What started as a small community car fundraiser to transport the elderly to and from medical appoints is now the Girgarre Open Gardens project, boasting five gardens that have attracted a wealth of visitors this October.
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One of those gardens is Bonshaw, which was once an old calf paddock in Stanhope. Bought by Bernie Ryan five years ago, it is now a native English garden with sweeping lawns and abundant garden beds, as well as a Zen garden adorned with a Buddha and much more.
“I always enjoyed gardening,” Mr Ryan said.
“It’s a magnificent 100-year-old home with gardens in different sections: the front is more formal and gets leased for weddings, then from there it leads into a Zen garden with a Buddha and follows into an English garden with irises and sweet peas flowering at the moment.”
The estate also boasts a recently built ironbark shed to match the Irving estate triple-brick homestead, with 15.6ft ceilings and a large verandah to handle the Australian climate.
Among the classic architecture and manicured gardens there are also works of art around the estate, which is another of Mr Ryan’s passions.
“In a big garden you need interesting things other than plants,” Mr Ryan said.
“We all garden differently, but this is just the way I garden.”
And thanks to a $380,000 grant from Arts Victoria, the project is set to become stage one of the Girgarro Botanic Garden, featuring a social BBQ area, interactive trails, native vegetations and a large amphitheatre for events.
Held on October 28, Girgarre Open Gardens goes from 10.30am until 4pm. Tickets are available at Girgarre Community Cottage and competing gardens at $15 each, which includes a raffle to be drawn at 4pm.
High afternoon tea at Bonshaw begins at 2pm with cakes, and features artworks from Ross Franzi’s Black Cockatoo gallery.
For more information call 5484 6482 or email girgarrenh@bigpond.com
