Over 130 people joined Alpine Nurseries’ annual HeartKids Garden Tour on 11 March 2016, helping to raise a record $29,000 for HeartKids
whilst viewing some of the Southern Highlands most beautiful private gardens.
This was the 6thHeartKids Garden Tour organised by Alpine Nurseries. The tour was offered for the first time during Autumn, with tickets selling out this year in just two weeks.
Visitors experienced four exceptional private gardens:
- ‘Old Fernybrook Farm’ at Wildes Meadow, designed by Peter Fudge, showcased symmetry and impeccable detail, with showstoppers including a weeping pear walk, unique sculptural artworks, and clipped hedges and topiary.
- ‘Possumwood’ at Robertson, designed by Myles Baldwin, featured a perennial garden with mass plantings, a pond
and ornamental fountain, and a tranquil shady garden precinct with unique groupings of remnant rainforest, ferns and ornamental shrubs. Use of dry stone walls and swirling paths united the zones. - ‘Peppertree Creek’ in East Kangaloon was designed by Jonathan Garner in collaboration with the home owner. Its 10 acres of grounds overlook a lake, and showcase rolling lawns, roses, shrubs, perennials, fountains and sculptures. Guests also toured a large vegetable garden which included a stylish chook house.
- Designed by Michael Bligh, ‘Leylandagreen’ in East Bowral incorporates English style plantings, with the eye repeatedly drawn to an expansive lake. Perennial plantings were used throughout, with towering hedges providing clever hiding spots for a pool and tennis court.
“Alpine Nurseries is pleased to take care of the costs associated with staging this event, which allows 100 per cent of proceeds from the day t
o go directly to HeartKids. Since 2010, we have raised in excess of $160,000 for this life changing charity through the HeartKids Garden Tours, sponsorship of the Tiny Tickers Ball and other initiatives,” said Alpine Managing Director, Peter Knox.
“The annual HeartKids Garden tour is something that is very close to my heart. My grandson was born with congenital heart disease and through this experience my family experienced first-hand the extraordinary work done by HeartKids,” he said.
“We came up with the garden tour concept a few years ago, and it has proven a natural fit between Alpine Nurseries, the talented Landscape Designers that we are in touch with, and the passion demonstrated by the general public to experience first-hand these beautiful private gardens and to give generously at the same time.”
“We were pleased to be able to have each of the Landscape Designers on hand to talk about the challenges and opportunities presented by each garden landscape. In addition to being a huge drawcard for guests, they are some of the best designers in Australia. We are also very grateful to each of our home owners for generously throwing open their doors and inviting us into their beautiful grounds.”
The majority of this year’s guests were repeat visitors from previous years, with some guests having participated in all six tours.
Guests were treated to morning tea and lunch on the tour, and at ‘Leylandagreen’ they enjoyed Champagne and canapés.
HeartKids is a registered charity, dedicated to providing support, raising awareness and funding research into childhood heart disease. www.heartkidsnsw.org.au