A curving brick path leads through the small, lushly planted front garden of the Toorak terrace belonging to Howard Neil, called Cotterville. It is an inner city house and garden that brings colour and vibrancy to Melbourne, and is a pleasant change from the bluestone walls.
Time and effort as well as a few risks have combined to create this interesting inner city garden. Before the transformation the house was closed and separate from the garden but it has been opened to all aspects of the garden, including the kitchen courtyard. Birds fly through the house from one courtyard to the other. The Victorian terrace, built in 1887, has been transformed with colour. The front fence and walls have been painted with Dulux Tuscan Gold and the back fence, outdoor table and French doors in a denim blue.
These colours provide a vivid background for a wide variety of plants that have been chosen after careful consideration of their heights, vibrant colour and detail. Bright oranges and yellows have been combined with pink creating a jumble of colour against the greenery and leaf structure in the front. A sunken garden has been created in the back courtyard using raised garden beds and English country style plants.
Cotterville garden, 204 Williams Road, Toorak, VIC, 3142 will be open as part of the Australian Open Garden Scheme (AOGS) on 13th and 14th March 1999 from 10am to 4.30pm. Entry costs $3.50. For more information contact the AOGS on their toll free number, phone: 1900 155 064 closer to the date of opening.