"Springtime Symphony" in Sunshine Bay was celebrated at a morning tea presentation with some of the estate's famous gardeners and friends. This year's theme gave music a visual presence in the floral designs created by our imaginative green thumbs.
Congratulations to the winners of first prize: Betty and Brian Fowler of 3 Cox Place. Their garden is a scintillating rhapsody of style and structure. Featuring an archway of deep pink roses, highlighted with vibrant kalanchoe and cute hot pink "pompoms". The standard roses are not just "a standard" they are grafted with two colours, either red and white or yellow and white and they surround a weeping standard rose that is accentuated by a mass border of white silver leafed convolvulus. The burgundy ensemble of maples and urns enhances this sophisticated garden. Please click on images to enlarge.
The rock garden of Mr and Mrs Diggins (6 John Forrest Place) is a concerto of colour that captured the judge's eye with its bold brashness and won them second prize.
This concerto has a large trumpet section that yells out "Hey, come look at me".
Packed with petunias, showy mesembryanthemums (pig face), ranunculus, roses, corn flowers and a striking mix of white and purple lavender this garden sings happiness in high "c".
Mr and Mrs van Schieveen (awarded a Highly Commended) of 12 Poole Place have created a harmony of natural wonders.
Working on a vertical site they have turned a one-note theme into a Broadway musical. The score features a cascade of water and colour, kalanchoe, seaside daisies, agapanthus, grevilleas, clivias and hippeastrums to mention a few.
Move over Disney here comes Jenny McGrath (22 Blaxland Crescent) with her "Fantasia" style garden. A mix of whimsical ornaments gives a note of magic to the chorus of roses, hibiscus, wisteria and natives.
The diva of Jenny's show is the honey grevillea that attracts the birds to sing their songs.
This year we have increased the number of encouragement awards to six, the musical program is as follows.
The classical note hit by Mr and Mrs Curtis of 12 Cox Place moves to the tempo of a Strauss waltz. A central garden bed adorned with a gown of roses and frilled with hot pink dianthus is the crescendo.
Mr and Mrs Mikac of 1 Lawson Place have created a European fanfare of striking colour. It is a two-tiered corner garden that features an archway, bulbs and the essential lemon tree.
The sweet melody of Richard and Lois Harvey's (46 Thomas Mitchell Crescent) garden resonates with colour. An array of carpet and standard roses, hibiscus, bougainvillea, murrays and lobelia wrap around this corner garden.
Mr and Mrs Rita and Terry Vaughan of 10 Stuart Place have sown a calypso chorus that will grow into a Latin American carnivale. Beyond the carpet of lush grass sings garden beds of kangaroo paw, tibouchina, white daisies, canna lilies, nandina and a striking red leafed, pink flowering gaura.
Reflecting the style of an operetta, Ms June Dicker's (3 Forrest Place) garden features an ensemble of ranunculus in every hue bordered with olbelia and pansies and accentuated by twin burgundy leafed maples.
Modern jazz meets traditional beats with the spectacular dry rock wall garden of Mr and Mrs Graham (16 Batman Place). Ingeniously concealing a rainwater tank with masonry and foliage, this garden will stand the test of time.
Special mention to Mr and Mrs Alves, the producers of the Cox Place Broadway musical for their tireless efforst in their garden and for inspiring others to join in the chorus.
Up and coming talent includes 44 Thomas Mitchell Crescent, Stuart Place, Gosse Place and Giles Place. We look forward to seeing what a year will bring.
Congratulations to every performer in the show, in the judge's eyes Sunshine Bay is filled with stars.