Joan Ough is throwing out an open invitation for people to visit her glorious garden as part of Australia’s Open Garden scheme.
By Callan Date
DEVON Meadows gardener Joan Ough has the pleasure of waking up and smelling the roses of her well-manicured garden every day during spring.
And next weekend local residents can do exactly the same when the gates open up on Windsong, Ms Ough’s award-winning garden, which has been grown, pruned and cared for over the past 20 years.
Ms Ough, a 72-year-old avid gardener, spends about 20 hours a week in her garden and has lifted her workrate in preparation for the hundreds of strangers expected to visit her special sanctuary.
Visitors are encouraged to stroll through the gardens at their own pace and are welcome to bring a picnic rug and enjoy lunch on the lush green lawns.
“The garden is a mixture of both native and exotic plants,” Ms Ough said.
Along with the colourful foliage of weeping elms and Japanese maples is the native wildlife that calls the garden home.
“We have a lot of aviaries with our own birds and that seems to attract other types of wildlife to the garden,” Ms Ough said.
Windsong covers more than 1.5 acres and all areas will be open to the public to admire.
People entering the garden will be charged $5 – with all the proceeds going to an organisation Ms Ough thinks of highly.
“The money is going to the Devon Meadows CFA. I really think they are the unsung heroes and the work they do is just wonderful,” she said.
Members of the CFA crew will also provide refreshments on the day.
Ms Ough said the recent dry winter would make it particularly tough for firefighters this year – a factor that helped influence her decision to donate the money to the local unit.
Windsong will be open from 10am to 4.30pm on 21 and 22 October at 24 Rawlins Road, Devon Meadows.
The weekend is part of Australia’s Open Garden scheme that enables people to take pleasure in private gardens and at the same time help raise money for community groups.
