What's behind the gate?

I'm such a nanapants for my age. The highlight of my winter viewing week is Gardening Australia, and I am addicted to house and garden magazines. The landscape surrounding our old stone farmhouse is neatly manicured, green and lush, with cleverly designed garden rooms subtly transitioning through a journey to delight the horticultural senses, culminating in the triumph that is our extensive kitchen garden. This is what exists purely in my mind…

The reality is that it is mostly underplanted, overgrown and filled with weedy spaces-in-waiting in case we ever get around to properly renovating. It probably looks largely abandoned to the rest of the world. Our climate is harsh, peaking into the high 40's (Celcius) and dipping down to at least -5 in winter, during which it often doesn't reach double figures as a maximum. We're not connected to mains water, rainwater is too precious to 'waste' on the garden in our 450mm rainfall isoheyet, and we effectively borrow dam water through a kind arrangement with the neighbours and their sheep. When that runs dry (usually every few years), it's over to bore water. I had it tested many years ago, to discover that it's brackish at best = nearing seawater at times in salinity. This stuff will not only kill most plants, but also permanently destroy your soil structure if you're not careful with your irrigation techniques.

The impact of our surrounds has shaped the little I have managed to establish. Frost and salt-tolerant species - mostly local natives, they must demonstrate the botanical equivalent of cockroaches surviving a nuclear holocaust. Planted in autumn and barely watered over their first summer, they are then left to get on with life. Or not. I can't be pandering to them. Thankfully, quinces, apples, rhubarb and most veggies are also pretty tough.

But this isn't a gardening lecture about my crap garden. This weekend heralded the Burra Districts Open Gardens with plenty of opportunities to properly wander around some spectacular private gardens, many of which I'd only ever peeked through fences before. Farrell Flat, Mt Bryan, Burra and Hallett all participated. Coincidentally, Anlaby Station (near Kapunda) also have their annual Open Garden event. I missed this last year while I was still buried in study, but sure as heck wasn't going to miss it this year. That earns a separate blog post to this, so stay tuned for Part 2.

I can't pretend we had time to visit them all, so if a local garden doesn't feature, please don't yell at me! Let me walk you through the ones we did visit...

White Cedars (Burra) - Frances and Putu's Indo-Mykonos-English cottage fusion! Brilliant space behind the equally brilliant cafe and Indonesian cuisine, this space reflects their personalities perfectly.

Ilfradale (Mount Bryan) - Jodie and John Quinn have reinvigorated the family homestead, honouring its history, defying the tough climatic conditions and complimenting the amazing landscape that the backdrop that Razorback range provides. At times, it can even be dusted in snow. Jodie is also the powerhouse behind Pretty Rustic and has recently transformed the local newsagency into a gorgeous shopping experience. Using tough plants like succulents, lavenders and rosemary, her clever use of repetition, good design, and a nod to the farming history has created an elegant and family-friendly space.

The Railway Garden (Burra) - created by the lovely Pip and Peter Edson, it's a lovely structured cottage garden complete with beautiful old stone outbuildings. The new owners took over the property just a week ago, and have been kind enough to still share their space with the rest of us. Welcome to Burra, Cathy and Viv! Oh, and did I mention they are the people behind Sugar Rush Truffles and Chocolates? They also shared the event with the beautiful Dianne of A Joyful Bunch, where we purchased far too many niceties for the home and garden.

Cow Dung Hill (Burra) - the unflattering name hides a gorgeous hardy garden, full of quirky little touches. Rumour has it that Sir Sidney Kidman used to rest his cattle on this hill on his way to Adelaide, from Queensland (Source: Burra Districts Open Gardens blog).

Mary Van Gils and Jane Benson's gardens (Burra) - While both very different styles of gardening, both of these amazing women have created their own oases. Mary's garden was created from a bare paddock, while Jane's garden creates a lush border around her beautiful iconic Burra bluestone house. Her top gardening tips are to water and fertilise - maybe that's where I've been going wrong! Thanks to Jane Kellock, my flower fairy below for letting me snap her!

Railway Station (Farrell Flat) - The owner has transformed this space from a derelict place into gardening triumph over the last 18 years or so. Oh, and mostly through 'just' weekend work. Battling to punch holes big enough in the rocky gravel to get tube stock established, it takes 3 days just to hand water this badboy. Clearly a labour of love!

Gally's Meeting House  in Farrell Flat is last, but by no means least. We intentionally left this as the last port of call on our garden tour, so we could indulge in a magnificent ploughman's platter, iced coffees, homemade cookies and refreshing green tea. I'm not exaggerating when I say we almost called our husbands for reinforcement to help us finish the food! Sally's tomato sauce is locally famous, as is their ethos around top quality, local and fresh food. Time it right, and you'll also get to sample her unrivalled citrus tart or quandong pie. Their garden is the whole package, with spaces designed for people, aquatic plants and waterlife, and an extensive kitchen garden with herbs, veggies, fruit and nut trees. And, the best wisteria display in a 100km radius. This space is a credit to Garry and Sally, and our community is lucky to have them.