The aim with Musk Cottage was to challenge people’s preconceptions about garden making, one that went beyond a square of lawn and the latest fashionable plantings. The garden was to be recognisably Australian in flavour but seamlessly knitted with plants from around the world. A melting pot if you like.
As with any experimental garden, there have been successes and failures. And every true gardener is never fully satisfied with the entire garden. Construction of this non-irrigated garden began at the peak of Victoria’s drought and relied on the mulch at its base and the toughness of its plants. When drought turned to inundation a couple of years ago, there was a reckoning with some plantings in poorly drained areas that led to the creation of a wetland. Thankfully the successes have far out-weighed the failures and Musk Cottage stands as a testament to low maintenance, sustainable gardening.
Incredible photography by Alison Hoelzer.