The Collectors Paradise .Dahlias proudly on display at Gympie .The collectors garden is the pinnacle on that very human desire to assemble collections of objects,name them ,put them in order and plan for the next acquistion . It may be stamps, beer cans, Rolls Royce motor cars or Dahlias. Whatever the object of desire the process seems the same .

When it comes to the plant collector , who doesnt eagerly await a glossy calalogue . For hundreds of years these nursery brochures have offered cultivars of plants,bulbs and seeds lusciously illustrated.Sadly these catalogues came from Southern nurseries and most of the plants would shrivel and fail in our climate .

The Queesland climate has it's benifits . In my grandfathers garden in suburban Brisbane gladioli plants were grown and cut flowers sold to Perrots Florist in the city . The bulbs were lifted and stored in a cool room at the end of the season . When we have visited single genus plant collectors the special needs of their precios specimins will dominate the scene .

Our sub tropical climate is ideal for so many interesting and rewarding plants and I have long since ceased to grow plants that have fussy needs and are better off some where else. I want hardy plants that can cope with dry periods or flooding rain and a garden that has no back up irrigation system . 

New book In the shadow of " The Shambles" by Kyleigh Simpson

  Greetings from the shambles .

My new book has arrived . 

This is a collection of personal stories  taken form a larger scrapbook journal that I have kept over many years. While Michael liked to document the garden in a scientific and historic way I liked to write , draw and create collages for art works and my journal . The theme of the garden is of course the same. 

Michael lived with severe rheumatoid arthritis over his whole life and yet achieved a great deal . Many people knew him through his work as a local doctor and in the many clubs and organisations he was connected to. Yet they often were unaware of the level of pain and disability he endured as he refused to be defined by it. For those of us who were closest we knew the toll it took. Many of my recollections navigate the difficulties that carers face . Michael died just over two years ago and this book is our love story as much as anything . It is a love story set in our garden. 

The book can be purchased directly from Kyleigh .

email  85shambles@gmail.com 

$60 + POSTAGE 

 Greetings from The Shambles

Another wet morning in beautiful Montville . Probably the only down side is the  plants for the plant stall which are saturated . Hopefully we will get a bit of sun for them soon. By the time the open garden comes around on the 19th and 20th April 2025 we will be getting some cooler days. 

I have noticed that there are very few open gardens now and it is a great loss for people who are gardeners and who like visiting gardens. So many of our ideas and inspiration for plants came from seeing other gardens over the years. If you are new to gardening try to do this , you might see what you want and you will definately see things that you don't love .Personally I am not keen on ornamental frog collections but that's just me!

In the 1980's and 1990's gardening was really supported find a thee media . I remember Burkes Back yard show casing a plant and  the next day it was at the nursery . There were lots of independent nurseries often family owned . These days new gardeners are very restricted by what is commonly available at big hardware stores. Often the plants on sale are not even mean't for the area so will fail. There is also a big lack of knowlegeable  shop assistants in those places. 

 Luckily  there are gardeners who are happily sharing cuttings in old plastic bags or tied with string. Just yesterday I came the home with three rose cuttings to pot up. Many who pour over gardening web sites and books and who are happy to share their knowledge . 

I continue to love domestic garden spaces . Gardens that are not too big to manage but can keep you fully occupied and interested. 

 Cute idea I saw at the St Erth garden in Victoria .

Easter in two Montville Gardens

  

We look forward to seeing lots of gardeners and garden lovers at the Open Garden . 

The Shambles and Lower Woontooba are situated on Western Avenue ,Montville in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast . 

This is an opportunity to see these gardens for the first time in two years and for first time and return  visitors to enjoy the changes in the gardens . Both gardens surround Queenslander homes and are very different . Lower Woontooba has a park like quality and views to the dam . Lovely planting and maturing trees surround the house.

The Shambles  is a mature garden that has been a plant collectors project for over thirty years .  As the garden has grown it has become a shady place which is essential in our hot climate.  See you in the garden , Kyleigh 

Raising funds for Cittamani

 This morning we had a  lovely visit from Melanie from Cittamani . 

Cittamani Hospice Service offers specialist palliative care at home for individuals with terminal illness and their loved ones.

Cttamani Hospice Service is a not-for-profit public benevolent institution  and registered charity. It was founded by health professionals and community members on The Sunshine Coast in 1996.Their philosophy is based on Buddhist principles of love and compassion.

Generally you don't find out about organisations like Cittamani until you or someone you care for needs them . Hopefully by spreading the word to people at the Open Gardens  people will be aware that services are available when the need arises. Join us at Easter as we raise funds for Cittamani .

garden conversations

 If you are lucky enough to have a partner in gardening , a spouse, a friend or a garden club you will have plenty of garden conversations. 

From our experience reading about gardens, visiting gardens and generally being immersed in gardens has been a connection for us over more than 40 years. If I didn't have the garden who knows what would have happened? At our place there are always books out, new ideas of designs for the garden, lists of plants, collections of labels and that is just in the living room . We don't always agree on ideas for the garden , I probably wouldn't have a pool since it has taken up the best sunny spot and did have a prosperous vegie and herb garden there once. Michael would also like it if I was a bit more receptive to his huge knowledge of plants and his zealous need to collect and document everything. Either way we bring different skills and have created a garden that we love.

Even our children were dragged into this obsession as they were constantly being taken to gardens , botanic, historic, foreign and domestic  and never to the Theme park "worlds". Even a trip to Australia Zoo with our grandkids had Michael in raptures about the plants. Some people say they can't have a garden because they have kids or no time . Our babies slept in the pram or when they were bigger played along side us while we worked in the garden . When they were teenagers I found the great escape of mowing  . That aside it is lovely to see our adult children and grandchildren engaged with gardens and being outdoors. 

The Shambles is a child friendly place and at Easter we always have an Easter hunt and an art activity to do .  

The Garden in Autumn

 

The Autumn weather is great for visiting gardens. To me it is the best season for South East Queensland ,not too hot and generally lovely fine days. The three Montville gardens that are open this Easter long weekend will have a display of colourful shrubs and trees and as a result of the rain the gardens are green and lush. A garden is much more than individual plants and there is a unique feeling or atmosphere that comes from a well loved and tended garden. This is evident in each of the gardens and will be a wonderful way to see what are very private gardens nestled behind the hedges of Western Ave and Manley Drive .

Wongawilli , Lower Woontooba and the Shambles gardens are open to share with visitors and to raise funds for Cittamani Hospice .  See you in the garden , Kyleigh

Lower Woontooba