Mary from the Garden Tap Nursery talks to Bruce Honey and Keith Walmore of Verdicus
Verdicus, which translates to green circles, is the name and master plan for this stunning paradise located in Tylden.
The first time I visited this garden I was lost for words, which if you know me at all, is rather extraordinary!
Bruce and Keith own this pocket of Tylden and have worked former degraded farmland, heavily populated with gorse and blackberries on a weekend basis from 2003 and are still working today to Bruce’s masterplan.
With Bruce as the designer and his partner Keith also an avid gardener it was sleeves rolled up and spades at the ready, they commenced on their many weekend projects of transforming the 3.6ha property.
Starting the garden, the main infrastructure of dams, terraces driveways and a cottage were established. The main house was actually built in 2017. This wonderful example of planning and sticking to the masterplan for a garden of avenues, terraces, dams and various gardens, has created a place well worth a visit.
Bruce, a horticulturist, designer of luxury rural gardens and a self-confessed non plant snob, often propagates his own plants, and considering the size and variety of plants this seems like a good idea.
When you enter Verdicus there is a parkland feel and an array of specific gardens such as the Crescent Partarre, which is based on a Middle Eastern rug design, with burgundy, pink and white displays bordered by English box hedging.
The Blue Garden is an example of what you can achieve by mass seasonal planting of similar hues. As you wander along the paths and avenues you will pass through the Tapestry Garden, the Native Corner and one of my favourites, the Maple Walk.
Entering the gardens, past two large dams, there are curving paths leading in a carefully designed manner to ensure there is always a parkland feel and views of the Macedon Ranges.
Sounds very easy and romantic? Well when you ask Bruce and Keith, they will tell you that the wet, cold, frost-laden winters, long hot dry summers and heavy (if fertile) soils have resulted in both success and failure. One would think this is a costly exercise, however through trial and error, doing their own propagating, Bruce has stuck to tried and true plants such as iris, cornflowers, silver birch, daffodils, hellebores and box hedge, just to name a few.
There is a practical side as well to Verdicus, not only lawns, marquee and a games lawn, but chooks and a vegetable garden area.
Verdicus is open for viewing in November this year as part of the Kyneton Rotary Garden Designfest.
