About Us

It is hard to believe that just over one year has passed since Open Gardens Victoria was formed. So much has happened since a group of members from the Victorian Committee of Open Gardens Australia listened to all the people begging us not to let the open gardens organisation die. Little did we know what we were in for!

Over many, many meetings we have set up the new organisation, written a business plan, commissioned our lovely new logo, developed the website, reconnected with our selectors and put together our very first program of garden openings.

All of these preparations culminated in the 2015 launch of OGV by Royal Botanic Gardens Director and CEO Professor Tim Entwisle at Musk Cottage on 27 September. More than 2,500 people attended and numbers have been strong at all openings since. It is an understatement to say we have been overwhelmed by the support shown by garden owners, the public and the media alike.

Tim Entwisle officially launches OGV’s first season at Musk Cottage in Flinders.

Preparations are well underway for our 2016-17 Season Launch to be held on 27 and 28 August at Attila Kapitany’s spectacular succulent garden in Narre Warren North. Click here for more information.

The 2015-16 season had so many highlights – opera in the wonderful Astolat garden in Camberwell, whimsical fairies in the Atkins garden in Fitzroy, the combination of sustainable and traditional design in the beautiful Yarra Valley setting of Lubra Bend and the crowds who turned up to Anne Vale’s Gippsland garden in the rain!

Opera in the garden at Astolat in Camberwell & fairies in the Atkins garden in Fitzroy.

OGV’s ambition has always been to open a maximum of two inspirational gardens each weekend and we are on track to make this happen in our upcoming 2016-17 season, commencing in late August. This has only been possible because of the tireless efforts of the Committee and our selectors and the generosity of garden openers. In September we have inspirational openings in Castlemaine, Ringwood North, Camberwell and Hawthorn. Click here for more information.

Beyond garden openings, OGV has been committed to offering a program of events each season. Our Mornington Peninsula Coach Tour in March was a sell-out and a great success – despite taking place on the only rainy day since Christmas! We have also offered workshops on productive gardening, composting and espaliering, and a great day focussing on the elements of a well composed garden at Frogmore Gardens. Feedback has been very flattering and in the ‘downtime’ of winter we are busily planning a more extensive program of workshops for the coming season. We welcome your feedback and suggestions for tours and workshop topics that are of interest to you - please email us at info@opengardensvictoria.org.au

Riverdale Kitchen Garden workshop & the Cooking Up Compost workshop.

To kick off the new season of special events, OGV will be celebrating the first day of spring with a coach tour of three Hill Station gardens in Mt Macedon. Click here for more information.

Glenrannoch and Ard Rudah - two of the gardens featuring on the Macedon Gardens Coach Tour on 1 September.

The OGV Friends group is growing into a lovely community too. OGV is so grateful to the financial and voluntary support Friends have given in the first year. Whether it has been manning the gates, helping out at the MIFGS marquee or addressing envelopes, you have been fantastic!

In return, OGV is developing a much more extensive program of events just for Friends. Some events are exclusive to Friends, other are offered to Friends at a discount. Already for 2016-17 there is so much to look forward to:

• the OGV Annual General Meeting – including a talk by designer Phil Johnson on the 5000 Poppies project at Chelsea – on 17 August at Burnley;
• a talk on 13 September at Mueller Hall by Churchill Fellowship holder Steven Wells on his return from visiting therapeutic gardens around the world;
• a free Friends-only garden opening at Langwarrin on 6 November; and
• the annual Friends Christmas picnic on 7 December.

Thank you to everyone who has helped make OGV’s first year such a great success – we look forward to seeing you all at our open gardens and special events in the coming 2016-17 season.