About Karwarra

A Brief History of Karwarra Garden

The land which Karwarra Garden currently occupies was purchased by the Shire of Lillydale and leased to the Mt. Dandenong Horticultural Society through the lobbying of the late May Moon. Four stages can be discerned over the 35 years of Karwarra's existence.

Stage 1: Well-known landscape designer, Ellis Stones, developed the design concepts which transformed an abandoned and weed-infested farmland into the present botanical resource.

Stage 2: While the Garden's design has changed over the years as a result of the influence of various gardening fashions and landscapers, the framework visitors see today still reflects designs created by Kath Deery from 1978 to 1984 .

This style would be classified as eclectic, that is, one which includes a mixture of styles throughout the garden. The overriding feeling is one of informality and peace with sensitive combinations of flower and foliage colours, seasonal floral pictures, interesting forms, rocks and pools and meandering pathways opening to new vistas throughout.

Stage 3: The Shire of Lillydale resumed the lease, actively supporting Karwarra through appointing John Knight as curator, with the assistance of an advisory committee. John's inventory of the garden showed that half the original species had been lost; a decision was taken to base plant selection on species that would thrive in the cool temperate forest of the Dandenong Ranges. Marilyn Gray took over as curator from John Knight in 1992 and Kath Deery's basic design was preserved, but many facilities added (such as the Gatehouse) to make the work of staff and volunteers less arduous.

Stage 4: In 2006, the Shire of Yarra Ranges appointed John Patrick and colleague Andrew Laidlaw to draw up a new Master Plan for Karwarra, as the original plantings had become very overgrown in the rich volcanic soils of Kalorama. Marilyn Gray commenced work on a comprehensive record of the indigenous plants of the Yarra Ranges and announced her retirement in October 2007 with the completion of this work. Karwarra thus moves into a new phase of growth and development.

Publications and Reports

Marilyn Gary 2005 History of Karwarra
Karwarra Garden: an introduction
Karwarra DRAFT Master Plan 2006
Karwarra Master Plan Map DRAFT

A portrait of Ellis Stones,
from a book by Ford & Ford,
The Australian Natural Garden,
Blomming Books, 1999

Marilyn Gray
Curator of Karwarra Garden
1992-1997

Current Advisory Committee