Goyder Gardens Burra and Beyond

Covid safe practices will apply, please adhere to rules at the time of the event.

Map key code to access directions and addresses to gardens will be on your tickets and order confirmation.

Workshops are only open to general admission ticket holders, children doing workshops need a ticket holding parent to accompany them.

A weekend getaway in SA's mid north for lovers of gardens, plants, garden art, lifestyle, gardening books,country food and hospitality.

Every October the gardeners in the Goyder region open their gates to welcome visitors from all over the state, as well as interstate in safer times.

A Covid friendly event in the fresh air means garden lovers can spend time taking in the gardens and browsing the stalls. This year there will also be workshops, gardening, art creation and food, as well as special sessions on botanical printing and creating insect hotels, not to mention cooking for kids.

Some gardens will have home-made morning teas, others will have lunch, at one you can even get a late breakfast.

These little piggies at the trough are in one of the gardens, can you find them? Hint, they're in a place tucked away all private and perfect for workshops for adults and kids. Here too you'll find worm farms, insect attracting plant kits, cakes for your sweet tooth, but don't feed the pigs, and a bilby and native fauna story telling adventure.

Well this is a place you can spoil yourself, we're really hoping the weather is kind enough for the roses to bloom.

Start with a late breakfast, listen to Trevor Nottle talk on gardening and present the book Gardening in South Australia by the Mediterranean Garden Society of SA. You'll even be able to buy suitable plants from specialist grower Tupelo Grove nursery.

Catering by Confidential catering, coffee by fresh BEAN. Menu on Goyder Gardens website.

There'll be special natives for sale, gorgeous WA varieties grown from stock adapted to our soil, maybe team these up with some Whadabout rustic sculptures.

You can have morning tea, lunch and coffee while you listen to the music of Tamarisque.

If you love the art and creating side of gardening, Indigenous Artist of the Year, Sonya Rankine will conduct a weaving workshop. Very limted spots available.

Look at the size of the Peace rose, this plant must be 50 years old and stands nearly 3 metres tall. Here it is thriving in a dryland garden where many of its contemporary plants have been removed, they just wouldn't thrive in our climate change era.

On Saturday there'll be a morning tea to raise money for The Royal Flying Doctor Service, a worthy cause and one that cares for all in the outback whether you're a local or a traveller. No EFTPOS so please bring cash, menu at Goyder Gardens

You can have coffee, tea or wine from Hill River Estate, if you prefer.

A garden in the heart of farmland with glorious sweeping views from the hillside over the fertile valleys, home to hay, wheat crops and grazing sheep.

This is a garden that's establishing itself after the removal of feral pine trees and a major house renovation. A place for entertaining with a huge lawn area that's Bill's domain and hours of work with his trusty mower, lawn not hay.

Come to this garden to take in the sheer scope of the landscape, enjoy morning tea both on Saturday and Sunday with a barbecue Sunday. Peggy is a keen golfer so she's always helping her Burra club to raise funds for improvements.  NO EFTPOS Please bring cash.                              

                      Menu can be seen at Goyder Gardens                                         

Look out for the art stalls here, SA craft people at their best and hardy native plants suited to dry climates.

We can't feature all the gardens here, the video gives a quick look at the variety to tempt you.

For a more detailed look go to www.goydergardens.com.au

WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS

You will need an Open Gardens ticket to participate

Saturday 10.30 - Trevor Nottle well known author and dedicated plants person wil present the book Gardening in South Australia, which he part authored, for the Mediterranean Garden Society of SA. Listen to Trevor's tales of gardening over the years in SA and how as our state becomes drier we need to adapt to plants that will thrive. Books and plants for sale. Enjoy the look, don't crave the plant.

Saturday 11.00 - Indigenous artist of the year, Sonya Rankine, is a talented weaver. Sonya Rankine is a Ngarrindjeri, Ngadjuri & Narungga artist who has established herself as a weaver under her business name of Lakun Mara. Lakun Mara means 'Weaving Hand' in Ngarrindjeri language. Let Sonya get you started weaving beautiful baskets or platters from the garden. Take home your creation.

Saturday all day - Recreate experts in recycling and environmentally friendly ways to create special projects will run a printing workshop using plants from the garden. Find out what plants work best and make your own origional  artwork into cards, posters even placemats. Kids and adults welcome.

Saturday & Sunday 12.00 - Meet Tori Arbon food ambassador. One Magic Square - A look at gardening in small spaces for productivity.Tori with her fabulous Magic Little Meals will be on hand to introduce you to the joy of home grown food, the wonders of zucchini, the delicacy of chard. In the two sessions you'll discover how food is grown and how to cook up a storm from the garden.

Saturday 2.00 - Christine McCabe, author, travel writer and gardener will be back again this year. Listen to her talk about the different gardens she's seen on her travels, the difference between climates from high to low rainfall. Christine's book Gardens of the Adelaide Hills is a beautiful look at the different styles of gardening in the hills. Books available

Saturday 6.30pm - Dinner at The Old Railway Station BYO Drinks Limited tickets available to enjoy country hospitality at the restored Railway Station, a perfect end to a long day looking at gardens. Start with nibbles including home-made quiches, follwed by a range of mouth watering aromatic curries, from vegan to vegetarian as well as meat eaters delights. Sit back, enjoy being catered for, then finish with a choice of sweet slices accompanied by tea and coffee. 

Saturday & Sunday 11.00- 2.00 - Meet author and children's educator Kaye Kessing who loves to share her stories with kids. She'll read the stories about Chuditch the Spotted Quoll, Mala the Hare Wallaby, Numbat and Sticky the Stick-nest Rat. Kaye was the woman who championed the Easter Bilby rather than the rabbit. Bilby's Ring Books available and more titles. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

Sunday 10.30 - Meet the panel of experts, listen to their gardening experiences. then ask your questions, they're here to help solve your problems and make gardening easier and more fun.

Sunday 11.00 - Hand building a pot with Jill Foster. Jill is a local character and wonderful teacher, who's enthusiastic to share her love of pot making with those who wish to learn.You'll learn how to build a pot by hand, maybe for your herbs or a bowl for water for the bees. Please bring an old shirt to cover your clothes. Take home your ceation.

Sunday all day - Recreate is back with a fun workshop making an insect hotel. Encourage your very own clutch of beneficial insects that you can monitor with this house you make. Take it home and watch to see which species prevail in your area.

Sunday 1.30 - Vertical gardening with award winning designer Tim Keenihan of Cafe Argo fame. is a firm believer in rethinking our options now that people live in highrises and blocks are getting smaller. Keep the quality of produce, no matter how small- garden vertically. Let Tim get you started. Tim also sells seeds and plants wearing his other hat - The Italian Gardener.

Charities supported by Goyder Gardens