibitors from Victoria and interstate. You can talk to the expert growers of the most interesting and unusual plants, and find something out of the ordinary. With everything from bulbs to trees, natives to exotics, plus garden art, tools, guest speakers and demonstrations - it's an enticing destination for garden-lovers.

This year's Fair is at Cruden Farm, the lifetime achievement of national treasure Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. Dame Elisabeth designed and planted the renowned herbaceous borders, picking garden, shrub walks, tree-shaded lawns and one of Australia's most famous avenues, all contributing to a place of rare beauty. You can leave your purchases in our plant creche while you take a leisurely stroll around the garden. Refreshments will be available throughout the day.

Address: enter from Cranhaven Rd, Langwarrin. Directions: Melway 103:G5.

Information for bus groups & garden clubs:

  • Please note that there is NO access to Cruden Farm for buses of over 25 seats unless they have pre-booked and pre-paid.
  • Please read the important information for bus companies & groups here about ensuring access for your bus.

Information for the public:

  • The public do not need to pre-book.
  • Parking, including disabled parking, is in paddocks adjoining the garden. Most areas of the garden are accessible for wheelchairs and walking frames.
  • Public Transport Access: Train to Frankston Station & then Bus (routes 789, 790 or 791) to Veronica Street.
  • Please note that OGA do not organise buses for the public to travel this event.

All enquiries (03) 5568 1138 during business hours

10am-4.30pm, Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 March 2012

Cruden Farm (enter via Cranhaven Rd), Langwarrin -

$15.00, no charge for children under 18

Christmas Eve Carols and Pageant at Cruden Farm

(This event is to be confirmed for 2012) Bring the family to enjoy Christmas Carols with singers and band. This popular community event includes a live re-enactment of the first Christmas with a baby, stable and donkey. Children are welcome to take part as angels or shepherds.

Gate opens at 6.30pm – enter from Cranhaven Road, Langwarrin. BYO picnic, rug, insect repellent, warm clothes. NO candles or pets please. Entry by donation – net proceeds used to support the needy in the local area.

7.30 to 8.45 pm, 24th December 2012 (tbc)

Cruden Farm (enter via Cranhaven Rd), Langwarrin -

Tulip Walk at a Victorian private garden
Tulip walk at a Victorian private garden

Where are these gardens?

Because these are private gardens we only post their locations when there is an upcoming event. Click on the appropriate link to the right of the map. Use the controls to zoom in or out on the map or change to satellite view.

 

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White Hat works hard to make information on these pages current and correct. However with many thousands of entries, much of it changing daily, errors may occur. Always verify the information by using the phone numbers supplied with each event or venue before making a special trip or using this information for any other purpose. If you believe some information is incorrect, please contact us at corrections@whitehat.com.au and we will attempt to verify or change the information
DISCLAIMER: White Hat makes no claim as to the accuracy of this information and takes no responsibility for incorrect or incomplete information  or for actions based on the information in these pages, and accepts no liability to any person or organisation for the information contained in these pages.
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