By Mikayla van Loon
The expansiveness of The Elms, a 10-acre property in Wonga Park, is the perfect escape to a traditional spring garden, blooming with bright coloured bulbs and flowering blossoms.
Gathering its name from the Elm lined driveway that enters the property, owners Sharon and George Kepper have curated a well-established garden over the 40 years of living there.
Opening the garden to visitors for the first time in a number of years through Open Gardens Victoria, Sharon said in just one weekend last time, 1100 people walked through the gates.
“I do enjoy seeing everybody enjoy the garden,” she said.
First beginning to replant the now rose garden, Sharon said it just continued to develop and grow, especially as gardening became more of a pastime for her.
“Originally it was just a mishmash of a native garden and I said to George, I can make this garden look much better,” she said.
“The very mature trees that were here, I worked around them and…I put the rose garden in quite a while ago probably back in maybe in the 1990s.”
After rebuilding their family home in the early 2000s, Sharon said the garden took on a new life yet again.
“Gardens are always changing. I probably started developing it properly in the early ‘90s, just doing bits and pieces and then changing things and then knocking the house down and making a big mess and starting again, and so it’s definitely been a work in progress,” she said.
The intentional landscape design by Jim Fogarty highlights the natural curvature of the land and the views of the valley.
Taking in the vastness of the five acre site, Sharon has created sections of bursting colour using typical spring flowers of peony roses, tulips, daffodils and violets.
Birch trees, Japanese maples and gums form the leafiness of the canopy, with manicured grass bringing flow to the large area.
The centrepiece of the garden however, is the extraordinary lake designed by esteemed gardener Phillip Johnson, surrounded by some of Australia’s best native plants.
“All the plants around the lake are all native. Phil Johnson only plants natives but the rest of the garden is not native,” Sharon said.
“It’s a nice combination because it’s nice to have the natives to bring the birds and then I’ve got my roses, I couldn’t do without my roses.”
The trickling sound of water and croaking of frogs is a nice backdrop to experience the garden in its full glory.
“It creates a nice atmosphere and it’s very cooling in summer,” Sharon said.
Exploring the fan-shaped block and each of its pockets of beauty, visitors will be met with peaceful tranquillity and thoughtful positioning of the various natural elements.
The garden will be open for visitors on Sunday 1 and Monday 2 October from 10am to 4.30pm. The Elms is located at 38 Dudley Road Wonga Park.
