By Charlene Macaulay
One of Werribee’s best-kept secrets is about to come out in full bloom.
A secret garden at Cloverdale estate, on the outskirts of Werribee, has been more than 35 years in the making.
Now, amateur gardener Connie Menegazzo will open up her garden to the public for the first time.
Connie and her husband Julian bought the 149-hectare (370 acres) farm in 1981 and moved into the house two years later.
Back then, there were only two river red gums on the estate, both dating back more than 400 years. One has since died, but its trunk still cuts an impressive figure coming out of Lollypop Creek – which runs through the property –and remains the favourite perching spot for a number of ibis, Mrs Menegazzo said.
Today, the three-hectare garden includes many varieties of roses, wisteria and rose-trained arbors, sedums, frangipanis and irises, weeping willows and a forest with meandering walking paths.
There is also a vegetable patch, chickens and a small orchard.
“We started planting in 1983-84 but it was pretty tough, because it was just a bare paddock and we had a lot of issues with wind – it was really hard to get things going,” Mrs Menegazzo said.
“In the early days it was what lived, great, and we planted more of that, and what didn’t work we didn’t try again. It has definitely been a work in progress.”
One of the estate’s most prominent features, a long driveway lined with an avenue of golden elms underplanted with spring bulbs, almost didn’t come to fruition after a flood knocked many of the newly-planted trees down. However, all it took was for the Menegazzos to lift the trees back into their original place, and all was well.
“I love this garden because it’s always changing,” Mrs Menegazzo said.
“If you go out now you’ll start to see all the roses are starting to bud, the irises are growing – everything’s coming back to life. It’s a lot of work to clean it all up, but it’s so rewarding. It’s so beautiful.
“But I’m no expert – it’s really just hit and miss.”
Cloverdale will open to the public between 10am and 4.30pm on October 20 and 21. Entry is $8 for adults, $5 for students, and free for under 18 year olds.
For more information go to opengardensvictoria.org.au/Cloverdale
