This page is for Open Garden owners (or those considering it).
Expressions of interest for the 2024 Festival of Gardens have now closed
We’ve received a fantastic number of applications, with a good mix of locations and interesting gardens.
We look forward to hearing what our garden assessors discover!
The festival will be held across Melbourne Cup week, from 2-10 November 2024.
Opening every second year in November (even years), featuring an average of 20 gardens, the Festival has more than 10,000 garden visits each time.
THE PROCESS
During November 2023, each prospective garden will be visited by independent assessors from outside the Mt Alexander Shire. Once assessed for suitability under the Festival of Gardens guidelines, successful applicants will be notified, giving them 12 months to prepare their gardens for the Festival in 2024.
Our gardeners find the experience of opening their gardens to be rewarding and it creates a strong community of kindred spirits. Our garden visitors love it and many come back every festival to enjoy both the old and the new gardens in Shire.