Sunday 14 June 2015

Ripponlea - a sylvan glade in the heart of a city


In 2010, I visited Monet's Garden in Giverny. I mention this because o the bridge: similar, but quite different. There are soe lillies on the Ripponlea pond, but way more in Giverny. Giverny is a tumble of flowers, a concatenation of plantings. Ripponlea is a cultivated, and dare I say, restrained oasis.


The garden tries to be sustainable. It is fed by the lake, which is fed by the waterfall, the water from which is harvested from as far-a-field as Caulfield Racecourse. Stormwater was pumped from the surrounding suburbs into the lake and then, throughout the garden by the windmill. Over the years this reticulation system has degraded, and the National Trust is endeavouring to re-instate a version of the original system.


In reality, this garden is a little bit of England, down-under. No wonder a unique method of watering had to be devised.

4 comments:

diane b said...

May not be as pretty as Monet's Garden but it is beautiful all the same. Where is Ripponlea?

Joe said...

This is one of our favourite spots Julie. Glad you got there. To answer Dianne's question, Rippon Lea House & Estate is in the suburb of Ripponlea about 8 Kim's from the CBD.

William Kendall said...

That bridge stands out beautifully! What a lovely area to stroll.

Joan Elizabeth said...

Little bit of England down under is rather nice I reckon even though I also love the bush.