Griffith Festival of Gardens NSW

Griffith is the place to be in October this year with the Festival of Gardens and Citrus Sculptures being the major attractions. This year we have nine fabulous gardens opening that will provide an amazing experience for serious gardeners and novices alike. Some of our previous favourite gardens are opening again and some spectacular new gardens will also be on display. Expansive country gardens and compact town gardens displaying the owner’s passion and creativity will provide enjoyable visits in restful and colourful surroundings.

The Citrus Sculptures will once again be sponsored by the Real Juice Company and will line the entrance to Griffith along Banna Avenue. In 2014 there will be more than 60 incredible sculptures, including a castle, gondola and kangaroo just to name a few. These sculptures are unique to Griffith and must be seen to be believed.

Additional attractions this year include the Paella by the Sculptures on Friday 17 October and the Italian Table with special guest Tino Carnevale at Pioneer Park Museum on Saturday 18 October. Tino will be visiting many gardens during the festival, his enthusiasm and gardening expertise will ensure any garden visit will be a pleasant experience.

These new attractions will provide opportunities for visitors to enjoy 2014 Griffith Festival of Gardens and its varied attractions……food, wine, galleries, museum, shopping and parks. Griffith is definitely the city to visit. Come join us! Pat Cox, Chair Festival of Gardens Committee.

Garden Tours by Bus Friday 17, Saturday 18, Sunday 19 & Monday 20 – The bus departs the Visitor Information Centre at 9am & returns at 4:30pm. The tour includes garden visits & lunch. Morning & Afternoon tea are available at your own expense. Friday: Gardens 3,4,5,9 Saturday: Gardens 1,2,6,7,8 Sunday: Gardens 3,4,5,9 Monday: Gardens 1,2,6,7,8 Cost: $55 | Time: 9am – 4:30pm Bookings essential: 1800 681 141

Garden 1: Cass & Wayne: 10 Blumer Avenue, Griffith

Our 15 year old suburban garden is highly structured, very colourful and well loved. The front uses 90m of high and low hedges to divide the garden into distinct rooms, each of which offers its own character and privacy. The back is equally structured, but even more colourful, with a superb use of space. Our 240 roses, which despite being a feature, are only a small part of the overall effect of colour and style. We offer a wonderful example of what can be achieved right in the centre of town. Supporting: Various charities | F, SA, SU | Friday 17 at 1.30pm join Tino for a Question & Answer session.

Garden 2: June Devery: 39 Curtin Street, Griffith

This garden is a passion for June who has lovingly built it from scratch and filled it with a delightful array of perennials, succulents, trees, shrubs, roses, irises, ground covers, azaleas, camellias and hibiscus! Visitors are able to wander through the garden via meandering paths where they will be amazed at some of the different and exotic plants that June has been able to establish in her garden. Supporting: Country Hope | F, SA, SU | Attractions: Plants for sale. Friday 17 at 11am come and meet Tino, take a photo with him and have your program signed.

Garden 3: Rina & Santo Mercuri: Cnr Violi Drv & Candice Place, Lake Wyangan

Tranquility and peacefulness are the essence of this 11⁄2 acre garden. A stunning garden with its luscious plantings of roses, trees and shrubs has been designed with style and simplicity. Perennials, annuals and groundcovers fill terraced areas. There are many beautiful areas where you can just sit and enjoy the peacefulness. The covered promenade and wood fired pizza oven are always the envy of many visitors. Supporting: Griffith Pony Club | F, SA, SU | | Attractions: Toblac Sculptural Metal. Saturday 18 at 3pm join Tino for a workshop on composting. Friday 17 & Saturday 18 Happy Scrapper activities throughout the day. Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 Starfish Florist workshop | Bookings essential: Call Vanessa on 6964 2765

Garden 4: Julie & Patrick McMahon: 4 Elizabeth Drive, Lake Wyangan

This is a unique garden predominately filled with Australian natives, and a minimal amount of lawn. Flowering gums and bottle brushes surround the block and are a major attraction for birds and wildlife. Meandering gravel paths lead you around the garden where you will find quirky garden ornaments in unusual places! They have even created a dry creek bed, filled with river stones, and crossed by a weathered wooden bridge. Come and see Dry Stone Walling and Gabion Basket workshop during the weekend. You’ll be inspired! Supporting: Local Charities | F, SA, SU, M | Attractions: Handmade sculptures. Sunday 19 at 2.30pm join Tino for a walk and talk tour on growing and caring for natives.

Garden 5: Joy & Bruno Plos: ‘Belle Amour Garden’ 5 Maegraith Place, Lake Wyangan

This award winning garden is surrounded by a peaceful bushland setting. Over some 25 years Joy & Bruno have created a tranquil garden full of irises, perennials, heritage shrubs, trees and roses, including David Austins which cascade over arbours and arches leading to a sunken rose garden. Exotic hybrid clematis entwine over garden structures built by Bruno, admire the gazebo which contains hand painted porcelain and fine bone china (on display and for sale). Enjoy the delightful vegie garden which features Bruno’s espaliered fruit trees. This truly is a garden for all seasons and is at its most desirable in spring! Supporting: Griffith Social Dancers | F, SA, SU, M | Attractions: Plant sales. Saturday 18 at 10am join Tino’s talk about how to espalier fruit trees (at the vegie patch).

Garden 6: Marj & Mick Careri: ‘Rosewood Park on Stokes’ 2355A Stokes Road, Hanwood

The garden is surrounded by a vineyard, in the distance is a picturesque barn door and rustic bike along with a wall covered in the beautiful Lorraine Lee climbing rose. Beyond this is a water feature built with an idealic gazebo and jetty. There is an abundance of blooms in this park like garden with over 800 roses – all growing over arbours, arches, in beds and borders – they are truly captivating! Other features include a dovecote over a pond, bird aviary, tropical garden and children’s swings. Supporting: Binya Public School P&C | F, SA, SU, M | | Note: Wheelchair access available Friday 17 at 3.30pm join Tino for walk & talk tour on growing & maintaining roses. Attractions: Saturday 12pm Tuckerbox Auction & 2pm Lance Parker Poetry. Sunday 12pm Griffith North PS Choir, 12.30pm Workshop with Children’s Author Caroline Tuohey & 2pm Poetry.

Garden 7: Tori Horder & Lawrence Salvestrin: ‘Davit Farm’ Cashmere Road, Widgelli

This large country garden is surrounded by mature trees which create summer shade and an exciting tapestry of greens. Visitors are able to stroll from one garden room to another in this tranquil setting. Enjoy all the delights of this garden including formal lily pond, small lake with water iris & rambling roses, a Monet Bridge, species rose garden, a white trunked forest and many areas of dry stone walls. Tori is always adding new features to this ever changing garden. This elegant country garden invites you to sit and enjoy the vistas, serenity and space. Supporting: Griffith Riding for the Disabled | F, SA, SU, M | Sunday 19 at 10am join Tino for walk and talk tour on how to create garden rooms and garden features.

Garden 8: Pat Jones: ‘Yambiana’, 69 Halse Road, Yenda

Glimpses of the Mirrool Creek can be seen through the native box and saltbush as visitors travel down the driveway to the Yambiana garden. On approach to the garden, visitors are welcomed by a long hedge of oleanders to their right, and a forest of gums to their left, set off by a feature pond and dry stone wall. Through the formal gates are long established native trees complemented by mature deciduous trees, silk trees, crepe myrtles, massed roses, banks of chinese jasmine, geisha girls and gardenias. Irises and agapanthus add a sculptural touch to the garden and its expansive lawns. The original tank stand and windmill remain as features of the garden, which is also home to peacocks and pets. Supporting: The Anglican Church (Yenda) | F, SA, SU | Attractions: Local jojoba products on display & for sale. Catering on site by Sugarmill Patisserie. Sunday 19 at 12pm join Tino for talk on how to love your lawn and garden edging ideas.

Garden 9: Julie & Bruce Armstrong: ‘Corynnia Station’, Carrathool

An expansive outback homestead garden where design, style and simplicity are of paramount importance. Very little garden existed when Julie and Bruce moved to Corynnia in 1982. Cool, soft colours are favoured in mass plantings of rambling, hardy species of perennials, roses and succulents. Robust hedging creates structure & formality to areas. The orchard & vegetable garden within are highly productive. Designed for and nurtured in a harsh environment on the edge of the Hay Plains, this garden is often described by visitors as ‘an oasis in the desert’! Supporting: Hay Can Assist | F | SA, SU | Attractions: Corrugated iron sculpture by Kim Gibbs and paintings by Julie Armstrong. Saturday 18 at 12.30pm join Tino for a talk on garden design, how to achieve balance and create harmony throughout your garden.

• Griffith Festival of Gardens Program 2014 Download

No testimonials exist at this time.

Entry to each garden is $6 (includes a ticket in the Lucky Draw)
Gardens are each supporting their own charity

Garden Tours by Bus
Friday 17, Saturday 18, Sunday 19 & Monday 20
The bus departs the Visitor Information Centre at 9am & returns at 4:30pm. The tour includes garden visits & lunch. Morning & Afternoon tea are available at your own expense.
Friday: Gardens 3,4,5,9 Saturday: Gardens 1,2,6,7,8 Sunday: Gardens 3,4,5,9 Monday: Gardens 1,2,6,7,8

Italian Table with Tino Carnevale
Saturday 18
Pioneer Park Museum, Remembrance Drive, Griffith
Join ABC Gardening’s Tino Carnevale at a long table event, sharing Italian food, local wine, stories & music.
Time: 6pm - 10pm
Bookings essential: 1800 681 141
Cost: $55
Time: 9am - 4:30pm Bookings essential: 1800 681 141

FoxRocks Dry Stone Wall & Stone Gabion Basket
Workshop at McMahon Garden (Garden 4)
Saturday 18 &/or Sunday 19
An intensive hands-on workshop learning the art and principles of Dry Stone Walling and Gabion Baskets with Wayne Fox, a landscape gardener based in Wagga Wagga. Limited numbers.
Bookings essential: 1800 681 141
Time: 10am - 3:30pm
Cost: $110 per day (includes garden entry and lunch)