Photos by Andrew Finch

THE magical woodland area in the front garden was the first thing that attracted garden owner and horticulturist Sarah Doyle to her rose-filled space in Latham and convinced her to buy the property three years ago, she says.

“I was lucky enough to have inherited the garden, although I have made some changes to the two side gardens and added a small amount of lawn to the front,” she says.

“I was definitely attracted to the front garden with its winding paths and English feel.”

Sarah’s colourful and scented Latham garden will be open to the public for the first time through Open Gardens Canberra on the weekend of November 5-6.

Many varieties of roses, including David Austin, Rugosa and Iceberg, fill the neat, well-structured garden with scent and colour, and Sarah says they are all about to start blooming now.

She says her love of pink, purple and blue flowers has influenced what she’s planted, as well as “architectural” euphorbias, perennials, turquoise ixia, Chinese star jasmine, honeysuckle and lilies.

The back garden is private and pretty at night, Sarah says, with black irises and impressive Mexican lilies creating interest and texture.

“My favourite spot is the side garden to the right of the house, where I tidied up the beds and defined them more clearly, and added more little spaces and secret paths to wander and explore,” she says.

With dramatic mass planting, trees, and ground cover in the front, Sarah says the garden reminds her of her childhood in England.

“I named the garden Lindsell after the village where I grew up as a little girl in Essex,” she says.

“One of the things I love most about the garden is the paths and the little areas to be explored – it’s a childhood thing, and I do explore it, every day!

“I’m always happiest in the garden.”

1 Neville Place, Latham, open 10am-4pm, on Saturday, November 5, and Sunday, November 6. Admission $8; free to under-18s and Open Gardens Canberra members. It costs $25 to join Open Gardens Canberra and gain free entry to all open gardens until August 31, 2017. Extra donations to the Soi Dog Foundation and the Voiceless Dogs of Nassau welcome.

More information at opengardenscanberra.org.au/join