About

Veguary is back for its second year and it’s shaping up to be even bigger and better than last year! Across two inspiring weekends, we’re opening the gates to a diverse mix of amazing gardens, each showcasing unique and practical approaches to productive growing.

It’s not just about ornamental gardens (though we definitely have a few stunning ones in the mix!). Veguary is all about celebrating the many ways people grow food. Whether you’re working with a sprawling backyard, a cosy courtyard, or anything in between.

Our goal is simple: to get you inspired, outside, and growing, and ultimately eating, more home-grown food. Come explore, learn and connect with a community that loves to grow just as much as you do.

General Event Information

To keep the Veguary Open Garden Weekends safe, enjoyable, and respectful for hosts and visitors, please note:

Weather & Conditions

• This event is weather dependent; severe weather may require changes or cancellations.
• Dress appropriately for the conditions—sun protection, jackets, hats, etc.
• Many gardens include grass, gravel, uneven terrain, or steps.

Footwear

• Closed-toe shoes are reccomended for all properties.

Pets

• No pets permitted at any garden (for safety of animals, visitors, and biosecurity reasons).

Smoking & Vaping

• Strictly no smoking or vaping on any property.

Toilets

• Most gardens do not provide toilets.
• If a garden has a facility (e.g., a port-a-loo), it will be noted in its profile.

Open Gardens for Weekend One

 

'Kilteskin' 394 Llowalong Rd, Stratford

If you’d like to see how the owners of a beloved local nursery apply their growing knowledge at home, thisgarden is for you! This many-acre hilltop garden is part of a multi-generational family story, with three related gardens open on the same day.

With decades of shared knowledge behind it, this garden feels effortless in its harmony,  part ornamental beauty, part hidden productivity. Expect curry-themed beds, mature stone pines producing real pine nuts, overwintered capsicums, avocados, grapes, sweet potatoes, compost systems, worms and a hardworking chicken crew in the orchard. It’s the kind of garden that has you mentally redesigning your own garden five minutes after arriving.

Coffee cart there on the day! Remember to BYO cup, the planet will thank you.

Go here if you want to see
One of the most ornamental gardens on the Veguary tour, stone pines, a giant pumpkin in the making and a perfect blend of beauty and productivity.

Parking

• Paddock parking available.

Pathway terrain

• Gravel paths, lawn and a few small steps. Wear sturdy shoes.

Amenities

• A port-a-loo will be onsite.
• Scattered seating available.
• Coffee cart to grab yourself a coffee as you wander the beautiful gardens.

Risks

• Farm setting with possible snakes.
• Pool with no visitor access. 

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30 Boisdale Street, Maffra

This garden is both an ornamental space and a food lover’s paradise. There are berries galore, wicking beds pumping out produce, and a pair of small ponds where a keen fisherman keeps bait yabbies. Once you’ve taken in all the edible goodness, the artistry begins to emerge: plants chosen for their shape, texture and sculptural flair for floral art, alongside characterful handmade sculptures tucked throughout the space. This garden is part of a multi-generational gardening family, with close relatives also opening their gardens on the same day. Proof that growing things really is in their DNA..

Go here if you want to see
A fig hedge out front, berry abundance, wicking beds, yabby ponds, beautiful ornamentals and handmade sculptures.

Parking

• Street parking in suburban Maffra. Please respect neighbours.

Pathway Terrain

• Grass, small paths and a few steps.

Risks

• Small ponds, a pool with no access and standard garden footing.

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470 Raymond Street, Sale 

The original green thumbs of this gardening family are now in their eighties and are also opening their garden on the same day as their children (the two gardens mentioned above). They tend their property with the kind of quiet skill that only decades of hands-on experience can bring. The garden is a clever, low-waste system where every bit of organic matter, from kitchen scraps to prunings and fallen leaves, loops straight back into the soil. Through composting, mulching and a few well-placed worms doing their thing, nothing goes to waste and everything feeds something else. It is a simple, sustainable setup that shows you do not need a huge system to keep a garden thriving year after year, and it is beautifully ornamental too.

Go here if you want to see
What octogenarians are capable of! Plus, a thriving, tidy, deeply loved home garden, brick paths, ornamentals, productive veg.

Parking

• Street parking on Raymond Street. Walk if possible.

Pathway Terrain

• Good paths. Entry through the garage.

Risks

• Minimal hazards, just normal garden footing.

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81 Stockdale Road, Stratford

The matriarch of this acreage has lovingly tended it for 25 years, and now her daughter joins her in caring for the garden. The property features a small and very well establised orchard, several herb and vegetable beds, and tidy compost bays. Visitors can taste small-batch sauces made from family recipes, reimagined with new Asian-inspired flavours. Friendly miniature horses who help fertilise the garden are a cute bonus.

Go here if you want to see
An established orchard, labelled compost bays, miniature horses and home-crafted sauces to sample.

Parking

• A paddock will be open for parking.

Pathway Terrain

• Grassy terrain.

Amenities

• Scattered seating available.

Risks

• Farm animals
• Pippa the dog is onsite
• Possible snakes

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8 Rawlings Road, Stratford

Open for their second year! This riverside acreage garden continues to evolve each year into a thriving, sustainable landscape. A large orchard is managed using clever natural systems; geese mow the grass in fenced sections, chickens fertilise from above, and berries, vegetable patches and olives provide both beauty and function. Permaculture principles guide the design throughout the property, from orchard layout to energy-smart home design. A small display of pottery by local makers celebrates the region’s creative talent.

Go here if you want to see
Permaculture principles in action, geese, orchard design, grapes shading the house and more!

Parking

• Parking on Rawlings Road. Please keep clear of neighbours’ driveways.

Pathway Terrain

• Gravel, uneven ground and gently sloping areas.

Amenities

• Scattered seating available.

Risks

• Some uneven ground.
• Snakes possible.

 

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Thomson River Farms, 13-23 Commercial Road, Heyfield, VIC

Follow Thomson River Farms Here

This newly established regenerative market garden offers a behind-the-scenes look at how productive food systems are built from the ground up. Since taking on the land last year, the focus has been on setting up permanent vegetable beds that improve soil health over time, using methods that work with natural systems.

The garden is designed using permaculture principles and includes permanent beds supported by compost, compost teas, green manure and cover crops. Beyond the growing areas, there is a young 200-tree fruit orchard, compost bays, dead hedging for habitat and wind protection, and an efficient irrigation system designed to reduce water use. Materials are reused wherever possible, reflecting a practical, low-waste approach.

Go here if you want to see

A regenerative market garden in its early stages, permanent vegetable beds, soil-building techniques, compost systems, cover cropping, permaculture principles in action, and a developing fruit tree orchard.

Parking

• Entry via Rose Street. Please follow signage or directions on the day.

Pathway Terrain

• Uneven farm pathways. Some areas may be soft, muddy or grassy depending on weather.

Risks

• This is a working farm. Uneven ground and irrigation lines throughout the site. Children must be supervised at all times.
• Some uneven ground.
• Snakes possible.

See the weekend 2 gardens here