Garden with a story

THE AUSTRALIAN Open Garden Scheme generates great interest across the Range with some stunning gardens open for public inspection. However not every garden has the sense of history which surrounds the home once owned by novelist Eleanor Dark.

Grant and Marlene Mayfield came to Montville Macadamery in May 2004 from South Australia where they had been opening their rural garden as part of the Australian Garden Scheme for four years in a row.

Montville Macadamery is a very tranquil type of garden. It is situated on 20 hectares – 13 hectares of rainforest on the south west slope, and 7 hectares of semi-tropical gardens. The main house is a Queenslander built in 1926 with additions completed during the early nineties.

During her seven years in Montville in the early fifties, Eleanor Dark wrote the novel “Lantana Lane” based on the humorous goings-on and characters in her neighbourhood.

The existing garden area was originally a substantial macadamia orchard and in the early days the University of Queensland used the trees for collecting genetic material to help improve the macadamia species in Australia and overseas.

The macadamias have now been cleared away and replaced by gardens and pasture to create open space. Four 10,000 gallon concrete tanks were constructed to ensure constant water supply before extensive new gardens were constructed.

These days Grant has full time help in the garden and the ambitious first stage of his newly constructed board walk into the rainforest currently finishes at a giant fig. This is a local landmark in the district, and sits only half-way along the total board walk project.

Mature plantings of poinciana, frangipani, palms and tree ferns, anchor the garden. With careful planning Grant says, “we have added plants such as variegated trachelospernum repens and perennial dianthus for edgings. Potted pandanus, yuccas and cordylines add to the overall setting. Photinia, sasanqua and syzgium hedges have also been added recently“

Clivias, hippeastrums and day lilies add colour when in season and a number of deep purple bougainvillea spheres are evidence of the district’s early pioneering days. During the weekend opening, the Montville Church of England ladies auxiliary provide lunch, morning and afternoon teas from the stunning cottage replicating Eleanor’s main home situated in the grounds of this delightful garden.

Montville Macadamery 41 Mill Hill Road, Montville will be open 10am- 4.30pm Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 of November.