Morven glory: a garden gem

The first indication of just how special this garden might be comes at the double iron gates that elegantly guard the entrance.

Drive through to park in the midst of the lemon scented gum and box trees and you get your first real glimpse of the homestead and surrounding garden.

You know instantly that this is a garden that has been sweated over.

A tour with owners, Robert and Jenny Crichton, soon confirms that.

As we walk they recall the disasters that shook their resolve and the triumphs that made the hard work all seem worthwhile.

“This was a complete failure,” Jenny says pointing to a foot high wall of rock on the eastern side of the garden.

“It was a hedge of murraya but they all died in winter last year when we had a -5 degrees morning.

“We made a decision to replace the hedge with a rock wall to create another vista so we carted 160 rocks by hand from a dam to create this wall and I’ve planted some irises in front.”

Stories like this are plentiful at Maryvale and are bound to resonate with genuine garden lovers when Maryvale opens as part of the Australian Open Garden Scheme on Sunday September 9.

The one-day opening has been timed to coincide with the annual Morven Races on the Saturday and the 125th anniversary of the Morven State School over the same weekend.

It’s going to be a big weekend for the Morven community and Jenny and Robert are hoping their opening will help raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and the Charleville Isolated Childrens' Parent’s Association (ICPA).

Visitors will also been keen to hear the story of the original Maryvale homestead which was built in 1883 and moved by bullock wagon to its present site, in the 1920s.

Robert’s mother was a keen gardener and established a large rose garden along with bountiful vegetable gardens and fruit trees.

Jenny and Robert moved to the homestead in the mid 1970s and raised and educated their three daughters by distance education and boarding school from the 22,000ha beef property.

Jenny, who hails from a property in the Wagga Wagga district of NSW, said her father had some helpful advice for Robert when the couple married in 1969.

“Dad told Robert that all he needed to do was to keep the bank full and the tank full,” Jenny said.

“I’ve always thought that was insightful.”

These days, Jenny said the garden, which is fed by dam and bore water, has become a source of pleasure rather than produce, with only a few of the fruit trees and a small vegetable patch remaining.

Instead, Robert and Jenny have endeavored to create a cool oasis with water being an enduring feature of the garden.

Numerous rock ponds, coppers and large volcanic rocks trailing with water lilies are scattered about the garden.

“We like the water features not only to provide some relief in the summer but also to encourage the birdlife which we love,” Jenny said.

“I love ornamental plants and we don’t have any natives in the garden apart from a big box tree out the front. We have plenty of natives outside the garden fence and we have tried to create something different on this side.”

The garden is further shaded by Chinese elms, cottonwood poplars and claret ashes which were successfully grown with much nurturing and watering.

Jenny has fought hard to grow camellias and gardenias, which together with some well placed white climbing roses, add splashes of colour to the garden.

On the eastern side of the house, Jenny has created tiered gardens to emulate the gardens of her mother and grandmother.

Stone walls, climbers and arbors commemorate important family events including a fountain pond built in a courtyard for the Crichton family’s 75th reunion celebrations, held in 2008.

Numerous old buildings, including a potato shed, outside laundry and old men’s quarters, give the garden the sort of character you can only find in the far west.

Rustic brick paths, pots of lavender and rosemary and some charming garden art and feature materials such as wire and iron.

Many were made by Robert and Jenny’s daughter, Victoria, which also add to the appeal of the garden.

Robert and Jenny have endured much to create this garden, including the 2002 drought when the house dam ran dry and the bore water was reserved for stock.

“We only used a bit of bore water to sustain certain trees,” Jenny said.

“The lawn died, along with many plants, and about 50 kangaroos lived and fed in the garden.”

“Fortunately things like the antigonon vine and Virginia creeper inherited from Robert’s mother’s garden survived on the tennis court fence.”

In spite of their struggles, Jenny and Robert are proud of what they have achieved at Maryvale and say they are looking forward to sharing their story with other garden lovers on September 9.

“It’s going to be a big weekend for our community at Morven and we’re just delighted to be part of it,” Robert said.

September

9:

Maryvale garden, Maryvale Road, Morven.

15-16:

Tazelaar garden, 38 Lansdowne Way, Chuwar

Westwood Hall, 121 Bullock Dray Dve, Mount Crosby

Orchid Grove, 17 Barkston Crt, Buderim

22-23:

Cedarvale Park, 287 Tully Rd, Greenbank

Vico garden, 29 Davidson St, Ingham

October

6-7:

Ryhope Gardens, 10 Ryhope St, Buderim

Lass O'Gowrie, 1684 Diamantina Developmental Rd (Quilpie Rd), Charleville

13-14:

Deslyn, 22 Muller Crt, Harrisville

20-21:

Adenfield, 71 Thorn St, Ipswich

Parkside, 70 Thorn St, Ipswich

Wickes garden, 8 Roms Crt, Buderim

27-28:

Chetwynd, 46 Kathleen St, Corinda

Sommer garden, 61 Vyner St, Pinjarra Hills

Kerryville, 744 Beachmere Rd, Beachmere

De Bats, 174 Alexandra Pde, Wamuran

Rosh Eden, 1462 Running Creek Rd, Rathdowney

Sharon's garden, 29 Derain Dve, Warwick

Kuranda Palms, Lot 10 Saddle Mountain Rd, Kuranda

Retreat, 51 Mason Rd, Kuranda