After two years of cancellations the Mid-Mountains Garden Festival returns in September with new gardens and returning favourites.
The Mid-Mountains Garden Festival has been an annual spring celebration since 1984. It remains Hazelbrook Public School's main fundraising event, making valuable contributions to school improvements every year.
"We're so thrilled this iconic event is coming back after a two year absence and extremely grateful to the team of people involved to make it happen," said Hazelbrook Public School principal, Natalie Bourke.
"As a festival that has lasted almost four decades, it's an incredible testament to the level of commitment and dedication from parent and community volunteers and talented garden owners."
Eight gardens from Linden to Lawson will be taking part: four old favourites and four newly discovered gems. Single tickets are available to enter particular gardens of interest, or a festival pass will allow visitors to take a trail to explore all eight unique gardens across two weekends.
Festival curator, Vanessa Jones, said they were "excited to be welcoming four new gardens to the festival this year and extending further to the Mid-Mountains town of Lawson".
"We aim to open a great mix of gardens both in style and size. Whether you're after plant or design inspiration for your garden; a relaxing meander through gorgeous spring blooms and fresh mountain air; or the fun of hidden groves and unexpected discoveries with the kids - the festival will delight."
Four returning gardens
- Aldebaran, Linden (courtesy of David and Amber Thurston)
A modern garden set against a lovely 1920s bungalow, lovingly designed by its landscape designer owner and showcasing a stunning array of water-wise plants and succulents.
- Totoro, Linden (courtesy of Marilyn Pride and Lewis Morley)
A rustic cottage-style garden named after a Japanese anime nature spirit. It features a home with a succulent flowered earth roof, scented and medicinal plants, a Totoro teahouse and fantasy film sculptures scattered throughout.
- Tanglewood, Woodford (courtesy of Brian Kirkby and Jo Gardiner)
Has been a part of the Festival for twenty-eight years, featuring impressive weeping maples, camellias and ferns. Inviting pathways lead you past ponds and ancient bush rocks, all waiting to be explored.
- Tarraleah, Hazelbrook (courtesy of Norma and Andrew Price)
A festival favourite with a glorious front garden and unique terraced back yard combining flowers and fruit. It is also home to gnomes and happy chooks. Fruit harvested goes into homemade jams and chutneys sold throughout the Festival. Plants propagated by the school's greenhouse volunteers will also be for sale here.
Four new gardens
- Arcadia, Woodford (courtesy of Marion and Andy Cairns)
A beloved cottage garden on a corner block with a bit of everything. Discover an amazing array of succulents, award winning blooms, and a shade house filled with orchids and ferns.
- Stoneholm Lane, Woodford (courtesy of Chris Prior and Lindy Courtney)
A wonderful terraced garden that unveils a myriad of surprises as you descend past the maples, crepe myrtles, philodendrons and tree ferns to the edge of bushland.
- Elvis, Hazelbrook (courtesy of Jim and Frances Hill-Murray)
A semi-formal European-style garden inspired by The King's song 'Follow that Dream'. Lush lawns, decorative plants and a willow tree over a pond set the scene for a tranquil paradise.
- Djurali, Lawson (courtesy of Ana Dalitz and Carl Johnston)
A gorgeous rustic patch created by a young family features a thriving mix of natives, vegetables, fruit and flowers, topped off with a treehouse and mud kitchen, to inspire the young and old.
Festival highlights
- Scavenger Hunt - Each class at Hazelbrook Public School will have created a special art project to be hidden in each garden. Take the kids on a garden trail as you search for them all, and receive a prize on completion.
- Plant Sales - A wide variety of plants including succulents, cottage plants, natives, fuschias and more have been propagated from local gardens by the school's greenhouse team, a group of parent volunteers and local gardeners. Available for sale at Tarraleah Garden.
- Jams and Chutneys - Homemade from the fruits of Tarraleah Garden
- Honey - Fresh from the bees at Aldebaran Garden
The festival began in 1984 with a simple idea by Mrs Ruth Taylor, a local gardener, to open her garden to raise money for a local school. It blossomed with the efforts of Lindsay Alexander McLeod, a dedicated President of the P&C Association of Hazelbrook Public School at the time. Now, 38 years later, the festival continues to be cared for by parent volunteers and supported by local gardeners and businesses.
The festival will be held on: Saturday, September 10; Sunday, September 11; Saturday, September 17; and Sunday, September 18 in Linden, Woodford, Hazelbrook and Lawson. Exact addresses will be disclosed closer to the event.
Tickets: Festival Pass $32; Festival Pass for two $60. Children under 16 free with accompanying paid adult ticket.
For more information: https://www.midmountainsgardenfestival.com/.