Each year, some of Victoria’s best private gardens open their gates to the public as part of Open Gardens Victoria.

These special tours are an opportunity to learn more about the art of gardening, and to sticky beak through some amazing landscapes.

The program runs over a few months and features gardens all over the state, including garden designer Ralph Bristow’s spectacular botanical wonderland dubbed The Barwitian Garden — which we’ve previously featured on TDF!

Located in Barwite, near Mansfield, the three-acre block was a neglected paddock until Ralph began working on it about four years ago.

But Ralph estimates the naturalistic garden now features more than 10,000 plants, ranging from flowering perennials to woody plants, shrubs, and trees, that combine to create a colourful, evolving landscape.

It’s the third time Ralph’s property is being featured in Open Gardens Victoria, and visitors will be treated to its autumnal beauty in the first weekend of March.

‘It’s a young garden, with some areas that have just been planted out as the garden has expanded. So it’s great to share the garden’s progress with the public so they can see the changes,’ he adds.

Ralph hopes visitors will experience the same joy he gets when he steps out into the garden every day, and perhaps leave feeling inspired to create the same feeling in their own backyards!

The Barwitian Garden will be open to the public from Saturday March 2 – Sunday March 3. Book your tickets here.