Di Michalk, Open Gardens SA, Naracoorte Community News

On the weekend of Saturday 05 and Sunday 06 October 2024, we are opening two gardens in Robe as part of our Spring program of open gardens.

The garden opens from 10am until 4.30pm, both Saturday and Sunday.

The Entry Cost for the garden is $10 for adults / $8 concession. Children under 18 are free. The $8 concession is available to Open Gardens SA members, and Commonwealth Government Concession Card Holders (Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card). No concession for Seniors Card holders.

We encourage visitors to bring cash as EFTPOS facilities are not always available. Open Gardens SA is a not-for-profit organisation opening private gardens to the public. The charity being supported from funds raised at the open days is the Royal flying Doctor’s Service.

Moorakyne – 4 Sturt Street, Robe

A stylish new garden that harmonises perfectly with the superb old historic limestone home.

Moorakyne is one of Robe’s fine old historic homes. Built in 1853, the twelve-roomed limestone house and several charming outbuildings sit in a prime position on an acre of coastal land. In 2017, Margaret and Donald Ferguson bought the property and spent several years restoring the house before focusing on the neglected garden in 2020.

Garden highlights: Modern low water coastal garden that mimic the native planting on the nearby cliff tops. Line of clipped Leptospermum ‘Foreshore’ spheres border a path, raised circular corten steel veggie beds sitting on rock, massive timbers from Robe wharf used to build pergola, low dry stacked limestone retaining walls look perfect amongst the old buildings.

Extra activities: Morning and afternoon tea. Plant Sales by McCourt’s Garden Centre.

Toolache – 20 Sturt Street, Robe

A flourishing, creative and quirky coastal garden.

Since 2015, Anna Leake has transformed a windswept coastal block into a pretty, eclectic and thriving garden packed with an extensive range of plants, sculptures and whimsical pieces of garden art.

The charming old church building known as The Kirk forms a backdrop to the garden, which Anna named after the now-extinct Toolache wallabies that once inhabited the area.

Garden highlights: Resilient plants, many natives and bird attracting plants, vegetables in raised beds. Many sculptures and quirky garden art, massive rock in front garden with sculpture of fish made from old spanners by a local artist. Extra activities: Sausage Sizzle.

This article appeared in the  Naracoorte Community News.