Built around an 1860s bluestone cottage in Malmsbury, designer Deb Hambleton’s inspirational country-style garden, Melrose, opened with Open Gardens Victoria for the last time on the weekend.
The garden, which has featured on Gardening Australia and Better Homes and Gardens, was open to the public on November 18 and 19.
Visitors witnessed the formality and symmetry, romance and wildness, ornamental and productive plants, all mingled with local recycled materials and artefacts from overseas, creating a sense of character throughout.
Ms Hambleton has developed Melrose gradually over a number of years since acquiring it in 2005 and said it is not easily categorised.
“There is a strong Mediterranean theme, dry climate plantings, elements of cottage gardens,” she said.
“[As well as] an extensive use of productive plants in an ornamental context, and a mix of formality and informality. My aim was to create beauty and abundance.”
The garden, which originally comprised of little more than a rose bed, pear tree, plum tree, and horse paddock, now boasts a charming courtyard, grape vines, pool and gardener’s shed.
The vegetable garden in front of the shed comprises four beds, bordered on two sides by espaliered heritage apples, and pathways are made with bricks from the original cottage chimney.
Ms Hambleton said a Barnevelder chicken family, Anja and Eva, now lives there.
“They have also expanded their territory to include the vegetable garden. So, a challenge has been working out ways for chickens and vegetables to co-exist, hence cloches and enclosures for the vegetables.”
Other highlights included an experimental gravel garden and the vast verge garden.
