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Canberra Today 26°/29° | Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Open garden / Grown from ‘love and intuition’

“Terroux” at Hall… an eclectic mix of natives, ornamental trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, bulbs and roses.
“Terroux” at Hall… an eclectic mix of natives, ornamental trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, bulbs and roses.
NESTLED in the hills of Wallaroo, with the beautiful Brindabellas as a backdrop, “Terroux” at Hall is a lovely nine-year-old garden created with “love and intuition” – and plenty of hard work – by owners Peter Fletcher and Barbara Baikie.

The garden, part of the Open Gardens Australia program, is open to the public on April 18-19.

“Peter started putting rocks from the house excavation together to build the first garden beds. There was no real master plan, but it has grown in stages with a number of distinct rooms or areas enhanced by the natural environment and art,” says Barbara.

The garden is an eclectic mix of natives, ornamental trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, bulbs and roses. There is also a secret garden surrounded by a bottlebrush hedge – and hiding inside is an antique fountain surrounded by flowers.

“We see our garden as an adventure that is full of surprises,” says Peter.

“One of our favourite features is the dance floor on top of the water tank surrounded by bottlebrush, with the music speakers hidden in two rocks!”

There is also a pond, a dry creek bed with a bridge, a gazebo, a reflection pool, and garden beds tumbling with colourful pansies, lavender and roses.

Peter is passionate about restoring the land to a place of beauty and thereby creating an important and lasting legacy – and, to that end, he’s planted more than 6000 trees in eight years.

Two grants from Greening Australia have helped develop bird corridors and riparian planting to control erosion gullies.

“We are delighted to be able to share our garden with the public, as there is a lot a pleasure in it for us. It’s also a great way to support organisations such as the local bush fire brigade, Indigenous Literacy Foundation and Zonta,” he says.

88 Rochford Road, Hall, open 10am-3pm, Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19. Admission is $8 (under 18 free). Devonshire teas will be available.

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