A Montville couple is inviting the public into their beautiful property this year as part of an Easter Open Garden Festival.

Michael and Kyleigh Simpson will open their property, “The Shambles”, featuring a 112 year old farmhouse. This will be the 20th time they have done so, having been regular fund-raisers and open gardeners since 2001. In fact their last event in 2019 raised $10,000 for the Queensland Drought Appeal.

After a couple of years on the sidelines because of Covid, they are back this year raising money for Cittamani Hospice.

The Easter Open Garden Festival will feature three diverse local gardens:

• Kyleigh and Michael Simpson’s “The Shambles” at 85 Western Avenue Montville; 

• Louise and Jeff Tasker’s “Lower Woontooba” at 238 Western Avenue Montville; and 

• Rowena Cavanagh’s “Wongawilli” at 19 Manley Drive Montville.

Michael said many visitors had trod The Shambles’ garden paths over the past two decades. “For 30 years we have built up an extensive plant collection around our century old farmhouse. 

“We have a registered collection of ‘Heritage Roses’ and perennial Salvias in a garden with thousands of plants in hundreds of genus from around the world.

“Many people describe our garden as a ‘cottage garden’. But it’s not. It’s a collector’s garden,” he said. “It’s a Queensland country garden full of rare and unusual plants.

Michael said a lot of gardener visitors will be motivated by the opportunity to obtain rare and unusual plants at The Shambles’ plant stall. “Others like to take a peek inside our private properties that are rarely open to the public. Easter will be a good time for our plants, especially for the roses, camellias and Gordonias.”

Michael is a practicing doctor in Montville and he and Kyleigh have written several books over the years on gardening. He has had to ease back on work in the garden because of severe rheumatoid arthritis. 

“But it’s still very much a team effort as Michael does the planning, documenting, writing and promotion and keeps the website updated,” said Kyleigh.  

“All of the hard physical work and the first-class horticultural care is Kyleigh’s doing,” said Michael.

• Visitors will enjoy three fascinating large country gardens, each with a different character in their beautiful borrowed landscapes. A plant stall and refreshments will be offered at The Shambles; there will also be a plant stall at Lower Woontooba.  The gardens are open on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 April from 9am to 4pm. Entry $10 to each garden (cash only please) children free. See  www.montvillegarden.com www.facebook.com/montvillegarden.