Orange Nsw Country Gardens

Meet our Ross Tour Leader this morning at Central Station, Sydney. Travelling by coach we head west over the Blue Mountains. Get your cameras ready for the beautiful display in the Begonia House in Machattie Park, Bathurst, filled with glorious tuberous begonias. Built in 1935, this conservatory was the work of Walter Kefford, keen grower of begonias and curator of the park. Continue to Orange in the heart of the Central West. Check into The Remington, your contemporary hotel for the next three nights. Welcome dinner included tonight.

Stroll heritage-listed Cook Park to see their magnificent tree collection and begonia display. Borrodell Estate, is on the slopes of the extinct volcano, Mt Canobolas. It’s a feast for all the senses. Tour the heritage apple orchard. Scrumptious lunch included today overlooking the Pinot Noir vineyard where views of the Towac Valley are endless. Free time tonight to enjoy Orange’s acclaimed food scene and try one of the local restaurants.

At “The Garden Curator”, Colleen Southwell is inspired by “Slow Gardening”, encouraging us to savour our gardens throughout the seasons and to live in the here and now. Morning tea here overlooking the garden. Classified by the National Trust and unchanged since the 1900s, Milthorpe village is the perfect Sunday destination. Later, at Jenny Hancock’s gorgeous country property, we’ll stroll through her idyllic garden. Drayshed Nursery and Art Gallery, adjacent to the farm, are full of planty treasures. Dinner included tonight.

Nestled in a quiet valley in Oberon is the extraordinary Mayfield Garden, one of the world’s largest private cool climate garden. Inspired by the great European gardens, this is a triumph of garden design with its oak trees, groves of beech and colourful collection of maples. Private tour, morning tea and lunch included. Travel onto Katoomba and check-in to the heritage-listed Carrington Hotel, your home for the next two nights.

Tucked away in Little Hartley are two very different gardens. First Goryu, the Magnum Opus of Alan Jackson who has spent 25 years with rocks, stones, gravel, stone bridges, lanterns, basins and Japanese maples; all carefully curated, bringing his vision to life. Highfields Garden is the latest creation of renown horticulturist David Kennedy. Here borders are dense with incredibly beautiful and complex plantings, dry gardens thrive without ever knowing a hose, and rare grasses and perennials fill a meadow. Soak in the ambience over lunch on the terrace. Farewell dinner tonight at The Carrington Hotel.

Dennarque Estate is surrounded by the timeless beauty of Mt Wilson. This heritage-listed cool climate garden possesses a majesty, grace and scale that is compelling. In this rich garden wonderland, you’ll discover a glorious collection of significant trees planted in the 1880’s under the watchful direction of Charles Moore, an early Director of the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. In autumn, the colour of hundreds of maple trees will be stunning in their display. Lunch is included on the estate before heading back to Sydney.