The Lions Club of Queanbeyan is proud to present the Annual Burra Open Gardens weekend on Saturday 8 November and Sunday 9 November 2008

Once again this year, five stunning local gardens will be open to the public over the weekend – helping to raise funds for the Queanbeyan Lions and Burra Community Association. Gardens will be open to the public from 10 am to 5 pm on both days.

This year, there will be garden activities at St Paul's Church where visitors can see presentations by award-winning landscape architects, learn how to designing for climate change, and planning for rural blocks. There will also be informal demonstrations on hurdle fencing and stone wall techniques.

Tickets on sale at all gardens

• A ticket provides for 1 person to visit each garden once and may be used over 2 days
  $15 per person ($10 for Concession Card holders)

• Single garden visit (pay at garden) $10 per person (Concession rate $5)

• Children under the age of 15, free

• Gardens open 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday 8 November and Sunday 9 November.

Refreshments

Refreshments can be purchased at:

• Burra Hall and Park, Burra Road
  Light snacks, lunches, tea and coffee

• Garden 3, Plummers Road
  Morning and Afternoon teas

Toilet facilities at Burra Park, St Paul's Church, London Bridge Reserve, and Garden 2

Plant sales

• Garden 1 – Queanbeyan High School Agriculture plants for sale

• Garden 3 – A variety of products for sale including plants, teas, lavender products and preserves

• Garden 4 – Established potted tall bearded iris plants (including a selection bred at Tijara) for sale. Orders can be taken for irises not available in pots

Directions

Direction signs will be placed at key points on routes from Canberra and Queanbeyan, and at each participating garden. Two venues are located on Old Cooma Rd, and the remaining four are accessed from Burra Road.

• Print a pocket version of the map (PDF 295 Kb)
• Print version of the Open Garden's brochure (PDF 281 Kb)

Please note

• Picnics welcome
• Dogs not permitted
• All gardens have dams or ponds Children and others at risk must be closely supervised
• The gardens are only open at the times specifi ed unless other arrangements are made
• Do not enter a house unless invited by the owner

Garden Activities at the Church

Rev. James Wood
St Paul’s Anglican Church - 1290 Old Cooma Rd

This delightful Romanesque-style Church, with walls of rubble-stone, no buttresses and bellcast roof on trussed rafters, is oft-noted by visitors to the area. It was opened 140 years ago in 1868. While there was much activity in St Paul’s first 50 years, by the early part of the 20th Century, the church was not regularly used. During the Depression, it became the overnight haunt of itinerant rural workers and was subsequently closed for some years. Re-opened in 1951 the Church has been used regularly to the present day.

In recognition of the Church’s pivotal role in community life, St Paul’s will open its doors to visitors and worshippers alike over the Open Gardens weekend. Visitors will be welcome to attend Church services at 8:00 am, and again at 9.30 am on Sunday 9th November. Outside of these times, viewing and/or photography of the Church and grounds will be welcome.

There will also be garden-themed activities and presentations by award-winning landscape architects:

Activities (watch this space for more details closer to the weekend)

Saturday 8 November
Sustainable Gardening – Into the Future: Presentations by award-winning landscape architects

Sunday 9 November
Informal Demonstrations

More information:

• Toilet facilities
• Parking in street or at Roselawn garden opposite
• Burra Open Gardens organisers would like to acknowledge the sponsorship of ActewAGL (Water Division) and Spackman Real Estate, Queanbeyan which has made the Garden Activities program at St Paul's church possible.

The Gardens

Garden No. 1 – Roselawn

Carol Paterson
1291 Old Cooma Rd
(12.9 kms from Queanbeyan. 0.7km from Old Cooma /Burra Rd corner)

Today Roselawn is a 3.5 acre garden, established around the remnants of an original 1930s garden. The first plantings in 1997 were the grove of trees and shrubs on the western border. Roselawn has an extensive vegetable garden in eleven raised beds near the site of the original 1930s homestead.

By the side of the house is the central feature of the garden, a Monet-inspired footbridge arching over a life-filled pond. You can watch the spurting water fountains sparkling in the sunlight and the flashes of orange of the darting fish just beneath the clear surface of the water. A second water feature is a charming little waterfall that cascades into a pebbled channel that winds its way to a calm and shaded rock pool.

The garden is planted with a wide mixture of natives and exotics, old fashioned iris, drifts of evening primrose, lavenders, roses and penstemon. The adjacent dam has been planted with natives which in time will be a bird haven.

The entire ambience of Roselawn is of natural beauty that inspires a sense of peace and tranquillity in those who visit.

• Parking near the garden in an adjacent paddock

• Queanbeyan High School Agriculture plants for sale

Garden No. 2 – Woowoolahra

Monica and Allan Schmidt
6 London Bridge Road
(Corner Burra and London Bridge Rds)

This semi-formal garden epitomises country living and its enjoyment. Vibrant exotics complement the lush green lawn and mature trees. Structured lines blend seamlessly with loose flowing plants. Archways beckon you to secluded groves, perfect for contemplation, which in turn lead to beautiful open areas with vistas of the stunning Burra valley or of waterlilies ebbing gently in the dam.

The sanctuary of Woowoolahra provides the perfect ‘tree change’: a country escape with a relaxed rural feel.

• Parking: outside the property on
  London Bridge Rd

• Toilet facilities

Garden No. 3 – Glenbog

Lyn Blair, David Williams and Jason Beaupeurt-Smith
314 Plummers Rd, Burra
(3.1km from Burra/Plummers Rd corner)

Nestling in the foothills of Mount Campbell this garden has an abundance of native and exotic trees and shrubs, spring flowering perennials and ground covers. A large entertainment deck takes full advantage of the stunning views over the Burra Valley and the Tinderry peaks beyond.

The garden has developed sequentially over six years on 2 hectares of exposed rocky hillside following establishment of windbreak hedges for protection. Due to the lack of top soil, garden beds have been raised using compost and mulch and edged with rocks dug from the area.

The driveway is lined with ornamental plums and Cupressa leylandii on one side and Manchurian pear and Eucalyptus nitens on the other. Large beds of ornamental trees, shrubs and roses border the garden entrance. Arbours of climbing roses, wisteria and ornamental grape lead into beautiful enclosed garden ‘rooms’.

Plants have been chosen for their hardiness to cold, wind and drought conditions. Once established, plantings rely solely on rain water. A commercial planting of oil producing lavender and natives, including waratah ‘Corroboree’ line the banks overlooking the valley. New garden areas are added each year.

• Morning and afternoon teas
• Plants, teas, lavender products and preserves for sale
• Parking inside - adjacent to Nursery

Garden No. 4 – Tijara Iris Garden

Len and Shirley Pain
100 Williamsdale Rd

Nestled under the brow of Warri Hill this delightful garden has commanding views of the Burra Valley and Tinderry Mountains.

Beginning 23 years ago with the planting of a westerly windbreak of evergreen and deciduous shrubs and trees, the garden exhibits graveled lawn areas that meander through rockery enhanced gardens.

Paved paths entwine beneath eucalypt trees under-planted with camellias and a myriad of low maintenance shrubs and border plants. Beyond a small bridge and past Chinese elm and silver birch trees lies a circular cottage garden of annuals, perennials and herbs. Over 700 registered varieties of tall bearded iris frame the valley view and provide a panorama of colour.

A horseshoe-shaped cottage garden is planted with low maintenance, drought tolerant plants and demonstrates the beneficial effects of mulching. The garden relies mostly on natural watering. Garden pests are mostly controlled by the resident Indian Runner ducks.

• Parking inside property - at the top of Warri Hill
• Established potted tall bearded iris plants (including a selection bred at Tijara) for sale.
• Orders can be taken for irises not available in pots.

Garden No. 5 – Minton East

Penny and Geoff Haberfeld
1421 Burra Rd, Burra
(1km past the Urila Rd turnoff)

Sheltered among the lower foothills of the Tinderry Range, this lovely country garden offers the spring visitor lush greenery and beautiful bush vistas. The large grassed areas around the house are planted with exotics which have survived the recent drought. The garden embankments have been a challenge, also due to drought conditions, with the addition of new plantings including euphorbias and dwarf wormwoods.

A feature of the area in front of the house is a long rose garden with under-plantings of snow-in-summer. The rear garden features a magnificent standard Crepuscule rose, mature silver birch under-planted with bulbs, winter roses and Viburnum plicatum mariesii.

This property is currently operating as an Arabian and stock horse stud aiming to produce quality endurance horses.

• Parking inside property

More information about the Burra Open Gardens

The Lions Club of Queanbeyan has organized this weekend for you. The profits from gate-takings for the weekend are divided between the Queanbeyan Lions Club and the Burra Community Association for community projects. Enquiries Margaret Dorsch Telephone: 0409 141 595 Email: opengardens@burra.org.au

Sponsors – Garden activity program at St Paul's Church

• ActewAGL – Water Division
• Spackman Real Estate, Queanbeyan