Lambley Gardens & Nursery

Event No 2



Event report by Peter Treby
On the first Tuesday of March and the U3A Gardening Interest Group convoyed to Ascot, north of Ballarat. Twenty-nine garden enthusiasts (and a dog) were greeted by David Glenn, plantsman and creator of Lambley for a fascinating two-hour tour.


David and his artist wife Criss Canning have created a diverse collection of separate gardens walled with trees and privet hedges, surrounding Burnside homestead. David is renowned as a dry climate horticulturalist, and his deep knowledge of every plant species in the five acres of garden soon became apparent. Lambley is “one of the first really considered responses to the challenges of gardening in the Australian climate without resorting to native plantings” (Wikipedia). David proudly showed us plant varieties sourced from around the world, including the US, Turkey, France, Japan and South Africa.


David is a fourth-generation professional gardener, originally from Lambley, Nottinghamshire, UK, the garden’s namesake. His children and grandchildren continue the tradition. 


We first visited an olive grove and dryland walled garden. Understorey perennials and succulents are here planted up to the trunks of the olives, David pointing out that this cannot be done among eucalypts.


In the next dryland area, hummingbird pollinated plants from US were featured. This area included a very attractive deep blue Agapanthus “Margaret Ollie”. David provided some moderating comments on the potentially invasive nature of some agapanthus.


We next visited an impressive acre of vegetables, espaliered fruit trees, vines and productive plants. David is no fan of “heirloom” species, preferring modern varieties which can cope with pests without excessive spraying with pesticides. The robust lettuces and cool climate corn certainly looked very healthy.


77-year old David has bred many plant varieties in his long career, the royalties from which help fund Lambley. Many of us invested in plants for our own gardens at the nursery shop. You can sign up for the Lambley newsletter, and order more from the nursery, at lambley.com.au. 


We adjourned to Widow Twankey’s in Clunes for lunch, then home to Ballarat. A great day was had by all who came. Many thanks to Andrew and the garden gawkers committee for organising it.

Photo's by Andrew Parker 
(click on the first photo for a slideshow)
















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