Australia's Open Garden Scheme

Queensland Special Events

As well as our extensive and exciting program of open gardens, which can be found here, Australia's Open Garden Scheme also has an exciting range of Special Events throughout the year.
Some events require pre-booking and as numbers are strictly limited we urge you to book well ahead of time to avoid disappointment.

Spring Cottage:
A Study in Preserving Brisbane's Gardening Legacy
Hamilton Reach

Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 August 2010
(No bookings required)

In the same family since it was built in 1860, Spring Cottage is one of Brisbane's ten oldest gardens.

Loving restoration by horticulturalist Brenton Larcombe has revealed the outline of some of the original garden beds which demonstrate the evolution of popular domestic materials: terracotta, bricks, shale and concrete. Plantings include Lagerstroemia indica, Ochna serrulata, Cestrum parqui and vines including Monstera deliciosa and black-eyed susan.

Throughout the weekend Brenton will conduct guided tours of his garden and discuss the restoration work he has undertaken.

And at 11am each day, ABC Gardening Australia's Jerry Coleby-Williams will discuss the issues inherent in preserving our gardening heritage.

Address: 40 Crescent Rd, Hamilton Reach
Directions: UBD Brisbane 140:K17
Open: 10am-4.30pm. $8.00, no charge for children under 18

IndigiScapes Masterclasses
Redlands

September 2010, February 2011 & April 2011

Booking details:
Bookings are essential for these events as places are very limited.

Tickets $50.00 for each workshop includes morning tea.

You can book online via our secure site here or phone (07) 3892 7147 during business hours.

Three stimulating and interesting workshops at the unique environmental education centre IndigiScapes.

Three knowledgeable and entertaining experts will expound on a fascinating range of backyard styles encompassing formal elements, water conservation, wildlife and recycling - all designed to demonstrate how best to use native plants in a variety of situations.

Monday 6th September 2010. 9am-11am.
Developing Bayside and Coastal Gardens, with Kate Heffernan. Coastal plants can find a place in just about any garden, whether close to the ocean or not. Learn how to source, select and design a distinctive landscape of sun- and salt-loving plants. A landscape designer and horticultural consultant, Kate has particular expertise in coastal and native plants.

Monday 21 February 2011. 9am-11am
Landscaping - Plant Selection for Success, with Paul Plant. Overcome difficult landscapes and dying plants with the right plant for the right position. Celebrate the diversity of our subtropical climate with the editor of SubTropical Gardening magazine Paul Plant. Paul is well-known for his passion for plants that work well in the local climate, whether they be native or exotic.

Monday 4 April 2011. 9am-11am
The Understorey, with Arno King. Planting under existing trees can be difficult but when it's done well the outcome can be breathtaking. Arno King is a Brisbane-based landscape architect and horticulturist who has a particular interest in planting design. In this workshop, he will focus on appropriate plants, enhancing plant growth and combining plants to create outstanding compositions.

Kate Heffernan

Paul Plant

Arno King

Out of the Garden, with David Pugh
Tennyson

Wednesday 27 October 2010. 9.30am-noon

Booking details:
Bookings are essential for this event as places are very limited.

Tickets $80.00 includes morning tea.

You can book online via our secure site here or phone (07) 3892 7147 during business hours.

Enjoy a cooking demonstration with renowned chef David Pugh in a magnificent riverfront apartment in the cutting-edge Tennyson Reach development.

Join hosts Chrissie and Sam Buchanan for a home-baked morning tea, then watch David work his magic with a variety of produce from the garden.

Owner of multi award-winning 'Restaurant Two', David has worked in some of the finest restaurants in the world, including London's Connaught Hotel. He is currently Queensland's Ambassador Chef. He blends classic technique, fresh ingredients, modern flair and down to earth sensibilities to create a distinctive cuisine.

Tickets for our pre-booked events being held in 2011 will be available from early October, please check back then