Debut opening for Yamba

Open Gardens Victoria will open Yamba to the general public for the first time, on the weekend of November 16 and 17.

Set on approximately three acres in Caramut, this is a passionate plant collector’s garden on a working Western District farm, filled with a variety of perennials, grasses, trees, hedges, and bulbs.

Owner Helen Diprose is a dedicated Open Gardens Victoria volunteer and talented flower arranger.

When her family moved to Yamba nearly 20 years ago, she discovered challenging rocky clay soil and no garden. Helen has spent many years enhancing drainage, improving the soil quality, and building raised beds to help the garden survive and thrive.

“I love collecting the rare and unusual, fitting in with my hobby of arranging flowers,” Helen said. “Not only flowers; I also like to incorporate stems, grass, berries, seed heads, and foliage into my arrangements.”

Helen’s plant selection reflects her desire to pick subject matter all year round and includes stunning cut flowers such as dahlias, delphinium, peony, chrysanthemum, and an array of salvias, heleniums, helianthus, and rudbeckia.

Bulbs are planted en masse, with bluebells in profusion under the forty oaks on the property and daffodils in long beds with pencil pines at regular intervals. A striking feature of the garden is its array of beautifully clipped hedges.

“Hedges are a necessity in this garden because of the severe winds,” Helen said. “I keep my hedges around one metre high. For variety, some hedges are trimmed into a wavy design, creating more interest.”

Grasses are another highlight of Helen’s garden, where she has planted Calamagrostis X acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ in a bed with about 30 outstanding capped pencil pines. A lovely avenue of trees and a productive vegetable garden also feature, and visitors will enjoy unexpected encounters with a small flock of much-loved guinea fowl.

Antique Perennials, the premier perennial nursery in Australia, will be selling plants at the opening and Lisa Addinsall will be selling her organic cut flowers from Willow Violet Flora, in Tarrington. There will be fabulous gin from Suffoir Winery, Brewery and Distillery, and a coffee cart from Port Fairy Coffee Roasters onsite both days.

The Hamilton and Alexandra College Parents’ and Friends’ will be serving lunch, slices and cheese platters.

Yamba is located on the lands of the Eastern Maar people. Open Gardens Victoria wish to acknowledge the Traditional custodians of this land and we pay respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging.

DETAILS:

ADDRESS: Yamba

915 Glenthompson-Caramut Road

Caramut Vic 3274

OPEN: Saturday 16 November and Sunday 17 November

10am – 4.30pm

TICKETS: Adults $10, Students $6 (with ID card), under 18 free

Tickets at the gate or via TryBooking

WEBSITE: https://opengardensvictoria.org.au/Yamba

For more information about open gardens and events, visit: www.opengardensvictoria.org.au

PHOTO COURTESY FO ANNABEL REID