Three exemplary Armidale city gardens will open for Australia’s Open Garden Scheme as part of the Sustainable Living Expo on September 19 to 21 showcasing the potential for year round gardening in cold conditions.

Terry and Jeni MacKenzie’s garden at 145 Barney Street features an outstanding plantsman’s collection of over 20 species of hellebores, many rare and unusual and all labelled which literally carpet the garden in colour coordinated groups.

Other early spring treasures include cyclamens, daffodils . primula and pulmonaria with an evergreen backdrop of euphorbias, daphne, choisya and buddleja crispa . A thriving vegetable garden completes this tranquil and secluded garden of surprises..

Bronwyn Meredith and Wilfred Keller have created a woodland garden at 214 Marsh Street with dogwoods, azaleas and magnolias underplanted with bulbs, hellebores and violets under the tracery of bare branches of huge plane and ash trees.

Philip and Fifi Torbay’s exuberant edible garden at 119 Kirkwood Street has a definite Mediterranean feeling with Quince, olives, figs and pomegranates in their walled organic vegetable garden. An abundance of healthy vegetables and herbs, all grown organically make this productive garden a stunning example of what can be achieved in a domestic space.

Australia’s Open Garden Scheme: Gardening for the Future.

These three gardens will be open between 10am & 4.30pm on September 19-21 at an entry fee of $5 per garden. Children under 18 are admitted free.