Open garden: Caroline Hills, Yahl, South Australia

Sprawling, country garden reflects owners Helen and Terry Strickland’s interest in form, scent, texture and space.

Caroline Hills. Two large balls of clipped box frame the view to a chocolate vine-draped pergola.

Caroline Hills, 489 Norman Road, Yahl, South Australia, 10am-4.30pm $8, under 18 free. Owners: Helen and Terry Strickland

DESCRIBE THE GARDEN: Caroline Hills is 15km southeast of Mount Gambier. The garden covers about three acres (1.2ha) of a 200-acre (81ha) working property of murray grey cattle and vineyards.

We moved here in 1980 and basically started in the middle of a paddock. It was quite tricky to establish a garden; I started with a windbreak of interlocking 6m wide circles, planted with natives, to give some protection from the strong northerly winds. Then I planted a whole range of really tough natives and after that I could plant lawn and exotic trees and shrubs. It now has a mix of plants from across the world, with mature tree specimens of oak, ash, bull bay magnolia, silver birch, ginkgo, sycamore, plane, maple and eucalypt, and a wide range of fruit trees including citrus and avocado.

It’s a sprawling, country garden that reflects my interest in form, scent, texture and the use of space.

It is divided into a number of areas separated by walls, plants or other structures; box hedges provide some order to the plantings.

Shrubs and climbers provide wonderful cover for the many small birds that live in the garden, and include lilacs, rhododendrons, echiums, buddleias, salvias, chocolate vine, honeysuckle and clematis.

WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL: Extensive lawns provide a cool basis for winding paths leading to perennial borders, a sunken circle garden, a glasshouse, lily pond, courtyard and patio with pizza oven.

It is a green oasis in the middle of dry farming country, especially in summer.

BIGGEST CHALLENGES: Each year brings its own frustrations, whether it’s wandering stock, grasshopper plagues, rabbits, early and late frosts, or lack of time to carry out our planned projects. The soil is light and sandy with a subsoil of clay and limestone that needs constant nutrition and organic matter.

GREATEST PLEASURES: Each year brings its own joys as plants mature, new areas are developed and older ones renovated. The orchard, vegetable gardens, chook run, pig palace, paddock and vineyard all contribute to our lifestyle and enjoyment of producing our own food and wine.

LATEST PROJECT: In the past two years we’ve planted about 1600 trees and shrubs to form a walkway from the garden to a permanent waterhole about a half-kilometre away.

The eucalypts, banksias and three varieties of she-oak are doing splendidly.

IS GARDENING IN YOUR GENES? My mum was a great gardener. I think I’ve been a gardener forever. I always like to have cuttings and seeds in; it’s good for the soul and a good balance to my other work. I hope it teaches me patience.

Terry helps with some of the heavy lifting but basically the garden is my domain and the vineyard is his. I spend a lot of time reading garden magazines and books, while visits to gardens here and overseas have provided ideas and inspiration.

EXTRAS: Part proceeds will support the South East Animal Welfare League. We’ll have morning and afternoon teas, wine tastings, gifts, and plants for sale that I’ve propagated.