Seaside haven set to open to the public

Pam Hales creates a garden paradise at Beachport

Pam Hales has moved around a lot in her life but there has been one constant – her desire to create a garden everywhere she has called home.

“I love to dig and plant, creating new gardens,” she said. “My passion for gardening came I believe for the love of flowers and picking posies.”

Her current garden is a seaside creation that will be on display on the weekend of November 19 and 20 as part of the Open Gardens SA scheme.

“My current garden came to be with building my new house in town,” Pam said. “I couldn’t wait to get it planned and planted, once the layout, edges and borders were in place, the first rule is to plant quickly to get things growing. I had a fair idea what plants I wanted so within a year I had most plants in place. Now three years later plants are looking great and the challenge now will be how they cope with these hilltop strong winds.”

It is a garden paradise that sees Pam tending to the space around two to three hours a week as a general rule. “There is always the vegie garden to water and weed, plants to trim or lawn to mow, and regular hedge trimming,” she said. “I just love pottering around. One job I don’t like is whipper snipping as usually the wind blows it everywhere.”

Pam’s Beachport garden is called Spindrift and she loves nothing better than returning from her early morning swim to lay in the hammock in the morning sun.

Spindrift is a creative and quirky seaside garden that harmonises beautifully with the surrounding coastal landscape. Named for the strong south winds and salt-laden spray that often buffet the area, the garden has been established using robust plants that grow well and look at home in the seaside setting. Adding to the character and beachy feel are many interesting items found washed up on the beach, carted home and cleverly re-used to become fun and fitting garden art.

The sandy soil, sun and harsh winds are challenging but the selection of climate-compatible species has meant plants have survived and are happily thriving in the testing conditions. Many, like the cluster of clipped coastal rosemary and woolly bush domes that make a bold statement by the entrance to the house, have textural foliage in the lovely muted green or subtle silvery tones so often found in coastal vegetation. Tufty grasses contrast with the foliage of banksias, casuarina, pencil pines and the many succulents planted both in the garden and in the owner’s eclectic collection of pots and unconventional containers.

Weathered timber has been given a new life disguising fences and edging garden beds, and with the gravel and pebble paths, collections of driftwood, old boat rope, shells, sea glass and other ‘treasure’, perfectly fits with the coastal theme.

In a sheltered spot is the small but productive vegie garden with an old bath resourcefully converted into a raised bed for herbs.

Proceeds from the two day event will go to the Beachport Surf Lifesaving Club.

“It is so important living by the ocean to have these people to look after and teach our kids how to swim and survive rough water,” Pam said. “They have to personally fundraise to be able to offer this service to all.”

There will sale of plants, artwork and driftwood hangers.

Spindrift is located at 3 Northwest Terrace, Beachport and the garden is open 10am to 4.30pm on both days.

General Entry Cost – $10 – Children under 18 FREE. Open Gardens SA MEMBERS – $8.

Commonwealth Government Concession Card Holders – $8 (Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card). No concession for Seniors Card holders.