Garden paradise on show

Open Garden to raise funds for Penola CFS

The St Mary’s Vineyard Garden is a sprawling paradise and it is testament to a lifelong passion for gardening instilled in Glenys Mulligan by her mother from a very young age.

As they so often do, Glenys and Barry Mulligan are again showcasing their garden as part of the Open Gardens SA scheme with the V & A Lane property open this weekend.

For Glenys the move to the two hectare property enabled the little girl with a small corner of her mother’s vegie patch to create and design her own majestic garden. That was over four decades ago and Glenys has crafted a garden that attracts a constant trail of visitors – the family wine and gin distilling business also clearly part of the attraction.

This weekend, Glenys and her St Mary’s Vineyard garden are opening their gates for two days as well as hosting the 2022 Limestone Coast Plant and Trade Fair. A diverse range of talented artists, trades and specialist growers will exhibit everything from bulbs to trees, natives to exotics, garden arts and trades, and there will also be food stalls, wine tasting, refreshments and a children’s activity area. This weekend will be a must see-destination for all garden lovers and families.

Established in 1937, the Mulligan family has created a magnificent property with the garden taking centre stage. Hundreds of roses, bulbs, iris, hardy perennials, trees and shrubs surround the classic homestead and out-buildings. Over the years plants and bulbs suitable for the soil and climate have been incorporated into the garden design, adding colour and texture all year round.

Colourful is how I would describe my garden,” Glenys said. “I haven’t tried to follow or copy any style.”

It is a garden with many nooks and crannies and while it is difficult for Glenys to select a favourite spot in her pride and joy, she does love the vantage point of her verandah. “We’ve got seats all around the garden but Barry and I love sitting on the eastern side of the house, just out of the wind and with a view of the whole front paddock.”

The Silver Pears section of the garden is also a favourite – it was one of the more planned sections of the garden, created after the tornado ripped through the area four years ago. “I think it’s quite pleasing to the eye – all those different shades of grey.”

Sandstone rock and plate from the quarry at St Mary’s have been used for dry stone walling, pathways, and ornaments, as well as structures such as ramps, plinths, platforms and the trilogy of tree rings in the front paddock.

“I’m fortunate I have a husband who can make things and build things which has helped create the different paces in the garden,” Glenys said.

And then there is the homage to her mother – the fresh seasonal produce laden kitchen garden where a range of fruit and vegetables are grown using permaculture principles. There are raised beds for strawberries and asparagus with arches for apples and tomatoes making decorative as well as functional features. A shade house is used for growing seedlings and propagating plants.

Rarely a day goes by where Glenys is not in the garden, ensuring it is always picture perfect.

“Because of the cellar door, there are people coming here all the time so I do need to make sure the garden is always presentable,” she said. “I tend to go out most mornings to work in the garden, whether it is going around on the ride on mower to keep the lawns Garden paradise on showw tidy or any of the other jobs that might need doing.”

For those that bristle at the thought of having to weed in their own small house block gardens, rest assured, it is the least favoured task for Glenys as well. What she does swear by is mulching and that does tap into her aversion to weeding. “I am a great believer in mulching and it is true – more mulch, less weeds,” she said.

The garden opens from 10am until 4.30pm, both Saturday and Sunday. 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. The owners have nominated the Penola CFS as their charity for funds raised from their open days. The St Mary’s Vineyard Garden is at 563 V & A Lane, Penola.