Spring in the Dandenongs

Part One: Cloudehill and Rangeview Gardens

In October of every year, my partner Paul and I travel to the Dandenong Ranges on the East edge of the city of Melbourne, only two hours from where we live. Our destination is the little town of Olinda, where we like to stay for a few days, for no reason other than to enjoy the wonderful gardens.

Perhaps, it is an over-reach to call to mind some of the world’s greatest gardeners in this connection, but Australian gardeners were certainly mindful of their European antecedents.

For instance, the line of topiary in the photo above marks the boundary between the relatively formal, and often exquisite, Cloudehill Gardens and the wildly triumphant, century-old, Rangeview Gardens with their flashes of historic Rhododendron, stretching into the high canopy.

There is even a stand of very old Kurume Azaleas, wonderfully tangled in the branches and planted in Australia at about the same time the breed was first arriving in Europe from Japan.

Other interesting species abound, collected from around the world: a magnificent specimen of American Tulip Tree, and there are pines and Auracarias, and several native Eucalypt species that rise as high as fifty meters.

Access to these historic plantings, many of which date back a full century, is by way of a labyrinth of dark pathways and steep steps, marked by hoary stone walls and sculptures and leading to sudden bright openings in the canopy high above.

It seems altogether appropriate that this is one of the few remaining habitats of the glorious lyre bird, thought by David Attenborough to be the world’s greatest mimic. If you’re able to spend a few days in the area, you might just see the bird’s display dance which surely surpasses that of the peacock.

By good fortune and for a reasonable consideration, it is still possible to stay at the finely re-appointed 1920’s cottage of the original owners. We once saw the Lyrebird dance and sing just outside the bedroom windows.

Amidst all this enchantment, one catches glimpses of several great British gardeners’ influence (like Capability Brown) and, in the Cloudehill section of the gardens, small but elegant parterres reminiscent of the 17th century French gardener Le Notre.

In my estimation, these two public gardens are the finest in the Melbourne area, although the Dandenong Ranges are home to at least three other major gardens in close proximity. Part Two of this post will explore the glories of my third favorite Melbourne garden, until recently known as the National Rhododendron Garden, nearly 100 acres in extent.