THE Wallace Garden in Coldstream has been instrumental in raising more than $90,300 for various charities over the past two decades and brought enormous joy to thousands of people.
Christine Wallace, helped by generous family and friends, has prepared the beautiful two and a half acre garden for the annual open day, turning the event into an outstanding day out for anyone who has a love of the garden or of exceptional home cooked goodies.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the open garden event and will also be the final opening.
The funds raised will go to a favourite local charity, Animal Aid, and Christine and her helpers are hoping they might just reach the magic $100,000 mark.
The garden is part of a 40-acre farm property growing daffodils and pumpkins.
“It was just a cow paddock when we bought the property and started working on it in 1989,” Christine recalled.
Over the years she has shaped the garden around the home creating features including a dry creek bed, a silver birches grove, lilacs, standard wisterias, bearded irises, standard regona roses, a native area, weeping grevilleas, ponds and a thriving vegetable and potager garden.
A prominent feature is the view through to the mountain ranges around Healesville.
The open days started as just one day, grew to three and then to five days over the Melbourne Cup weekend.
Christine’s mum Val Sheehan makes the Devonshire teas, including home-made jams, which have become their own drawcard for many regular visitors.
There will be a small plant stall operating on the day and other goodies for sale.
Donations towards Animal Aid’s redevelopment project will also be taken on the day.
The garden will be open every day from Friday, 2 November to Cup Day, Tuesday, 6 November from 9am to 5pm.
“We hope people who have never been to the garden will take the opportunity now, and the many people who have come regularly over the years will also come one more time,” said Val.
“It’s a lot of money to get over the five days, but it would be wonderful to reach that $100,000 figure.”
The Wallace Garden is at 7 Maddens Lane, Coldstream.
