THE REALISATION OF A DREAM AT ALOWYN GARDENS AND NURSERY

By Matt Ross

Situated in Yarra Glen in the heart of the fertile Yarra Valley, a visit to NGIV members Alowyn Gardens and Nursery is a real treat. Whether you’re there to explore the seven acres of gardens, stock up on plants from the nursery, enjoy lunch with friends at the maple courtyard café, attend one of their horticultural workshops, or perhaps your tying the knot amongst the wisteria archway; it’s a one stop shop for curious plant lovers.

I sat down with owners Prue and John Van de Linde (pictured below right) to understand more about the journey they’ve gone on and what inspired them to realise their dreams.

The idea of creating a large public garden came to John in 1978 when he visited the world-famous Butchart Gardens in Canada.

In 1997 John and Prue were living in an apartment in Box Hill, and after a couple of years of searching for just the right spot to start their garden, they found a former trotting stud within striking distance of Melbourne, offering the climate of four distinct seasons they wanted. In 1999, John started building the garden on weekends and spare moments around his landscaping business. His plan covered 1.6ha and a time frame of four years, it’s now been 22 years and covers closer to 3ha.

The spine of the garden is a 100m-long arbour covered in wisteria and roses, with a sunken rose garden and classical fountain as the centrepiece, from which a series of separate areas unfold.

Paths wind through the cool shade of the birch forest where 500 silver and river birch are underplanted with bulbs and irises.

The Australian forest comprises two types of she-oak (Allocasuarina) and a miner’s hut, in contrast to the formal parterre garden of Buxus clipped into different designs.

The perennial border showcases dry-tolerant plants with a path winding through colourful displays from spring to autumn.

In the edible garden they practise companion planting and crop rotation, with herbs, edible flowers and avenues of fruit trees.

The 7000sqm French garden is divided into four fields for poppies, sunflowers and lawns for picnicking, with two streams, a central pond and a folly.

With Prue taking charge of the retail side while John grows the nursery stock and keeps developing the gardens, they make the perfect team.

After purchasing the site, they realised they were not connected to mains supply water. They’ve since given up on waiting for that to change, instead they recycle every drop of water. They utilise dams, rainwater tanks and have created contour lines to feed back into the dams. They rely on the rainfall. Indeed, sustainability is central to what they do.

John’s own environmental leanings come from what he saw growing up in Holland, the impact of illegal dumping of chemical and manure waste into the canal system, and the fish that kept floating to the surface.

And now, with the help of their team, they have started planting oak saplings that will eventually create a 40 acre oak forest with over 6000 trees. The aim is to create a canopy as quickly as possible to protect the soil from the sun, create a habitat for local fauna, suck carbon from the atmosphere and ‘do their bit for the planet.’

“It’s like making a soup. At first it lacks flavour and so you add seasoning until it changes the whole pot. I believe if we do our bit, it will inspire others to make a difference too.” Said John.

It’s clear that not all the decisions they make are based purely on good business, they are guided by their beliefs and their values. “Life is not only about making money, it’s about living, it’s about pleasure. And that looks different for all of us. We’re all part of a much bigger puzzle and we need to find where we fit.” Said John.

Through a lot of hard work, a clear vision and a set of guiding principles, it seems as though John and Prue have completed their own puzzle at Alowyn Gardens and Nursery, and it looks sublime.