SALLY JOHANNSOHN’S GARDEN

TASMAN INEIKA,NEIKA, TASMANIA The garden of Sally Johannsohn and her husband, writer Andrew Darby, on the side of Mount Wellington is one of my favourite gardens in Australia. It’s hard to believe she is only 15 minutes outside Hobart, as the garden feels like a world unto itself. It has an enviable setttting, with views across one side of the mountain towards the distant D’entrecasteaux Channel and a stunning lake with a backdrop of eucalyptus at another end. It is Sally’s creative and clever planting with interesting plants, however, that makes this garden stand out. Sally is a plant hunter and has imported many exotic species, which she grows for her on-site nursery, also called Plant Hunters. Here she specialises in unusual cool-climate perennials from Asia, the North American woodlands and Europe. Every year Sally travels to another part of the world, exploring and spending time learning and working in great gardens, such as Chanticleer in Philadelphia. She also spends time hunting and observing plants in the wild. Sally is inspired by the planting she sees internationally with the New Perennial movement, but in her own garden she experiments with plants difffferent from those normally used in such a style. Her garden seems to have really settttled and is thriving with this more naturalistic style of planting. I admire how Sally is incredibly generous with the knowledge she has accrued and you can now see her influence trickling down into other Tasmanian gardens. Sally draws on her training as a florist to incorporate colours and textures in the plantings. Another major feature is her repeated use of curves throughout the garden, including in stone walls and benches. This reflects the amphitheatre nature of the mountains and valleys surrounding the property. Sally’s garden is seasonal, with interest continuing throughout the year. I particularly loved photographing this garden in the mist. I felt the conditions perfectly suited the magic of this great garden. For more information, visit planthunters.com.au