Every so often you come across something that is an absolute marvel. When you have time and/or money, you can achieve anything, and
Mayfield Garden is testament to that: all 160 acres of it.
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| Mayfield House |
Located just outside the NSW rural town of
Oberon on the way to the city of Bathurst, Mayfield Garden is one of the world's largest privately owned cool climate gardens.
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| Creek Garden, part of the 160 acres of cool climate gardens at Mayfield Garden |
Nestled within a 5000 acre working farm, the Hawkins family, inspired by the grandeur of English country garden estates, began developing their legacy in the mid-1990's.
This extraordinary private garden is open for the last two weeks in October and April, allowing the public the privilege to see it in all its glory each Spring and Autumn. For any garden lover this needs to be on the calendar.
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| Parterre garden |
Follies and features to experience in the private garden include the newly developed grotto, creek gardens, birch grove, rose garden, fernery walk, walled kitchen garden, sunken garden rooms, lawn parterre, croquet court, amphitheatre, chapel and aviary.
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| Chinese Pagoda |
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Mayfield Cascade & Temple
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| Walled Kitchen Garden |
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| Luxury chicken houses |
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| Amphitheatre |
Allow at least 3 hours to walk around the private Mayfield Garden. There is a shuttle bus that will run around the perimeter (on weekends only) but you'll still need your walking shoes to get the best experience. See the garden team at work on weekdays, and enjoy live entertainment on weekends as you spend a leisurely day wandering this beautiful garden.
If visiting outside the private garden viewing dates, you won't be disappointed. The six acre
Water Garden is now open all year round and is amazing.
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| Cascades in the Water Garden |
The Water Garden is beautiful anytime of year; the water lilies bloom in summer and the Hydrangeas last throughout the Autumn as the foliage of the cool climate plants change colour, and you may even see snow during the winter months.The mass plantings of Rhododendrons are stunning in their many colours in Spring - pink, red, orange - and the stone and water features make this garden a wonderful place to stroll around and sit amongst its beauty.
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| Rhododendrons in Spring |
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| Water lilies and Irises in the Water Garden |
Construction of the Water Garden began in 2005 and everything you see has been created on site. Meander along the paths that wind around the stream and cascades, and cross the blue-stone bridge (which took a year to build) for a bird's-eye view of this magnificent garden and the surrounding countryside.
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| Obelisk in the Water Gardens |
There are several other follies in the Water Garden, including boardwalks, a red bridge, a 25 metre obelisk, an avenue of London Plane trees and the work-of-art Copper Tree Fountain. Completing the Water Garden experience is the Nursery, stocked with a range of cool climate plants, most of which can be seen in the garden.
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| Copper Tree Fountain |
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| Entrance to nursery |
The Kitchen Cafe is a local's favourite, serving freshly prepared food made mostly from what is grown within the grounds of Mayfield Garden. There is a chook house and herb garden for the sole use of the cafe, and where possible the chef uses produce from the orchard and veggie patches.
For outdoor cooking and entertaining there is an enormous stone fireplace and a wood fired pizza oven. Whether this is for show or it does get used by the family or for special events, it certainly provides house and garden envy.
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| Kitchen Cafe & chook house |
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| Grand outdoor fireplace for outdoor entertaining in Kitchen Cafe surrounds |
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| Pizza oven at Kitchen Cafe |
The Mayfield Garden Nursery, Kitchen Cafe and Water Garden are open 7 days a week from 9.00am to 4.30pm, except public holidays and Christmas/New Year period.
Open days for the entire gardens are in the last two weeks in April and October.
