Macedon Ranges open gardens
The Macedon Ranges is home to many historic and heritage private properties offering seasonal and year-round open garden experiences.
Autumn and spring are particularly popular months to visit, however the region’s four distinct seasons offer unique and beautiful garden landscapes at any time of year.
Open garden experiences
- Offer inspiration for your own garden
- An idyllic destination for picnics with family and friends, with plenty of secret spots for kids to discover
- Creative opportunities for artists and amateur photographers who love to capture, draw and paint botanical scenes
- A haven for enthusiastic horticulturalists
And of course, a ramble in the garden is good for the soul.
Mount Macedon gardens
Behind the walls of impressive Mount Macedon mansions are some of Victoria’s finest gardens, many National Trust-listed.
The iconic Forest Glade on Mount Macedon is open year-round (except for total fire ban days), while other famous gardens such as the Gardens of Tieve Tara are typically open during spring and autumn.
Open Gardens Victoria also work with private Mount Macedon gardens on select dates of the year.
Open gardens beyond Mount Macedon
The wild and rambling country garden of Bringalbit in Sidonia is open to the public on weekends for much of the year. Other private Macedon Ranges open gardens are often held in conjunction with events such as the annual Kyneton Daffodil & Arts Festival and the Open Gardens Victoria program.
Spring open gardens program 2019
The spring months offer visitors the chance to see famous historic gardens that would otherwise be hidden behind private gates.
The Gardens of Tieve Tara on Mount Macedon will open their gates seven days a week from 1 September to 30 November 2019. This garden is an absolute delight and heaven for little kids too!
In addition, the historical garden of Bolobek on Mount Macedon will be open for one weekend only during the annual Garden Lovers’ Fair (see below for details).
Download our 2019 Spring Open Gardens Macedon Ranges Brochure.
Annual Garden Lovers Fair
For green-thumbs, the Mount Macedon Horticultural Society’s Garden Lovers Fair held every October should not be missed! Hosted on the beautiful gardens of ‘Bolobek’ in Macedon, the Garden Lovers’ Fair is a wonderful opportunity to meet the growers and select from an amazing range of plant and garden treasures.
Annual Garden Lovers’ Fair at Bolobek Mount Macedon.
Botanical Gardens in the Macedon Ranges
Kyneton, Malmsbury and Gisborne boast Botanic Gardens open to the public seven days a week. The Kyneton and Malmsbury Botanic Gardens are both heritage gardens with many original cuttings from the Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne.
Malmsbury Botanic Gardens offers fantastic views and photo opportunities of the Malmsbury Viaduct. Completed in 1862, this is the oldest masonry bridge in Australia. When it was finished it was one of Australia’s longest stone bridges and still remains one of the finest examples of early bridges in the country.
Malmsbury Viaduct and Botanical Gardens
In the Kyneton Botanic Gardens you can enjoy a peaceful walk or bike ride along the Campaspe River, or a stop by the Kyneton Community Park for a picnic and play.
Plant nurseries in the Macedon Ranges
Where there are keen gardeners there are great nurseries, and the Macedon Ranges has an overwhelming array. Stephen Ryan’s nursery in Mount Macedon, Dicksonia Rare Plants, is perhaps best known. However, the Spring Hill Nursery outside of Tylden is rated by locals for its no-fuss approach and practical selection.
Mount William Advanced Tree Nursery in Lancefield offers the gardener feature trees for gardens and private spaces in which the hard work has been done. And the Post Office Farm Nursery in Ashbourne (near Woodend) is a specialist breeder and grower of hellebores. Open to the public on Sundays (only) during winter and early spring, this nursery is highly worth a visit.
If heading to Kyneton, make sure to stop by Rodilesa Plant Nursery or the Garden Tap Nursery. Both are conveniently located on historic Piper Street next to fantastic cafes and shops, so you can really make a day of it!
Many villages in the Macedon Ranges have inviting plant nurseries to inspire green thumbs.
Download our Guide to Macedon Ranges Plant Nurseries
Flower farm trail, floral workshops & peony picking
Follow the Macedon Ranges Flower Farm Trail for access to farm gate flowers, floral workshops, open days and more. During November, you can even pick peonies directly from the fields at Romswood Peony Farm and Spring Hill Peony Farm. Follow our ‘What’s On’ page for the most current floral workshops and flower farm open days in the Macedon Ranges.
Crofters Fold Estate, one of the bee-friendly farms on The Flower Farm Trail
