‘Fernbrook’ is a large, well-established garden at Kurrajong Heights in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. A formal, 5 hectare (12 acre) garden has been developed on the 10 hectare (24 acres) sloping property that includes a rainforest gully and natural bushland. Part of the garden is planted with waratahs, proteas, other shrubs and bulbs for picking for the cut-flower trade.
Owners Les and Elaine Musgrave have spent the past 18 years restoring and building the garden on the deep, rich soil beside Little Wheeny Creek. When the Musgraves bought ‘Fernbrook’ it was an overgrown block of land with blackberry, privet, nettle and honeysuckle hiding its natural features. Today the garden and its surrounding bushland have been cleared of weeds and are a haven for native birds, including lyrebirds and honeyeaters.
The Musgraves have transformed the garden into a show piece, planting a range of native and exotic plants including cool climate species such as lily of the valley as well as massed clivias, azaleas and blossom trees. Many of the shrubs are carefully pruned and shaped.
Special plants in the garden include a 100 year old cork oak (Quercus suber ), a remnant planting from an earlier garden on the site, and mature turpentines (Syncarpia glomulifera ), which grow naturally in this area. Natural rock outcrops are also a feature of the garden as are many charming sculptures carefully positioned throughout the garden.
Water plays an important part in this garden. There is a large dam which is viewed as a lake. As well a weir with a massive stone wall has been created across the creek. This body of water is ornamented with a sculpture of water-spouting fish.
Les Musgrave is a professional gardener and maintains the prizewinning Amway corporate gardens at Castle Hill in north western Sydney. His wife Elaine is a botanical artist and her work, mainly drawn from plants in the garden, is displayed in a purpose-built gallery at ‘Fernbrook’.
Further information
Contact Les and Elaine Musgrave, 2 Queen Street, Kurrajong Heights, NSW, 2758. Phone: (02) 4567 7330. ‘Fernbrook’ (garden and gallery) is open from Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 10am-4.30pm. Admission (to garden): $4 for adults (children free). The garden is also open from time to time for Australia’s Open Garden Scheme and for local charities.
