DARLINGTON will become a destination for garden lovers on Sunday, October 11 when five private gardens open to the public from 10am to 4pm in a special collaborative event with the Darlington Community Garden at 16 Pine Terrace, Darlington.

The ‘Five Open Gardens in Darlington’ is the largest event Open Gardens WA has staged to date, bringing together garden owners, the Darlington Community Garden volunteers and 25 trained Open Gardens WA volunteers, who will be welcoming visitors and helping at the garden gates throughout the day.

Visitors can explore five very different gardens, with the event designed so two gardens can be reached on foot from the Darlington Community Garden, while a free bus service will take visitors to the three gardens further afield. Those feeling energetic can walk between all five.

Entry to an individual garden is $8, or visitors can purchase a $30 ticket to visit all five gardens.

The day begins at the Darlington Community Garden where visitors can collect their tickets, enjoy a sausage sizzle and connect with the local community before setting off to explore the gardens.

Gardens on show

• Gums and Roses at 48 Lionel Road is a garden shaped by time and an enduring love of roses where beneath the cooling canopy of mature gums, abundant roses mingle with large garden sculptures.

Flower-laden arches draw you from one space to the next, while weathered old bricks have been repurposed to form paths, seating areas and distinctive garden features.

This is a garden where thoughtful planting, creative reuse and a love of sculpture come together in a wonderful expression of its owners’ passion.

• Little Acre at 8 Mofflin Avenue is home to a gorgeous natural swimming pond - a beautiful example of Aquascape’s approach to creating water that works with nature.

Plants, beneficial bacteria and biological filtration work together as part of a balanced ecosystem.

Solidly built stone walls frame sweeping lawns with city views, while an inspiring productive garden includes fruit trees and berries.

Landscaper Tony Green will be in Little Acre all day sharing his knowledge and answering questions and 15-minute guided tours of the swimming pond will be held at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.

• Plants will be for sale at 22 Amherst Avenue where stone retaining walls create a series of terraces across this large sloping garden, where roses and flowering perennials spill through the beds.

A level lawn and sun deck provide views down through the garden, near the workshop where blooms are prepared for weddings.

Beyond the ornamental garden, vegetable beds, chicken coop, a swimming pool and a striking granite outcrop add to the garden’s appeal.

The gently sloping grassy paddock, shaded by mature trees is ideal for a picnic while you enjoy the day..

• At 10 Orange Road a charming small garden is packed with a visual feast of plants, from hanging displays and large pots on the deck to a wonderful collection of succulents and cacti lining the garden path and well mulched flower beds.

Best known for its spectacular annual Halloween display, this is a chance to explore behind the spooky scenes in daylight — perfect for more timid visitors who prefer garden magic without the fright!

• May Cottage at 19 Pine Terrace is home to 200 rose bushes contained in this compact garden, creating a wonderful treat for rose lovers with Jubilee Celebration, Gertrude Ekyell, Munstead Wood, Abraham Darby, Pope John Paul II and Belle of Berlin amongst many, many others.

Visitors can wander among the blooms, and get up close to their colour and fragrance.

Open Gardens WA deputy chair Joy Ross said the Darlington event demonstrates the way gardens can become a catalyst for community connection.

“Gardens have a wonderful way of bringing people together. They give us somewhere to share ideas, meet our neighbours and enjoy the simple pleasure of being outdoors. This Darlington event takes that a step further by bringing garden owners, volunteers and the local community together to support the Darlington Community Garden,” she said.

Open Gardens WA is a Western Australian not-for-profit, volunteer-run organisation, established in 2016. The organisation is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026.

Its purpose is to encourage people to enjoy gardens and gardening, share gardening knowledge and promote community engagement through horticultural education, garden design and ecological sustainability.

Garden owners generously open their private gardens to the public, while Open Gardens WA provides support including publicity, signage, insurance, council approvals and volunteers.

Garden owners nominate charities, schools, community organisations or historic gardens to benefit from funds raised through their open garden.

From Guildford to Darlington

Darlington is not the first time Open Gardens WA has brought multiple gardens and the wider community together.

For the past two years, Open Gardens WA has held garden festivals in Guildford, creating opportunities for visitors to explore gardens, shop in a garden themed free market and enjoy workshops and activities, and discover the historic character of the area.

The organisation is now looking for gardens in Guildford to participate in next year’s festival and would love to hear from garden owners interested in being involved.