Gardens of Glenlyon returns once again – this time showcasing autumn.

Summer 2012 saw seven Glenlyon gardens open for the first time as a group to the public.  It was a great success with over one thousand garden visits.

This year Gardens of Glenlyon will open once again, on the weekend of 12 and 13 April 2014.  Autumn is just around the corner, and it will be interesting to see how the gardens fare between now and then.  But before autumn there was a severe frost in October, cool temperatures early in December followed by days of 40+C and gale force winds, and very little rainfall. A very big challenge for gardeners!

This year, visitors will be able to view and experience seven very different gardens, all with a story to tell.  Two of the original gardens won’t be featured – Pam and Dan Harris have water enough only to keep their animals alive and well, and Robyn and Ian Crossley have lost most of their garden to wildlife.

In Glenlyon, the soils and microclimates vary almost from one street to the next. The Gardens of Glenlyon are in the forest, edging potato fields, in the village; some are well established, others are years old; some are in rich volcanic soil, others on poor granitic soil. All focus on sustainability and working with their immediate environment.

To complement the open gardens, there’ll be a number of ancillary activities over the weekend. In the Glenlyon Shire Hall, there will be two specialist speakers each afternoon, and there will be over a dozen stalls demonstrating and selling products related to gardening and gardeners. In addition, skilled craftsmen Andrew Kimpton (blacksmith) and Glen Rundell (chairmaker) will display their skills.

Ellender Estate Winery and the Glenlyon General Store will both be presenting special menus focusing on local food and wine.

Cost is only $5 a garden and advance bookings can be made online via glenlyon.vic.au