Open Gardens - Hazelbrook

I've been meaning to go along to see some of the open gardens which they have in the Blue Mountains every Spring - my incentive this year was that one of the featured gardens is where I'm doing a permaculture course in a couple of weeks. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven!! No pictures here yet though as I'd forgotten my camera - but here's some of the cottage gardens that I visited the following day....

This wasn't the actual house by the way.... it was just the studio in the garden!!

Wisteria looks lovely at this time of year - pity it doesn't last longer.

Ahh, sweetpeas - reminds me of a little book I still have from my childhood on the flower fairies of the garden.

There was some very imaginative garden 'art' like wall plaques, bird baths/houses and fountains.

One of the interesting things to note and to get some ideas, from is the layout of the gardens - having different 'rooms' or areas with little meandering paths and other features to make a small garden seem larger, to add interest, variety and mainly to provide relaxing and tranquil spots to enjoy the surroundings.

There were lots of different water features too, all integrated into the natural landscape; some as simple as an old sink or bath 'sunk' into the ground; but still as effective in attracting necessary wildlife to act as natural pest controls and adding to the charm and tranquility of the gardens.