MacLean’s Spring Garden

Twelve years ago Jack and Margaret MacLean purchased half a hectare (1.25 acres) of land at Mittagong in the Southern Highlands of NSW. The property was on sheet rock covered by a thin layer of topsoil and it was overgrown with blackberries and black wattle. Undeterred, the MacLeans set about building a house and creating a garden. They considered themselves very lucky to be able to buy land right next door to their daughter and son-in-law, Heather and Gary Turland.     

How the garden works

A tremendous amount of soil has been brought in over the years, and Margaret and Jack also mulch heavily with uncomposted leaves. The garden has an informal woodland feel and features plantings of mollis azaleas, camellias, flowering cherry, lilac, viburnum and maples. Margaret has chosen plants that will provide colour in the garden all year round. She does floral art in churches and likes to always have flowers to pick for arrangements. Plants with coloured foliage such as variegated flax (Phormium tenax ‘Variegatum’) are very useful for decorative work, as is honesty (Lunaria annua), an old fashioned biennial or annual grown mainly for its round silvery seed pods. A lot of people say that you can’t grow much under trees. Margaret has proved them wrong – the honesty is planted under trees along with cinerarias in only about 3″ (7cm) of compost.

Best climate: Phormium tenax ‘Variegatum’ and Lunaria annua Many visitors to the garden ask about the spectacular displays of alpine phlox (Phlox subulata). Margaret advises people living in warm areas not to attempt to grow alpine phlox because as their name suggests, they do best in cool climates.

Best climate: Phlox subulata

Further information

The MacLean’s garden ‘The Zenith’ is at Oxley Drive, Mittagong, NSW. It will open on October 23 and 24 from 9am-5pm, entry $4. All proceeds go to the Cancer Patients Assistance Society.