The Gardens
​​​​
On 1 and 2 November 2025 we will have new gardens to visit, but we're not quite ready to reveal them yet (a lot of work goes in to organising the gardens and other activities).
However, on this page you can find out more about the gardens that opened in November 2024, where we had 10 wonderful gardens to explore, plus two bonus gardens.
​​
1. Markdale​
​​
Acknowledged as one of the great country gardens of Australia, Markdale was started in the 1920s and redesigned in the late 1940s by the pioneer of Australian landscape gardening, Edna Walling.
Spanning five acres, the garden is said to be one of the most intact examples of her garden design in New South Wales. It features her signature design—blending native plants and exotics, thyme lawns, an informal garden pool and hand-built paths.
Garden features include a pergola of blue and white wisteria, stunning golden and weeping elms, a profusion of roses, a stone-walled garden and a sweeping lawn down to a small lake.
2. Roxborough – Sue Storrier
​
An old favourite that received rave reviews last time it was featured in the garden festival. A wonderful avenue of birch trees lines the driveway, leading you to the extensive garden with sweeping lawns and groves of deciduous trees.
Sue has a love of “old rusty stuff”, and vintage agricultural implements, alongside a range of iron sculptures, are displayed throughout the grounds.
There is an ancient cherry laurel in one corner that has many a tale to tell of times past. This garden constantly evolves and Sue describes it as a partnership between her and nature. Sometimes things happen unexpectedly. She says, “Often I think, I wouldn’t have done that, but it works! I like the garden to have an opinion and part of the success here is letting the garden express itself.”
[3. Not opening]​​
The garden marked as number 3 on the map wasn’t able to open in 2024.
4. Astiden Springs – Virginia King and Ken Watson​​
​
The initial plans for this delightful garden were created by Irish landscape designer Lorna Vallely, Chairperson of the inaugural Crookwell Garden Festival in 2015.
An interesting combination of formality and wildness, it sits in a stunning rural setting with views to die for. Feature plants include shrub roses, David Austin roses and a wide selection of Australian natives. A wonderfully maintained germander hedge runs along the side of the dwelling, and more germander plants have been carefully trimmed in the Japanese style to look like large silvery grey boulders.
Add strategically placed clumps of miscanthus grass and fairy’s fishing rod swaying gently in the breeze, deep purple smoke bush and a host of other exciting plants and the effect of the contrast between formal clipped topiary and free-form shrubs is both dramatic and intriguing.
5. Balcony Rose –
McComas Taylor
​
Steeped in history, Balcony Rose is truly part of Crookwell’s heritage, with the house dating back over a hundred years to the late 1890s.
Built by master stonemason David Larcombe and featuring the famous balcony with its intricate cast iron railings and climbing roses, it’s worth coming just to see the wonderful old building.
A fine dwelling requires an appropriate garden to complement it and as you might expect, this large garden is long established and features very large, mature trees. There are unusual conifers too, and a selection of shrubs, with lots of spring flowering bulbs. Add in a large pond and a wet meadow, and you have a perfect place for wildlife.
6. Mowbray – Lyn Parker
​
Dating back to 1952, Mowbray is a very well-planned garden. Wonderfully generous sweeping lawns and carefully designed plantings of trees and shrubs underplanted with a diversity of perennials create large garden rooms.
​
This large country garden presents a comfortable blend of spaciousness and cosiness. You won’t feel claustrophobic, but equally the garden creates a sense of privacy, seclusion and protection. It’s a peaceful place to take some time out, and the design invites you to explore.
There are many interesting old trees and shrubs, and some quite unusual plants here. Be sure to check out the mysterious myrtles and craggy old apple trees.
7. Roseville – Gillian Cummins
​
This garden is in a very cold and frosty location and is exposed to all the most bracing and invigorating winds that the Upper Lachlan has to offer, so the plants that you will see here are truly tough!
Despite the harsh conditions, Gillian has skilfully created a vibrant garden that teems with colour and life. A happy blend of exotic and native trees, flowering shrubs, wisteria, lupins, sweet peas, aquilegia, roses and many other old favourites combine to delight the senses.
Gillian’s garden is famous for the affectionately named ‘Prickle Tree’, a massive and imposing holly. It’s probably the finest example of a holly in the Southern Tablelands. Whether you like holly or not, you can’t fail to be impressed by this one!
8. Redground Heights Rd
​
Out of crisis comes opportunity, and this has been amply demonstrated at Giba Ganya.
A colossal hail stormed smashed through Laggan on Christmas Day 2023, ripping foliage and branches off mature trees and leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. In addition to the pounding hail, a torrent of flood waters raced through parts of the property.
It would be easy to become demoralised and despondent at such a catastrophic event, but garden owner Brad took it in his stride and saw it as a chance to undertake some serious renovation and replanting. The damaged trees have been pruned by a professional arborist, garden beds have been redesigned and replanted and the garden has been reborn. What an inspirational story!
9. Mill Rd
​​​
The more you look, the more you see! This large garden features a fantastic mix of classic English garden design elements and strong Mediterranean influences, combined with a strangely compelling theme of wilderness and an overall appreciation of the natural world and the many creatures that inhabit it.
When Graham Liney bought the derelict mill at Laggan back in the 1970s the original buildings lay in ruins and there was not a tree on the place. He has since painstakingly restored the buildings and created many more wonderful stone features, planted thousands of trees and shrubs, and landscaped with a passion.
The result is something utterly compelling and quite extraordinary.
10. Salisbury Cottage –
Steve Headley
​
As you come into Laggan from Crookwell, you can’t help but notice a cosy little cottage located on the opposite corner of the crossroads. Protected behind a beautifully maintained and tightly clipped privet hedge is a delightful small garden, with neat lawns, and a selection of roses, flowering shrubs and perennials.
It may be small, but it is impeccably maintained and shows that a pleasant, secluded and private space can be created even right next to a busy road intersection.
That marvellous hedge is more than aesthetically pleasing, it functions as a safety barrier that has saved the property more than once from over enthusiastic motorists veering off the Laggan Road!
11. Marie’s Garden
​
Another Laggan gem, this garden is well screened from the Peelwood Road. Around the back of the house you will find a sunny courtyard, neatly trimmed box hedges, and garden areas defined by a selection of small deciduous trees and shrubs, underplanted with shade loving perennials.
This garden was very neglected and overgrown when Marie recently took it on and she is gradually restoring it to its former glory. The dilemma has been how to turn it from a jungle back into a garden without losing too much of the original character.
But Marie is in no rush. Like all good gardeners, she knows that it is important to let the seasons play out and let the garden reveal its hidden secrets before getting too carried away with renovation.
12. Bonus garden: Laggan Pantry​
​
Those in the know will tell you that a meal at the renowned Laggan Pantry is truly something special and the quality of the food served is legendary.
A large part of this is due to the wonderful kitchen garden and mini farm on the property. Sally and Evan take great care to grow a wide selection of fruits, herbs and vegetables and the restaurant menu features seasonal produce grown on the property and harvested fresh as needed.
They have kindly agreed to open the gardens for visitors to the Crookwell Garden Festival, but please ensure you do not attempt to enter the restaurant unless you have a confirmed booking. It’s such a popular venue that advance bookings are essential and they cannot cater for unexpected drop-ins!
13. Bonus garden: Laggan Pub​
The Laggan Hotel was constructed in 1924, so this year marks its 100th year of operation. It has always been a key meeting point for the local farming community, but it is also famous far and wide for hosting events such as the Laggan Yabby Races, Laggan Pub Quickshear, Laggan Pig Races and the Laggan Pub Car Show.
If you happen to drop by on the evening of the first Wednesday of the month, you will find the place is also home to the Laggan Bush Poets.
It’s a great place to take a break, experience the warm hospitality of a country pub and catch up on the local news. Better still, at the rear of the pub you will find extensive landscaped grounds with picnic tables and plenty of space to stretch your legs and find some time to reflect on all the wonderful gardens you have been seeing during the Crookwell Garden Festival.
