Totally inspired by my visit over the weekend to Boongala Gardens in Kenthurst, Sydney. Malcolm and Jenny have spent the last thirty years passionately developing a stunning native garden. They open it to the public twice a year, in Autumn and Spring and we highly recommend a visit ($2.00 to visit and children are free with proceeds going to the Royal Flying Doctors). Thank you to my friend Marlene for alerting me to the open days, I am so grateful!

It is an incredible garden and Malcolm generously takes visitors on a rainforest walk which we thoroughly enjoyed ($3.00 per adult, children are free). He has cultivated an incredible amount of native species and incorporated palms from Queensland and other parts of Australia, including the familiar Comboyne Mountain. It was lovely, so peaceful and created with time and respect for the Australian bush.

The gardens are amazing and we enjoyed a picnic on the grass with the children played soccer while we shopped. The store is filled with Australian natives that vary in size and cater to both wet and dry native forest. The range of grevillea’s were impressive and I can see myself going back in a few weeks for more! The birds throughout the garden expressed their delight in the variety of species offered and it was hard to come home.

I’ve added my purchases to our species list and look forward to planting them when we next visit Booyong with wire to protect them from the roos and wallabies.  They include the stunning cascading grevillea, Alyogyne Huegelii (in purple and white for Bob because he likes flowers), the stunning Native pigface (Coorpobrotus Glaucescens), Grevillea Jolly Swagman, stunning Isopogan Anemonifolius, Native finger lime (generously priced and well established), Majestic Grevillea and more.

I have been following the sight on Facebook for some time and am in awe of the stunning flower arrangements displayed. I can only hope one day the gardens around the cabin at Booyong are as beautiful and my passion for native remains as it appears to have done for both Malcolm and Jenny.  Thank you for your time and hospitality today and you can be certain you will see us again!