A gardener's delight - Red Cow Farm, Sutton Forest, NSW Southern Highlands



I'm a little late, Wayne Morrissey tells me.  Just a week ago a fierce storm ravaged the garden at Red Cow Farm playing havoc with the flowers blooming their hearts out for spring.

Looking around me, I'm wondering what has been damaged amongst the densely packed foliage. It looks near perfect, a wonder of cool climate plants that a Queenslander like me only gets to see in books.

Red Cow Farm has been described as one of the best gardens in the Southern Highlands, but as I'm not a garden expert, all I can say is it's a must-do if you visit the area from late September to mid May. It's located in Sutton Forest on the Illawarra Highway.





The farm is a life-passion and home to Ali Mentesh and Wayne Morrissey who have turned the historic 1820s cottage from a renovator's delight into a gardener's dream. They left their comfortable Sydney life for a green-change in the Southern Highlands and took on much more than they realised, but it's all their own work of which they are immensely proud.

Flowing through the property are 20 themed garden 'rooms'. Winding paths wander from the monastery garden into the abbess's garden and through a collection or rare and unusual perennials.  I'm tempted to skip through the woodland and take a seat beside the lake to drink in the negative-ion charged air.




Each garden is a delight in itself, a salve to the soul and inspiration for my home garden.

Take a wander through the garden and enjoy.








Best tip: Allow at least an hour or more if you are a keen gardener, to wander through and enjoy the garden.

Bottom line: A must for your NSW Southern Highlands itinerary.

Kerry Heaney

Disclaimer:  Ed+bK visited the Southern Highlands and Red Cow Farm as a guest of Destination NSW