Harvey...The Gardens

Back today with some photos of the gardens that surround Stirling Cottage as promised. I always enjoy walking around other gardens, because there is always some idea you pick up along the way, that inspires you to try something new in your own garden.

Warning this is a picture heavy post :).

Quiet spot overlooking the river.

Water fountains are always nice in a garden.

This shady gazebo was the perfect spot to sit in order to keep out of the very hot sun.

There were a number of butterfly bushes (Buddleia) planted and the butterflies really did seem to love the bushes. It was a bit tricky trying to get a photo of the butterflies as they were flitting from one flower to another. I would just get a butterfly all lined up with the camera and off they would go onto another flower.

They even had a small vegetable garden and quite a few fruit trees.

The original Stirling Cottage had a large vegetable garden along with many fruit trees.

We saw corn, tomatoes, bush beans lettuce, artichokes, cucumbers and lots of herbs,

which I'm guessing they would use in the kitchen of Stirling Cottage for the lunches

that are available daily.

Past the Silky Oak tree...

Through the arch and down the garden path

to...

The river walk.

Lots of tree ferns and...

Ferns.

I didn't really take any photos of the river itself, because to me, it didn't look to be in great shape.

I remember the river from years ago and this was nothing like it, and I was shocked at how little

water there was in there.

The only photos I did take were of...

Mumma Duck and her babies!

This gorgeous Hollyhock had self seeded from one of the garden beds higher up, into a crack in the footpath that ran along the edge of the river.

It was such a hot spot for it to be growing.

These Lilliums are beautiful.

One plant I don't grow in my garden because they are deadly to cats.

I just admire them in other gardens.

That was a long post! That was only some of the many many photos I took. We didn't actually even see all of the garden as it was just so hot walking around out there. One thing I noticed too is there were mass plantings of Hydrangeas under the trees. None of them were out in flower yet, but when they are, it will look gorgeous. I will be back tomorrow with part 3, photos from Harvey dam and some pics of our stunning Australian Kangaroo Paws.

It is starting to feel and look very much like we might get a thunderstorm. It is so hot and muggy. It would be nice to get a storm and some rain. We really need some rain our rainwater tank is virtually empty which means any day now we will have to switch back over to town water - yuck! Only problem is the farmers don't want the rain as they are now all harvesting their crops.