Secret gardens of Anglesea: Explore hidden oases for a weekend

TWO private coastal gardens in Anglesea will open to the public next weekend, offering tranquillity and inspiration to garden lovers alike.

Peter Shaw, author and creative director of award-winning local company Ocean Road Landscaping, is the designer behind both gardens.

The event will be hosted by Open Gardens Victoria and will take place on Saturday, January 13 and Sunday, January 14.

Shaw’s home, Sunnymeade, will be one of the gardens on display.

 

Originally purchased in 2000, Shaw wanted to create a garden that was easy-care, fun for his kids and suitable for everyday family life.

The outcome is a highly creative and practical space replete with sweeping messmate gums, a mounded ‘hilly’ lawn, fields of grasses planted in natural clumps and a forest of Moonah trees.

“The original twisted stringybarks that gracefully stand on the site evoke a sense of magic that influenced the garden on all levels,” Shaw said.

The esteemed garden provides an illustration of what can be achieved through careful planting and respect for the natural environment, and has been featured previously on Gardening Australia, the Design Files and Dream Garden.

For those wanting to experience the garden during its ‘golden hour’, a limited number of tickets are available for a twilight viewing on January 13 from 5.30-7.30pm.

 

To the south of Sunnymeade lies the expansive garden at Jamboree.

A young garden, Jamboree is a haven of native plantings, meandering pathways and cosy corners.

Owner, Maria Cook, said the team at Ocean Road Landscaping effectively built the garden from scratch.

“I wanted grass and rocks. Long grass and native, low-maintenance, bushfire-tolerant [plants] and they did the rest.”

The design balances aesthetics and functionality, complementing the property’s recently completed home.

“We decided to build a single story and so that way every room is into the garden,” Cook said.

“Every room, every bedroom, looks out into a beautiful garden.”

 

The work of local metal artist, Cinnamon Stevens will be on display and available for purchase at both gardens throughout the weekend.

“She’s putting together some bird baths and screens which will beautifully offset the garden,” Cook said.

Cook, a textile artist, will also have some of her work on show at Jamboree, while Shaw will present a talk at 11.30am on both event days at Sunnymeade.

Some of the proceeds from Sunnymeade and Jamboree will be donated to the Australian Community Foundation and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, respectively.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, head to opengardensvictoria.org.au