Cottage gardens, a former paddock turned into a forest of colour, an old pharmacy and an iris farm are among this year’s highlights.

The new gardens include a labour of love by Nick Anagnostaras and partner Kelly Hopcraft ,who will be showing their cottage garden, which features landscaping.

He said they bought the 1890s property about two years ago.

“Our garden was overgrown, dark and full of native trees and shrubs,” he said.

“Effectively we removed all the mature, established native trees and shrubs and re-landscaped and re-formatted the garden beds as such.

“And then we started planting.”

Mr Anagnostaras described it as an “English perennial cottage” garden.

“We have tried to drag a little bit of the history into the future,” he said.

That included bluestone to represent the local railway history and bush rocks to typify the rocks found on local properties.

“It’s all been self-made, self-constructed,” he said.

Mr Anagnostaras said they also wanted to create a pretty family garden that would suit their children and dog.

“It is in its full glory in the summer months. It’s going to get better. At the moment it is only the spring, it is jumping out of the ground,” he said.

Garden Ramble committee president Lyndall Harrison said there was plenty of variety this year, the 14^th year of the ramble.

“We, like Orange, are cool climate, we have four distinct seasons,” she said.

“It is a heritage village it is the community that make it.

“This is the largest community committee event. We have about 100 volunteers over the weekend and before.

“The proceeds go to the village committee.”

This year’s ramble will also feature an art trail with seven stops at galleries throughout Millthorpe with paintings, pottery, textiles, ceramics, woodwork and metalwork on show.

Stalls will also be set up at several of the gardens.

Ms Harrison said there would be a workshop on soil improvement to maximise plant growth on both days at one of the gardens.

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And another will have a male choir performing on Saturday.

The ramble is on from 9am-4pm both days. Entry to all gardens costs $25 or $5 for each garden with free entry for children.

The ramble headquarters will be at Millthorpe Public School on the corner of Park and Victoria streets.

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