Pomona invites visitors to experience the beauty and productivity of an exceptional suburban garden. Over the past 17 years, kitchen garden teacher and self-described organic urban homesteader Beth McInnes and her family have transformed their 378-square-metre Coburg North block into a flourishing edible landscape where every corner has a purpose.
The journey begins in the welcoming cottage-style front garden, where fruit trees mingle with herbs and flowers before leading to the heart of the property – a vibrant organic kitchen garden bursting with seasonal vegetables, medicinal herbs and pollinator-friendly blooms. More than 40 fruit trees, berry bushes and edible vines create a backyard orchard that produces fresh harvests throughout the year.
Created on the principles of permaculture, life hums through every part of Pomona. Chickens and quails scratch beneath the fruit trees, worm farms and compost systems build rich, healthy soil, and a walk-in greenhouse overflows with seedlings and extended summer crops. At Pomona, sustainability is part of everyday family life, supporting people and the environment.
Beth's love of organic growing, heirloom varieties and preserving has helped create a garden that is always changing and developing. Her curiosity has also led to the addition of medicinal herbs and experiments with plant distillation to create floral water and essential oils in small batches. The result is a garden that generously feeds a growing family while offering a haven for birds, bees and beneficial insects.
Whether you're dreaming of a more productive vegetable patch, seeking ideas to maximise a small suburban block, or simply wanting to spend time in a joyful and inspiring garden, Pomona is sure to delight.
Pomona is located on the lands of the Wurundjeri People. Open Gardens Victoria wishes to acknowledge the Traditional custodians of this land and we pay respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging.
Extra activities in the area:
Coburg Lake – Local Park, with a lake including BBQ areas, Playgrounds and a walking track around the lake
Parker Reserve playground – local park with Native plants
Pentridge – Old Prison that is now a local shopping precinct with shops, cafes, restaurants and walking tours
Merri Creek Walk – A beautiful local creek that you can walk along whilst admiring the local indigenous and native flora.
Strictly only opening 10.30am to 4.30pm on the dates listed above. Please respect the garden owners' privacy and visit only during opening hours. There will be no early entries.
Entry: $8 Adults, $5 Students (with ID card), Free for visitors under 18 or students who have purchased an annual Student Pass (with ID).
Tickets can be booked and pre-paid online via TryBooking. You can also pay on the day.
Sustainable practices are important to OGV, therefore where possible please either print your own garden notes or save them for viewing on your mobile device.
If you’re a tertiary student, why not purchase our OGV Student Pass, providing you with entry to all our garden openings for the year for just $25. Find out more and purchase your pass via TryBooking.
Become a Friend of OGV and receive two x 2 for the price of 1 garden passes, plus a one off 10% discount to some of Victoria's best garden centres via Trybooking.
Please stay at home if you're unwell
