Clontarf Open Garden

Located opposite the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens and drawing on the stunning borrowed landscape of Forest Hall next door, Clontarf is the seventh historic garden across half a century that owners Beverly and Anthony Knight have saved from neglect in the district.

The stunning 3-acre gardens provide a lovely mingling of old exotic trees and lush plantings, laid out to complement and surround the circa 1862 historical Castlemaine homestead.

Anthony’s approach is to generally avoid show-stopper plants, preferring cool colours, subtle foliage, and a feeling of peace. The garden flows seamlessly from one area to another, and ornamental water plays an essential role—an array of small ponds and bird baths attract visiting birds and supply a wonderful frog chorus.

Highlights include a charming sandstone-walled paddock and some fabulous old trees, including three varieties of cedar, oaks, ash trees, and three different mature pencil pines, plus a very aged wisteria. A beautiful loquat tree is a garden favourite, along with the magnificent ancient gums.

Clontarf is located on the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung people. Open Gardens Victoria wish to acknowledge the Traditional custodians of this land and we pay respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging.