Set in the quiet coastal village of Balnarring Beach on the Western Port side of the Mornington Peninsula, Seagrove is a 1.4-hectare garden that has evolved from an essentially bare site into a richly planted landscape of lawns, wetlands, perennial borders, productive gardens and enclosed garden rooms.
The garden was originally conceived as a series of distinct zones, and today visitors can explore a remarkable variety of planting and garden experiences. The formal croquet lawn provides a striking expanse of green, while the pool area is surrounded by bright perennial plantings of roses, dahlias, salvias, Agastache, Geranium ‘Rozanne’, irises, foxgloves and lilies. Behind the pool, native hibiscus blooms throughout the year, complemented by mass-planted French lavender in the side beds.
The wetlands are an important part of the site’s water management system, receiving runoff drained from beneath the house and across the lawns. They have also developed into a lively micro-ecosystem, visited by ducks, black cockatoos, kookaburras, frogs and myriad insect species, with mature eucalypts surrounded by lomandras, Dietes, kangaroo paws and native groundcovers.
Elsewhere, the garden continues through an orchard, seasonal vegetable boxes and a drought-tolerant elevated garden before reaching the lookout and observatory. The latter is concealed behind a copse of birches underplanted with more than 500 daffodil bulbs. The enclosed rainforest garden provides a cool, calm setting of strelitzias, palms, bamboo and clivias, with a boardwalk, pond, suspended resting platform and stone wall mosaic.
During the open weekend, visitors can enjoy tea and biscuits on the back deck of the main house with owner Dianne from 11am to noon and 2pm to 3pm each day. The Model Train House will also be open for viewing with owner Jack at the same times.
Seagrove invites visitors to wander and enjoy the continuing evolution of a garden shaped by its environment and the vision of its owners and horticultural team.
A portion of gate takings will be donated to the Balnarring CFA.
Seagrove is located on the lands of the Bunurong 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:
Shoreham & Point Leo
Strictly only opening 10am 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: $10 Adults, $6 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.
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