By Greta Wickham
It is the intention of the Galson District Garden Club to resume our monthly meetings in February 2021. New members are always warmly welcome. Our meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month in the Community Hall 37 Arcadia Rd, Galston. Time 7.00pm.
For further information, visit our website www.galstongardenclub.com.au or email: [email protected].
Late October the club planned another garden ramble for our members. This was to take place in a member’s garden in Glenorie. You may remember we had a storm around the middle of the month and the hail from this storm hammered this beautiful garden. The owners Trish and Graham were devastated to see the damaged caused by the large hail.
“The show must go on” and another beautiful garden in Arcadia was found to enjoy our ramble and catch-up with members. Jenny and Peter Guest from “Guestlands” opened their garden. You may have visited this garden last year. This garden was one of the eight gardens in the OPEN GARDEN WEEKEND, October 2019.
The Guest’s were avid gardeners prior to purchasing this acreage. They were drawn to the property from a photograph in the local North Shore Times real estate magazine that advertised the land with a view across the lake sized dam towards the house. However, in the photograph you could not see the house as it was masked by gums, maples and conifers. Jenny saying, “I don’t care if it has a house or not we can live in a shack, look at that dam and those beautiful trees”. Over the next twenty years, the owners have created a spectacular garden with an overall Tuscan feel with hidden rooms such as the traditional Parterre garden and an oriental garden to be discovered. There is a column walk and paths that lead to bridges that cross over a cascading creek that connects numerous ponds and eventually runs down into the dam.
Another novelty feature of the property is the Chess Garden with oversized pieces and playing field. The variety of plants under the trees is never ending. The vegetable garden has been built with a parterre’ style layout incorporating a rustic feel using old railway sleepers. We walked around the garden, past the Italian village inspired house, up the stairs to the old Oak tree, past the bell tower towards the large lake like dam, past the Chess Garden then to the pool and rose covered column walk and a multiple of choices thereafter from paths to bridges, waterfalls and garden rooms. You can view this garden online by going to www.guestlands.com.au
What impressed me mostly after wondering through this garden was the importance of planting trees. Forty or fifty years ago when the owners of this property planted trees was it for their beauty, shade, the fact that trees filter the air and water we drink, create habitat for birds and other creatures or was it to leave a wonderful gift for future generations knowing that they may not see them grow to maturity? It is in my own garden that I appreciate the planting of trees, maples, oaks, crab apples, conifers over forty years ago. By simply planting a tree today, you will help clean the air we breathe and the water we drink, provide habitats for biodiversity, and support local communities for social impact. What a legacy you would leave
The Galston Garden Club are looking for new gardens to be a part of Open Gardens Weekend 2021 with the money raised going to many Charity Organizations chosen by the garden owners.
If you would like to nominate your garden or know of a garden that could be part of this wonderful weekend, we would be more than happy to hear from you.
