Margaret and Bob Eggins began work on their dream garden ten years ago. They started with what Margaret describes as ‘a big ugly space’ – a large open paddock with only one tree, a gigantic old teak. Today the area has been transformed: lawns surround beds filled with many rare and unusual plants; an extensive orchid house contains cymbidiums, dendrobiums, soft canes and cattleyas; and thirty aviaries house hundreds of Australian parrots. Tour buses visit regularly, and the property is a great favourite with garden lovers on open days.
Development of the garden
Margaret did most of the planting in the first few years while Bob was building the house. Beds of all different shapes and sizes were created and then filled with a vast range of plants, including agapanthus, clivia, daylilies, hippeastrums, Louisiana iris, michelias, viburnum, weeping cherry, Queensland waratah, vireya rhododendrons and NSW Christmas bush. They all thrived in the rich, volcanic soil boosted with plenty of compost.
Today the beds are so crammed with plants that there’s no room for weeds, and pests and insects are taken care of by free-ranging peacocks. The effect is almost surreal, with great chunks of volume and colour in the middle of the green, sweeping lawns. A hedge of conifers along the drive has been cut right back to bare wood because it was growing too tall to prune comfortably. Often when conifers are pruned this way they don’t reshoot, so Don advises not to try this at home! The garden also features a lovely group planting of bird’s nest ferns (Asplenium australasicum), and clumps of old man’s whiskers or Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) hanging from the trees.
Further information
‘Pleasant Place’ at 281 Rous Road, Rous (near Alstonville) will open for Australia’s Open Garden Scheme on April 29-30, 10am-4.30pm. Admission: $4. Details: 1900 155 064. Margaret and Bob Eggins phone: (02) 6629 5038.