A Port Lincoln couple is opening their garden for all to visit later this month.
The Bostonvista garden is the work of Karen and Rick Miels – it is now eight-years-old and has gone from a bare block on purchase with challenges such as a long driveway, an abundance of surface, hidden and reef granite, a wide range of soil types – predominantly heavy clay – and a natural slope to the eastern boundary.
Karen is the creative force behind the garden. She designed the house, surrounds and garden while Rick tried to enact Karen’s ideas and by large was working out.
Karen said the seaview dictated where to make a cut and place the house.
“Our vision for Bostonvista was to have a property which was energy and resource efficient with surrounds which were varied, textured, colourful, seasonal and above all calm and connects with the abundance of nature our location affords.”
The garden features beds of roses, bearded iris, rosemary, lavender, poppies, succulents
and natives which create a blaze of colour.
It is very flowery and features a creek which flows through the property, a veggie garden and 20 fruit trees.
A number of op shop finds have been repurposed as garden art.
Karen described the garden as being in two parts; the decorative side being for the soul and the veggies and orchard for the stomach.
Karen said it was a bit hard to define if the garden was work or recreation.
“As we progress our garden time becomes less about ‘hard yakka’ and more about enjoyment mixed with satisfaction.”
Karen said there had been a few “learnings” along the way from their work on the garden.
“You can swear at granite or use it as a resource”.
The couple have been able to structurally and creatively use more than 3000 tonnes of the rock, building 163 metres of stone walls and an amazing entrance of mosaicked steps which lead down from the home to the garden.
The garden at 125 Howard Avenue, Boston will open on Saturday and Sunday, October 21 and 22, from 10am until 4.30pm, with refreshments available and plant sales across the two days.
There are activities for children including a colouring in area, a trail of hidden painted rocks to follow, find and then re-hide, a teapot village and a painted rock village.
General entry cost is $10 and under 18s are free, while Open Gardens SA member entry is $8.
All money raised will go to the Port Lincoln Home Hospice Service.
