Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 March

The Dog and Donkey - 35 Mahaffey Road, Howard Springs. Wonderful rural garden with a great array of unusual cycads, succulents and bromeliads. A spacious courtyard is home to a range of striking plants including dyckias, euphorbias, cactus and pachypodiums in stylish pots and containers. Thriving plants grow in hanging baskets along the broad verandahs, and a collection of unusual aloes is a recent addition to this collector's garden. Teas on the back verandah overlooking the large pond filled with water plants.

Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 April

Hortus Nostras - 49 Flockhart Drive, Marlow Lagoon. Hortus Nostras ('Our Garden') is in its early years of re-development as home to a selection of Top End native plants. Grevilleas and acacias are now mingled with traditional tropical exotics. Tonnes of soil and hundreds of hay bales have been used to develop new garden, lawns have been minimised and a former horse paddcok ia a mini-fruit orchard. Chooks and veggies complete the 1 acre garden. The Top End Native Plant Society will be on hand to give advice and sell plants on Saturday.

Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 April

Buddha's Bamboo - 4423 Goode Road, Humpty Doo. Learn all about bamboos suitable for Top End gardens. Around 27 different non-invasive clumping bamboo varieties grow in healthy and vigorous stands in this peaceful5 acre rural garden, along with naturally growing native cycads and sand palms. Bamboo plants for sale, with advice from garden owner Brian.

All gardens are open from 10am to 4.30pm, and admission is $6.00 (free under 18) unless otherwise noted.