Open gardens: Kookaburra is a mass of autumn colour

Kookaburra Gardens, open this weekend, is a large, mature, cold climate garden in the lower Blue Mountains of NSW.

Kookaburra is a cold climate garden across 4ha in NSW’s Blue Mountains.

Kookaburra Gardens, open this weekend, is a large, mature, cold climate garden in the lower Blue Mountains of NSW.

KOOKABURRA GARDENS, NSW

83 Powells Road, Bilpin

Owners: Tina and John Brauer

Open: This weekend 10am-4pm

Entry: $8, under-18s free

Describe the garden: It’s a large, mature, cold climate garden in the lower Blue Mountains. Our 10 acres (4ha) of parklands is on a sloping site, facing north, so we’re largely frost-free, and we have the same fabulous, rich black soil as Mount Tomah Botanic Garden.

In autumn it’s all about the colours of deciduous trees and shrubs but we also have an extensive conifer collection. Masses of rhododendrons surround the old dam, whose edges are covered in waterlilies and water iris. The walled walkway that connects the old garden to the parklands is lined with persimmons, iris and roses, before arriving at the waratah garden with lovely vistas to the dam and jetty.

From the house you can see the big “post and rail” cypress hedge, which was here when we came. The Japanese garden is a tranquil place for contemplation. Throughout the garden there are various statues, some rather quirky, and water features. There are lots of seats and benches to rest and enjoy the views along the way, because there is a lot of walking involved to experience it all.

What makes it special: Although the previous owners were passionate gardeners, with the first trees planted in 1986, the garden has been our own labour of love over the past 13 years. We’ve done the work and maintain the garden ourselves. I’m a horticulturist and John has become as keen as I am. We’ve extended the ­original 3 acres (1.2ha) of garden to cover the whole property, creating parklands of trees, new garden beds, two maple groves, and John has planted more than 14000 daffodils. He adds another 2000 every year. I’ve added more than 300 roses and Kookaburra Gardens is home to the Dykes Medal Trial Garden for Iris.

Biggest challenges: Our biggest fears are bushfires, such as the last one in 2013. And we don’t have an ­irrigation system, so watering is just via hoses and the dam.

Favourite part: Our orchard, which has taken years of trying lots of things to find what works, but now we’re getting loads of citrus, satsuma plums, apples and passionfruit. I poach and freeze a lot so we have a chest freezer full of fruit all year.

What’s looking good: The foliage colour of the trees in autumn is spectacular — the maples, dogwoods, nyssas, tulip trees and red oaks — and many red-leafed shrubs such as smoke bush, berberis and oakleaf hydrangeas. Roses and autumn bulbs such as nerines and Zephyranthes are in flower.

Extras: Complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits. Don’t miss Woodgreen, and Wildwood garden, cafe and nursery, which are also open this weekend in the same street.

ALSO OPEN THIS WEEKEND

10am-4.30pm, $8, under-18s free

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25 Powells Road, Bilpin, NSW

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