Tormaline Park owners Pam and Ross Montgomery to hold open garden to raise funds for Central West Clinical Trials Unit

"The drought in the 80s was really nasty out our way," Mrs Montgomery said.

"We had a bore and we had grass and we spent the whole time pouring water on it to make it look half way decent.

"Then we said: 'This is stupid, we're wasting water and water is so precious. And even if it comes from a bore, it's still precious.'"

So began the process of ditching their lawns and exotic plants and replacing them with natives more suited to the local climate.

Their picturesque water-wise garden now stretches across four acres of their property and features abundant birdlife, along with a huge variety of native plants, many of which have been propagated by Mr and Mrs Montgomery.

In a rare opportunity for garden lovers, the award winning garden at 1134 Cargo Road will be opened to the public on March 26 as a fundraiser for the Orange cancer trials unit.

Entry is $10, with all funds raised going to the Cruisin' Along Trek, an annual road trip by the Rotary Club of Orange Daybreak that supports the Central West Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) based at the Central West Cancer Care Centre at Orange Health Service.

The CTU conducts trials of new drugs and saves regional cancer patients from having to travel to Sydney.

Visitors can also enjoy a $5 morning or afternoon tea, hosted by the Orange Lapidary and Mineral Club.

"All the money will stay local and benefit the people of the Central West," Mrs Montgomery said.

For updates or more details on the open garden, visit the Orange Lapidary and Mineral Club Facebook page.

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