In the Beautiful Blue Mountains

Festival 2023

Friday 29 Sept - Monday 2 Oct

 
 
 
 

Think Spring …. Think Leura

Garden No 11 - Glenshiel, 106-108 Gladstone Road
Courtesy of Helen Cannella and Michael Anstiss

Glenshiel is about an acre in size and was purchased by the current owners in 2009.  

The garden was a blank canvas with much bush needing to be cleared. It is, therefore, a relatively immature garden with the only original tree, a crabapple, thought to date back to the origins of the house (c1917). 

Landscaping commenced in November 2009 with the idea of creating a “typical mountain garden” with interest and colour throughout the year. The garden was planted by landscaper, James Masters.

An Elaeagnus pungens hedge planted on three sides of the property provides a windbreak and privacy and creates the illusion of a walled garden.

Walking up the driveway, the central garden features six Wollemi pines and a striking pearl bush (Exochorda). Beyond that, along the eastern fence line, is the first garden project we undertook, a small parterre garden with a central fountain and rosemary planted diagonally with hydrangeas as a border. 

The northern garden has cold climate plantings of rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas, kalmias and Japanese maples against the backdrop of the neighbours’ cypress trees.

On the southern bank of the back lawn, two weeping cherries are surrounded by David Austin roses and tree and herbaceous peonies.

Along the western path is a Royal Frost birch grove underplanted with hellebores and bluebells. The path winds under a red Pierre de Ronsard rose arch and continues through a woodland of cyclamen, hellebores and ajuga. 

The lawn area is designed for family activities with seating provided under a pink Pierre de Ronsard rose-covered pergola and a stone bench under a copper beech.

Our thanks go to Jessica Lawn for her tireless energy in helping us maintain “Glenshiel”.

Directions to Glenshiel