A new, expertly crafted garden full of natives in full bloom this spring is opening to the public for the very first time.
Once the retirement property of Labor firebrand Jim Cairns, now the property of someone who built their livelihood on electronics, the young garden certainly has a storied past. Most of all, the open garden will be an opportunity to see a landscape by one of Australia’s most successful designers.
“It’s a little bit of an oasis,” he said.
Nakari, a private garden in Narre Warren East, is only four years old.
As a native garden, the bottlebrushes, kangaroo paws, billy buttons and much more are in full bloom this spring.
The colours won’t be the only factor to impress; its landscape is crafted by the internationally recognised Phillip Johnson.
Mr Johnson is the only Australian to have ever won Best in Show at the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show.
The winning garden was recreated as the Chelsea Australian Garden at the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden in Olinda.
Mr Johnson’s work focuses on sustainability and regenerating habitat; landscapes serve more as an ecosystem to be preserved for future generations rather than just a stimulating display for immediate audiences.
This philosophy interested owners Rex and Elaine Vandenberg, who not only have a personal interest in native gardens but in creating the ultimate family retreat.
“We wanted an area for our grandkids to come to. We’ve got eight grandkids and four kids of our own, and they regularly come here,” Mr Vandenberg said.
“It’s a little bit of an oasis.”
The 21-acre property is situated on a foothill of the Dandenong Ranges, the highest point of Narre Warren East, where the garden looks out all the way to the bay.
The land was the retirement home of Jim Cairns, the former Deputy Prime Minister under Whitlam.
He lived there through the 80s and 90s before his passing in 2003. It passed through different owners before the Vandenbergs purchased the property as their retirement home in 2017.
Two of the three original dwellings on the property were demolished due to their poor condition, as well as the existing sheds.
The purchase of the property came after Mr Vandenberg sold his business, Injectronics, which specialises in the recycling and repair of automotive electronics.
The business saw him mostly inside, tinkering away on a workbench, but in his off hours, he found himself ditching the soldering iron for shears.
The Vandenbergs were avid green thumbs at their previous homes, including in Narre Warren North.
Once at their new property and with more free time, there was no doubt the garden was a big priority.
“We liked the idea of a sort of Australian native garden,” he said.
“Lots of wildlife. When we were first here, it was just a blank paddock, but now we’ve got so much bird and insect activity over the last four years.”
Mr Johnson’s focus on natives and incorporating natural water features made him the top choice for the Vandenbergs.
What was once a leaking dam is now restored and connected to a creek that runs through the property, flowing through a billabong and a waterfall.
Large dolomite boulders from Mansfield Quarry dot the landscape, with pathways winding through the many natives that feed and house local wildlife.
Outdoor furniture is made from salvaged timber. The property’s fence is lined with more than 6000 plants put in by the Vandenbergs as part of the Yarra Ranges’ Ribbons of Green program; the border serves both as a habitat corridor for native fauna and a barrier keeping foxes and deer out.
The garden was completed four years ago and was not planned to be viewed by the public, but a visiting friend suggested the idea and the Vandenbergs didn’t see the harm in it.
Hosted by Open Gardens Victoria, the first public opening of the garden will be this weekend, Saturday 22 November and Sunday 23 November, 10am to 4.30pm each day.
Mr Johnson will be doing a walk and tour at 11am and 2pm on both days.
Vaughan’s Native Nursery, the supplier of the native plants in Nakari, will host a display and sale.
Andrew Kimpton, who supplied the handrails at Nakari as well as at the Chelsea Australian Garden, will have a display and sale of products.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for students. Entry is free for visitors under 18.
Tickets can be booked and prepaid online via TryBooking: www.trybooking.com/DEMXC.
