Garden of St Erth
Simmons Reef Rd | Blackwood |VIC
At the moment I’m a very long way from the Northern Rivers….I’m in North Queensland, Townsville actually. I’ve been here since a day or two before the rain began and to pass the time had been preparing this blog article on a beautiful garden I visited late last year in Victoria.
I had originally started by writing (or should I say whinging) about the cabin-fever I was experiencing up here after being largely indoor-bound for 7 days during the rain, I still had electricity and my suburb wasn’t in danger of flooding at that point. Then Sunday afternoon arrived and so did the prospect of the muddy Ross River going through my belongings. Cabin-fever? How trivial that seems now after that experience.
The electricity is back on and thankfully my belongings were spared. Many people’s were not and the massive cleanup begins for them. Townsville is prone to getting a bit of a bad rap from time to time……but one thing I can say in its defense through first hand experience (and at the risk of sounding cliche´d) is that when things head south very quickly, most people up here give you the shirt off their backs to help you out if you’re in a pickle and it’s been pickles-ville for one and all up here of late, I can tell you that.
That said, now onto this dreamy garden in Victoria and dryer, sunnier days….sigh……
I used to think the best time to visit the Daylesford region in Victoria was during the colder months and traditionally that’s what I’ve done but that was until I went for a visit in November last year. Everything was lush and green and I saw things in a bit of a different light. No, I didn’t experience the novelty of digging out my winter-wear that never sees the light of day where I come from but to see the gardens and countryside in the region as they were at this time of year, was something different.
How about the rhododendrons going off like flower bombs in the countryside in almost every colour. I’ve been trying to think what we have up our way that is similar...... and I think its probably the jacarandas.
Over the years I’ve been following a talented lady who blogs about regional areas and she visited a garden by the name of St Erth in the Daylesford region some time ago. When I saw her pictures it went straight to the top of my list of places to visit when I headed back to the region again.
She looked lucky to be there while the purple wisteria was in bloom. It runs all the way along the front roof-line of the historic sandstone cottage that is located on the grounds. You can just imagine the dreamy, dripping effect of those purple coloured blooms. It would seem though that every season has something to provide here.
The impressive gardens are cultivated by the Diggers Club, entry to the gardens are free for Diggers members all others for a small fee. The cottage onsite has a gift shop and nursery, the shop is great for us inter-state travelers but I must say, the plant nursery was a bit tormenting to walk through (I don’t think potted fruit trees my size would be appreciated on board my flight home!), I could only window-shop here. There is also a café located on-site.
If I lived in the area it would definitely be a place I could see myself visiting regularly even if just to sit under a tree and read. It was so peaceful in the quiet surrounded by greenery, humming bees at work and the rustle of the leaves. You sort of feel enveloped by the garden as you roam inside here through all its compartments.
I didn’t realise this at the time, but the bell-tents I came across in one part of the garden are actually a spot for visitors to camp (or should I say ‘glamp’). Can you imagine how glorious it would be spending a night in a spot like this under the stars?
If you find yourself in the Daylesford or Ballarat area and looking for a nature-fix make a day of it, have a bite to eat and a wander around the grounds or find a tree to sit under and just be still.
If you want to know more you can find a link to the garden’s website via the link below.
