Wattle Woods Top Garden Bench
The garden bench at the top of the Wattle Woods has a real woodland feel to it. Huge Wattle tree branches spread overhead, chunky Camellias grow behind, and the water race is close by. It's a festival of foliage all year round.
The Wattle Woods Garden Bench
Across the water race the Gunnera is forever expanding, along with the water-side Ferns. The large Phormiums just past Rooster Bridge have Renga Renga planted in front of them.
Wattle Woods Bench
The water race is narrower here underneath Rooster Bridge, and seems to be a little noisier as it burbles and gurgles past. It's a great place to bring a book to read. The Wattle trees above are often full of fantails, who flit and hover overhead. This is quite tantalising for any companion cats, but the fantails are rarely in danger.
Wattle Woods Top Bench (Winter 2004)
If you turn around and look into the woods there's a tremendous variety of foliage to admire, from Bergenias and strappy green Japanese Irises to the crinkle leafed Ligularias and the shining leaves of the Camellias. And don't forget that in spring these huge shrubs are covered with pretty pink flowers.
A Shady Seat
A cream and green variegated Coprosma has tripled in size in a year, and the small flaxes are equally happy, even though the garden here is quite shady.
Sitting on the Wattle Woods garden seat I can hear the water racing past in the water race. Eucalyptus (Gum) trees tower overhead. Their trunks are very textural, with strips and patches of bark missing.
A Special Spring Spot
Sitting here in the shade on a hot summer's day is a real pleasure of green, with no roses in sight. But if the winds are blowing, forget it - it's far too noisy! There's more colour in spring, as the Camellias show off their puffy pink flowers.
A large number of red, white, and pink toned hellebores grow just next-door to the Wattle Woods bench. It's one of the most beautiful places to be in the whole spring garden.