10th year for Gardivalia
Gardivalia Festival of Gardens will return next month and celebrate its 10th anniversary.
The festival was launched 10 years ago with the vision of becoming the premier garden event in Victoria and promote tourism and the beautiful gardens of West Gippsland.
Sixteen gardens participated in the festival in the first year.
Gardivalia has since been embraced by the community and participation by groups, community and school gardens all cultivate Gardivalia’s aim to promote gardening and horticulture throughout the community.
There are now 31 gardens and 24 garden related events.
Gardivalia president Jan Wishart said they aimed to showcase the best West Gippsland had to offer.
“There is a diverse range of gardens from traditional to contemporary, small cottage gardens, natural bush or native gardens and a small unit garden.
“Some are larger urban gardens or country gardens on a grand scale. “Vegetable gardens, sustainable food gardens and community and school gardens will be of particular interest this year,” she said.
Nilma Primary School will display its Stephanie Alexander kitchen garden and Warragul Community Kindergarten will officially open its bush tucker garden designed by renowned landscape designer Prue Metcalfe.
Prue also designed Eastern Park Community Garden which will be celebrating its second birthday as part of Gardivalia.
Community events include Baw Baw Senior Citizens walk, art exhibitions, sculpture displays, workshops and demonstrations, markets, Neerim Bower Arts Festival and a wetlands boardwalk at Wild Dog Winery.
Other inspiring experiences include music in the park, poetry readings, pop-up library, food and wine events and unique workshops such as the art of bonsai, constructing a labyrinth, flower arranging, shed collection of vintage garden and farm tools and a practical workshop on composting and tips on growing seedlings. Mid-week garden tours will be available.
Local florist Julie Grant will walk visitors around the Citriodora garden at Crossover picking flowers and other bits of greenery along the way.
Julie will then use the flowers to create a floral arrangement and give hints on how to make arrangements last longer.
West Gippsland Regional Library Corporation has supported Gardivalia since its inception and this October will stage a popup library featuring gardening books at the Monkey Gully food garden at Neerim South.
Another new event this year is the Tree Walks of Drouin. Peter Ware and Judy Farmer will take interested people on three guided walks showcasing some of Drouin’s trees, wetlands, and open spaces.
Entry to the gardens is $5 per ticket or $20 for five gardens. All gardens are open from 10am to 4pm.
Gardivalia Festival of Gardens will be launched on Sunday, October 2 at 2pm at Lillico Gardens in conjunction with the opening of Warragul Art Group’s exhibition titled ‘A Floral or Two’.