All is rosy: Heather and Gavin Flanagan have cultivated a sea of roses.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Hidden within the winding roads and quiet courts of Kialla Lakes, you wouldn’t expect to find the forest that is Gavin and Heather Flanagan’s garden.
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Filled with every type and colour of rose imaginable and paired with a healthy vegetable garden, the size of Gavin’s garden is rivalled only by the size of his personality.
Hearing Gavin explain the origins of each plant as he makes his way energetically through the sprawling garden is an enriching experience.
Flourishing: Pink roses are among the spring blooms.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
When they moved closer to the heart of Shepparton 15 years ago, the Flanagans were used to life on a large piece of land; especially with Gavin having previously lived on the edge of the Barmah forest.
“We had four acres out at Shepparton East with a garden there, we had a few open days as well,” Gavin said.
“When we found this block we were so lucky — I couldn’t live too crammed next to people after living in the country.”
Seeing the feast for the eyes that is the 1600-square-metre Kialla Lakes property, it makes one imagine what the pair would have created with four acres.
Tunnel vision: The details in a crimson rose.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
In the front yard — a contrast between neighbouring properties of manicured lawns and minimalist styles — the Flanagans have created a celebration of colour, with rose bushes blooming all shades of the rainbow.
Gavin’s knowledge of roses is vast, reeling off not only the names of just about each and every one in their garden, but also Prince Charles’s favourite, Dublin Bay.
One of hundreds: A single red rose.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Heather also has a history with the blooms and bushes, passed down over generations and now on to her daughter.
“When I was a child, my father was mad on roses,” Heather said.
“He used to just love them, he’d enter them in the Shepparton Show and all those sorts of things.”
Once in the backyard, the block shows its size with a lengthy vegetable garden along the fence line accompanied by a forest of florals and lush greenery.
Simple yet elegant: The white rose.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Along with the roses, Gavin’s vegetable patch is his pride and joy.
Growing since they bought the land 15 years ago, the patch is full of all sorts of fresh produce, with an array of strawberries, beans, silverbeet and the star of the show, cherry trees.
“There’ll be cases from those,” Gavin said, gesturing to the fruiting trees.
“My wife cooks the cherries in lemonade and puts them in the freezer, they’re absolutely magnificent.”
Capturing the eye are the roses climbing along home-made trellises and blooming in rich colours.
In full bloom: The garden is a spider’s web of different roses.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Flourishing in a shade of deep vermilion growing over an arch metres above ground, the Alexandra rose surprised Gavin with its growth.
“The Alexandra isn’t supposed to be a climber, it’s meant to just be a high rose but I let it go,” he said.
“It’s been just beautiful.”
Rows and rows of roses: Gavin Flanagan knows all when it comes to roses.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
A man of many talents, Gavin’s creativity isn’t limited to the garden; in fact, it has inspired him to branch out further.
“When we came here, I just had a bit of time so I started painting,” Gavin said.
As a result, Gavin taught himself to paint landscapes of regional Australia, with over eight metre-wide paintings displayed throughout their home.
Spending time in the garden has given Gavin a whole lot of tips and tricks, but his main message to other flourishing gardeners is to “pinch bits off other people” to learn a thing or two.
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