The picturesque township of Mirboo North, in the Strzelecki Ranges of South Gippsland, is renowned for its towering eucalypts and agricultural heritage. It's here, on the site of the original Mirboo North Pound, that Margaret and Peter have spent the past 34 years creating The Apiary—a deeply personal garden where Peter has planted generously to provide year-round forage for his bees, while Margaret has created a series of peaceful spaces that invite visitors to slow down.
A journey through The Apiary unfolds as a series of distinct garden rooms connected by winding paths. The former pound still occasionally reveals artefacts from its past, while decades of planting have created a richly layered landscape that balances productive gardens, ornamental borders and naturalistic plantings.
Visitors will discover a young grove of silver birches and ginkgos underplanted with spring bulbs; stately beeches and oaks; an impressive mature oak and a 200-year-old Grey Gum, alongside a hazelnut walk and indigenous plantings. Beneath the oaks, rare, shade-loving perennials mingle with naturalised violets, while vibrant poppies provide bursts of seasonal colour in sunny spots.
One of the garden's most distinctive features is Margaret's much-loved moss lawn, a tranquil green carpet surrounded by shade-loving shrubs and perennials that perfectly captures the garden's quiet, contemplative atmosphere.
Closer to the house, a productive vegetable garden, framed by bay and box hedging, features unusual edibles including sea kale and walking stick cabbages, while a delightful nepeta parterre surrounds old-fashioned fruit trees. A herb garden, a jungle garden and a citrus orchard—home to Margaret’s chickens—complete this richly layered landscape.
After more than three decades of careful planting and experimentation, The Apiary has become a garden shaped by a love of trees, bees and peaceful places.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Open Gardens Victoria acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
Extra activities in the area:
Lyrebird Forest Walk - moderate 90min bushwalk through naitve forests.
Grand Ridge Rail Trail - ride or walk the Mirboo North section of the trail, complete with two arch bridges and scenic bushland.
The ArtSpace - a community owned, volunteer-run arts hub showcasing Gippsland artists and makers in the old Mirboo North Butter Factory.
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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