By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
GWEN Anderson’s plant knowledge is as lush as her garden, overflowing with greens, purples and blues.
Aroha, the garden she and husband Mal tend, will be thrown open next weekend to raise funds for Geelong Botanic Gardens.
The Andersons’ Newtown property features a series of garden rooms of choice shrubs and conifers anchored by repeat plantings of acid-yellow euphorbias, colourful salvias, perfumed philadelphus, viburnums, sambucas and glorious roses.
The garden also has a lovely collection of fruit trees including lime, lemon, cherry quince pears and persimmon.
The garden is entered through a lych gate at 340 Shannon Ave along a cute although narrow bluestone cobbled path to a classic red brick and stucco house.
The open weekend on 26 and 26 October, part of an Open Gardens Australia program, will also feature sculptures by Karen Pegg, botanical artist Jennifer Beck-Carlson painting in the garden and a display of photos of the garden as it was 20 years ago.
The garden will be open from 10am to 4.30pm.
More information is available at opengarden.org.au.
