Phil is a horticulturist, designer, writer and broadcaster. His recent book, ‘Down-to-Earth Garden Design’ characterizes Phil’s approach to gardening; easy, straight-forward, and never complicated. Phil is a seasoned traveller too, having travelled extensively across Australia, Europe and Asia in search of great sites, great food, great people and of course great gardens. Following short stints in architecture and business and a few years fronting a Sydney rock ‘n’ roll band, he finally succumbed to his true horticultural calling in his late 20’s. In the past 30 years, Phil has contributed to many of Australia’s leading gardening magazines, written three books for ABC Books and worked as a TV presenter on channel nine’s Garden Gurus. He is also the host of ABC Radio’s Good Gardening program. Phil is looking forward to meeting you.
We enjoyed the entertaining and informative presentations given by Phil on the coach and during garden visits.
I had met Phil previously and knew that he would be a good leader with his laid back down to earth style.
VIEW ITINERARY DAY 1 Monday 17 March, 2025
The Dandenongs
On arrival at Melbourne Airport, no later than 1.00 pm, we will be met by
our private coach and driven through the picturesque countryside to visit
Blue Lotus Garden. We will see 6 hectares of lakes and waterways covered in
thousands of stunning lotus, waterlilies and other exotic flowers. We continue
to our hotel, where we will enjoy a welcome dinner this evening for tour
members to get to know one another. Phil Dudman will outline the activities
and program for the tour.
DAY 2 Tuesday 18 March, 2025
The Dandenongs
We travel to the nearby Dandenong Ranges to visit two stunning gardens. First
up, we visit Cloudehill, our first Diggers Foundation garden. A maze of stone
walls and jewel-like garden rooms are set within woodlands of historic cool
climate trees. We will have an included lunch here as the food is as good as the
gorgeous views. In the afternoon, we travel to the Dandenong Ranges Botanic
Garden. In 2013, Phillip Johnson and Wes Fleming’s Trailfinders ‘Australian
Garden’ exhibit became the first ever Australian entry to win Best Garden at
the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show. This ‘Australian Garden’
has been re-created on over 7,000 square metres of previously unused space
for locals and visitors to enjoy in the Dandenong Ranges.
DAY 3 Wednesday 19 March, 2025
The Dandenongs
Today we travel to the Mornington Peninsula to visit some of the best gardens
in Australia. Our first visit is to The Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne. Phil will
take us on an exploration of the spectacular landscape which has a dramatic
red sand garden, rock pool waterways, eucalypt walk and exhibition gardens all
featuring Australian plants. We continue with a visit to Heronswood Gardens,
home of the Diggers Club and our second Diggers Foundation garden. In 2011,
the Blazey’s gifted ownership of the Diggers Club to the Diggers Foundation,
which strives to conserve historic gardens, buildings and protect heirloom
seeds. We will have lunch at the Fork to Fork restaurant, where the vegetables
and fruits served include heirloom selections picked straight from the gardens.
This is followed by a tour of the gardens and a stroll through Diggers nursery
and gift shop to browse their large range of heirloom vegetables, flowers, and
fruit plants for sale.
DAY 4 Thursday 20 March, 2025
Mornington
Our first visit today is to Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s garden of Cruden Farm.
The star attraction is the main driveway, which features over 100 established
lemon scented gum trees. In truth, there are many gardens to enjoy, each
one different in style, plantings, and mood. Each area was carefully planned
by Dame Elisabeth Murdoch and Michael Morrison. To this day Michael is still
implementing Dame Elisabeth’s long-term plans for various areas across the
garden. The Picking Garden truly reflects the changing seasons at Cruden Farm
and during spring, summer and autumn is alive with thousands of blooms
and glorious colour. The Walled Garden, originally designed by influential
Australian landscape designer Edna Walling, has undergone changes since it
was first planted out in the early 1930s. This afternoon’s visit is to Karkalla, the
two-acre private garden of celebrated landscape designer Fiona Brockhoff.
Fiona specializes in naturalistic landscapes that incorporate low maintenance
drought tolerant plants both native and exotic. There will be many useful ideas
for us to take home from her gorgeous garden.
DAY 5 Friday 21 March, 2025
Daylesford
We travel to Daylesford for our three nights stay today. Our first garden visit is
to Stonefields, Paul Bangay’s spectacular garden developed using knowledge
gained during twenty years designing gardens all around the world. This
garden is one of the many highlights of our tour and includes stone paths
that meander through garden rooms that open out to a spectacular country
view. We continue our journey will a visit the peaceful garden, St Erth, our
third Diggers Foundation garden. We will see beds full of hardy perennials and
incredible edibles grown with Diggers heirloom seeds. This evening Phil will
meet those wishing to dine with the group.
DAY 6 Saturday 22 March, 2025
Daylesford
Our first visit this morning is to Lambley, the wonderful garden of acclaimed
plantsman David Glenn. Situated around an old farmhouse in the hot dry
windswept plains of the Central Victorian Goldfields, it features a wide range
of colourful, frost and drought hardy plants and is a vibrant showcase of
Glenn’s clever design abilities. The extensive organic veggie garden includes
trial gardens for vegetables and flowers. In the afternoon we visit the Ballarat
Botanical Gardens. Founded in 1858, it covers an area of forty hectares divided
into three distinct zones with a central area preserving the ‘Gardenesque’ style
of the Victorian pleasure garden. Located on the western shore of picturesque
Lake Wendouree, is the conservatory, a highlight of the gardens that will be full
of spectacular tuberous begonias.
DAY 7 Sunday 23 March, 2025
Daylesford
Today we travel to visit Marilyn’s Wildflowers near Bendigo. It is a four hectare
property with two hectares of Australian wildflowers used for floristry. It is in a
garden style borrowing the natural landscape of the surrounding Box Ironbark
Forest. The backbone of the garden is local native plants with many stunning
grafted wildflowers from W.A. including Qualup Bells, Verticordias, Darwinias
and Boronias. There is also a vegetable garden and orchard and a small nursery.
After free time for lunch, we visit Simon Rickard’s garden. Fighting the urge to
become a mere collector, Simon has attempted to wrestle his eclectic botanical
tastes into a coherent, composed garden. Full of exuberant colour, flowers,
foliage plants, and exotic rarities from around the world, Simon’s garden aims
to challenge and inspire visitors. We return to our hotel late afternoon.
DAY 8 Monday 24 March, 2025
Melbourne
This morning we will travel to Macedon to visit several gardens Our first tour
is at Duneira Estate. This unusual and remarkable 15.4 hectare property and
garden was purchased in the 1870s by Suetonius Officer and are considered
to be of 'outstanding cultural significance' by the National Trust of Australia;
several of the trees are listed on the Register of Significant Trees of Victoria.
We walk across the road to visit Shepherds Bush. At 870 metres above sea
level, Shepherd's Bush is a 1.5 hectare garden and is the highest residence
on the mountain. The garden showcases many cold climate plants including
rhododendrons, maples, conifers, viburnums and dogwoods. We continue to
our hotel in Melbourne for check in. Phil and the tour manager will meet those
wishing to have dinner together in the lobby.
DAY 9 Tuesday 25 March, 2025
Melbourne
This morning we travel to visit the house and garden of Rippon Lea. Now
owned by the National Trust the house was completed in 1868 for Frederick
Sargood. He moved in with his wife and nine surviving children and seventeen
staff. Sargood was a keen gardener with a particular interest in orchids and
ferns. During our visit we walk through the arched, cast-iron lattice work to
enter the wonderful 19th-century fernery, which contains rare and native ferns.
We continue to the Melbourne Botanic Gardens which covers 36 hectares. We
will visit Guilfoyle’s Volcano. Built in 1876 as a water storage for the gardens,
it was recently restored as part of a landscape development project. It has
commanding views of the city and showcases low water use plants. Boardwalks
and a viewing platform give visitors an opportunity to explore this remarkable
feature of Melbourne Botanic Gardens. The remainder of the afternoon is free
for sightseeing or shopping.
DAY 10 Wednesday 26 March, 2025
Melbourne
Today we visit the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, the
biggest and best show of its type in the Southern Hemisphere and ranked in
the top five flower shows in the world. Floral displays fill the world heritage
listed Royal Exhibition Building and the surrounding Carlton Gardens. Around
the building are landscape displays created by some of Australia’s most
talented landscape designers. Phil will give those interested a tour of the
display gardens – pointing out elements used by the designers that we can incorporate in our own backyards. While keen gardeners will want to spend
all day at the show, others may also take time to visit the adjacent Melbourne
Museum. This evening, we will have dinner at a nearby restaurant to say
goodbye to Phil and other tour members.
DAY 11 Thursday 27 March, 2025
Departure
The morning is free for individual activities. We travel to the airport about noon
for flights home and the tour concludes.
| TWIN FARE PER PERSON | SINGLE FARE |
|---|---|
| $5,590 | $7,010 |
Touring can involve a considerable amount of walking and stair climbing in the places visited and it is important that all tour participants have a level of physical fitness that allows them to take part in this tour without the need of assistance from others.
Tour Operator: Travelrite International Pty Ltd, Licence number 30858 (ABN 64 005 817 078) is the tour operator.
Tour Costs: The tour costs are based on airfare, general transport, accommodation costs and foreign exchange rate at 4/5/2024 . Travelrite reserves the right to alter the costs if any of these factors change, giving any passenger that has booked the right to withdraw with a full refund of monies paid or modify arrangements. No alterations to price will be made within 60 days of departure from Australia.
Deposit and Payments: A deposit of $1000 per passenger is required at the time of booking for the European Garden tour -$600 for the MIFGS tour. Full payment will be required 62 days before departure of the Garden Tour. A 1.5% administration fee will be charged on payment by credit card.
Air Taxes: From Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane as listed in the itinerary. Please contact us for air taxes from different cities. Air taxes are as at 4 May 2024. If they change due to government and airline charges and currency variations, Travelrite International reserves the right to charge additional amounts.
Cancellation Conditions: Cancellations within 62 days of departure will result in the loss of all monies paid. Cancellation outside 62 days from departure will result in a cancellation fee of $1000 per person.
Travel Insurance:
Travel insurance is recommended to cover the costs of
cancellation fees due to illness, death in family, etc.
Minimum Tour Numbers and Conditions:
The tour has been priced
on the basis of a minimum number of passengers having booked 62 days
prior to departure. Travelrite reserves the right to cancel the tour, giving a full
refund of all monies paid or offer arrangements to proceed with the tour at a
modified cost. Travelrite reserves the right to change advertised entrances if
necessary for the smooth operation of the tour.
Refunds:
The tour is based on arrangements that do not allow for any
refunds in respect to sightseeing, accommodation, meals, airfare or other
services not utilized after the tour has commenced.
Tour Participation:
Children under 5 years of age are ineligible on coach & cruise tours. Children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Passengers with disabilities are welcome on Travelrite & Cruise Offers tours provided they are accompanied by a companion capable of providing all necessary assistance, and do not require special assistance from Travelrite & Cruise Offers personnel. Travelrite and Cruise Offers reserves the right to refuse to carry anyone if it is felt the individual cannot cope with the requirements of coach & cruise tour travel and who may require services and facilities that Travelrite & Cruise Offers cannot guarantee will be available. You agree to not hold the Travelrite & Cruise Offers responsible for any decision made by any of them or any service provider to refuse to carry you, provide any facilities or accommodation to you or to provide any service to you.
Travel Documents:
All passengers will require a valid passport. Visas for
countries visited are not required for Australian passport holders. If you hold
another passport please check with Travelrite.
Baggage:
All passengers qualify for the 20kg (44lb) free baggage allowance.
Responsibilities: Travelrite International Pty Ltd is the tour organiser. Travelrite International Pty Ltd, it’s agents, officers, affiliates, and/or suppliers of services pursuant to or in connection with these fly/stay holidays shall act only as agents in making arrangements for hotels, transportation including transportation by ship, restaurants, or any other service and do not assume any liability whatsoever for any injury, damage, death, loss, accident or delay to person or property due to an act of negligence or a default of any hotel, carrier restaurant company or person rendering any services included in fly/cruises, or by act of God. Further no responsibilities are accepted for any damage or delay due to sickness, pilferage, labour disputes, machinery break-down, quarantine, government restraints, weather, terrorism or other causes beyond their control. No responsibility is accepted for any additional expense, omission, delays, re-routing or acts of any government authority. Baggage is at owners risk throughout the fly/stay holiday. The passage contract between the carriers concerned when issued shall constitute the sole contract between the carriers and the purchasers of these fly/stay holidays and/or the passengers. The right is reserved to withdraw any fly/ stay holiday and/or make such changes in the fly/stay holidays as may be found desirable or necessary for the convenience of the parties and the proper carrying out of the tour. This contract shall be construed in accordance of the laws of the State of Victoria, Australia.
Delays and unforseen events::
You engage Travelrite to book this tour on your behalf and you acknowledge that Travelrite acts as your agent for the purpose of making contracts between you and the various providers of accommodation, transportation and other services that comprise the tour. Travelrite may without reference to you provide or make available to you, or may as your agent engage any third party to provide or make available to you, any good or service which Travelrite reasonably believes is necessary for your benefit to maintain the tour itinerary, repatriate you or otherwise accommodate, transport or sustain you in circumstances in which the tour itinerary fails wholly or partly for any reason. You appoint Travelrite your attorney for this purpose. You agree to pay Travelrite any cost thereof and you indemnify Travelrite in respect of any cost it incurs in this regard. Travelrite advises you to obtain travel insurance generally including in respect of the risk that any such good or service may become required.
How to Book: Bookings can be made by sending full names and addresses of intending tour members with a non re-fundable deposit of $1000 for the European Garden Tour and $600 for the MIFGS tour.
Travelrite International Pty Ltd
423 Whitehorse Road Balwyn, Victoria 3103
Further information can be obtained by telephoning
Toll Free: 1800 630 343
Telephone (03) 8803 6868
Email sales@travelrite.com.au
https://www.travelrite.com.au/
About Travelrite International: Travelrite International Pty Ltd (ABN 64 005 817 078) is a well-established travel company which has been marketing throughout Australia for over 40 years and operating in Victoria for more than 40 years. It has an ATAS accredited office at Balwyn, which is also accredited with IATA. As such they directly represent the major airlines of the world and all major domestic and international hotel, tour and transport operators.
“The whole tour was wonderful and the group was a good mix of personality. The gardens visited were interesting and varied.”
“Very enjoyable. Good mix of people in the group.”
