Bedford Country Gardens 2022

Coming back stronger, with an increased emphasis on the joys (and safety) of outdoor living, Bedford’s 14 Country Gardens will all be open for two weekends again this year. In spite of enduring extremely harsh weather conditions, Bedford’s passionate gardeners radiate the same optimism and determination as the roses that flourish here. Heritage roses will be on sale at the SA Rosarium and general plant sales at many gardens as well as at The Duke and De Oude Fabreeck.

Visitors can count on relaxed country hospitality and masses of regional food along with wine and spirit tastings throughout. Enquiries: Facebook (bedfordgardenfestival) and www.bedford.co.za

Belmont

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Ria and Henry Moolman A true treasure hiding in the mountains awaits you. Ria makes use of nature’s elements with masses of roses softening the stone and river pebbles. Registered cycads, a generator, sun and wind power as well as a ‘donkey’ for hot water all make for a must-see garden. A true piece of heaven!

• Directions: Travel on the Tarkastad Road via Baviaans River gravel road. Pass the imposing white church and 1820 Settlers stone church on your right. Just 2km after the church is a board indicating Belmont Farm.
• Entrance: R20

Plant Sales | Picnic spots

De Oude Fabreeck

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Jacques Muller and Benita Blom Kotze Previously known as Eagle Hout Padstal. The previous owners, the Blom family, remain very involved in The Oude Fabreeck as they continue to produce handcrafted furniture in the old factory the property is now named after. We invite you to be part of our journey as we continue to develop and improve this amazing space. Come and view all the beautiful changes, not only to the interior of the restaurant and showroom, but also to the vast open garden, which spans over 5,000m2 .

• Directions: 47 Van Riebeeck Street (Lower end)
• Entrance: R10

Plant sales | Dogs allowed | Food and drink

Cavers Guest House

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Rozanne and Kenneth Ross

This peaceful oasis, with huge trees, sweeping lawns and plentiful herbaceous borders, frames a blue-chip guest house and gracious fifth-generation family home. Windows in the various ‘garden rooms’ invite the eye outwards towards the magnificent mountains and sky. Here there is space to unwind and dream, and grand scale is part of the lingering impression.

• Entrance: R20
• Enquiries: www.cavers.co.za
• Concerts on both Sundays

Plant sales | Music | Wheelchair access | Food and drink

Donkerhoek

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Barbara and Mike Church

After a lifetime of working in the big cities, Mike and Barbara bought a piece of her ancestral farm and renovated the old stone farmhouse. Lifestyle farming is going well with a productive veggie garden, hens and a dairy cow. The vegetable garden is open for The Bedford Country Gardens and they will be serving teas and coffee accompanied by scones, jam and cream.

Entrance: Donation towards staff lifestyle and upliftment.

Plant sales | Limited access | Food and drink

Eildon

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Taryn and David Pringle and their four children, Ella, Hannah, Luke and Sophie

This soft, tranquil space is a sharp contrast to the rugged and harsh countryside surrounding it. The garden mirrors the formality of the seventh-generation homestead, although planting within the beds is informal. Mass planting is seen throughout. The garden is made up of six distinct rooms: the main entrance area, the sunken rose garden, the white room, the pool room, the park area and the orangery.

Entrance: R20

Plant sales | Food and drink | Picnic spots

Fair Holt Farm

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Lucy and Oggie Pringle

A new garden has been established around the original homestead of Fair Holt Farm. The entrance gate leads you up a wide drive bordered by agapanthus, plumbagoes, salt bush and succulents, opening up to a formal area established in 2019. The garden is low maintenance, water-wise and dominated by indigenous plants. The garden has a mixture of formal areas and wilder planting, and most of the plants in this garden were propagated from existing plants or grown from seed.

• Directions: Take the R63 towards Cradock. After 10km, turn right towards Tarkastad. After 18,5km, turn left at the white sign ‘WD Pringle’ and drive through a drift. Continue for 5km and park.
• Entrance: R10 for charity

Plant sales | Wheelchair access | Food and drink | Picnic spots

Glen Avon Farm

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Alison and Bill Brown

This seventh-generation farm exudes a sense of timelessness of a bygone era. The park-like garden with informal mixed borders is more like an English country garden, complementing the 200-year-old farmhouse. Stately old oak trees and a spectacular Bauhinia bowkeri add to the feeling of tranquillity.

• Directions: From Bedford, take the R63 towards Cradock, then left onto N10 to Cookhouse. Turn right onto R63 and after 21km turn right at sign ‘GLEN AVON B&B’. There is 6km of good gravel road.
• Entrance: R20

Wheelchair access | Food and drink

Glen Gregor Gardens

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Lochart and Shirley Ainslie

The garden, with beautiful mountain and forest views, is situated at the top end of a peaceful valley. Free-flowing beds are lush with shade-loving plants, and the nearby indigenous forest-margin, with yellowwoods, forest schotias, sneezewoods and others, is home to wonderful bird life.

Entrance: Donation to Animal Welfare.

Plant sales | Wheelchair access

Maasström Farm Garden

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Doreen and Peter Freese

The historical Maasström farm rests at the foot of the sweeping Kagga Mountains, which create a splendid backdrop for this beautiful garden. A majestic atlas cedar welcomes you to this tranquil haven. Flower beds are interspersed with topiaries and perfumed heritage roses. The iconic Maasström fountain will lead you onto shaded footpaths with benches placed for quiet contemplation. Like a precious gem, this garden has many facets, including cycads, and repeat visitors will enjoy the new areas of interest that draw you into the garden.

• Directions: In the town, Van Riebeeck Street will lead you straight to the entrance, which is marked by two white pillars.
• Entrance: R20. Children free.

Plant sales | Wheelchair access

Mandalay

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Janine and Bruce Pitt

Espaliered fruit trees count among the 12 different varieties of fruit and nut trees that (along with veggies in raised beds) help fulfil the dream of self-sufficiency in this gracious space with its stunning outlook. Solar installations and water harvesting/storage mean the owners are 95% off-grid. This year the garden will be open during the day for viewing, and in the evening for a preordered picnic in the garden.

Entrance: R20

Plant sales

Olivewoods

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Wendy and Brett Wienand

Olivewoods is a farm 9km from Cookhouse, owned by a sixth generation farming family dealing in cattle, angora goats, sheep, citrus and pecan nuts. The lovely home and B&B cottage are set in a beautiful park-like garden. The mature garden has spectacular views, richly planted steep banks and majestic old trees. The open grasslands are home to buck and wildlife.

Entrance: R20

Plant sales | Food and drink | Picnic spots

Skelmkloof Farm Garden

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Hilda and Francois Marais

Hospitality straight from the heart awaits you at this whimsical Karoo-style garden, which is both a place of healing and refuge for rescued and arid-zone plants. Hilda has a personal vision and a quirky sense of humour that infuses her mountain home. Her garden is totally in tune with the wild landscape. You will leave her garden with a warm heart and energised for your next adventure.

Entrance: A donation

Wheelchair access | Food and drink

The SA Rosarium

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Stockholm Street Gwen Fagan, the doyenne of heritage roses, was instrumental in setting up this living archive of South Africa’s old roses. Visit this unique garden and be beguiled by the roses of old. Their tenacity at having survived through the ages is only just eclipsed by their beauty and fragrance. Visitors are welcome throughout the year, not only to appreciate the cupped blooms of fragrance, but to purchase a rose (or two!) ensuring continuity of our heritage roses.

Enquiries: Dr DJ Comyn 083 261 8037

Plant sales | Wheelchair access | Food and drink

The Long Garden

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Joan and John Barnes

As the garden grows up, the frost-hardy heritage roses at the end of this 100 x 20m erf, with their masses of blooms, surround the ‘destination’ and party spot – an innovation to the original design with its moon gate and meandering lawn pathway flanked by broad flower beds. New secondary paths emphasise the patterns of massed planting transitions.

Cradock Street Entrance: R10

Food and drink

The Orchards

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October and Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November

Liesl and Graeme Brown

This garden is an informal country garden that springs to life with an abundance of colour in the spring, continuing through to the warm summer months. Graced by beautiful old oak trees, the homestead enjoys breath-taking mountain views over lush kikuyu pastures. The farmyard itself is a hive of activity that bantams, ducks, bunnies, horses, cats, dogs and busy children get to call home.

• Directions: From Bedford, take the R63 towards Cradock, turn left onto the N10 to Cookhouse. Turn right onto R63 and after 21km turn right at sign GLEN AVON B&B and travel 6,5 km.
• Entrance: R20

Plant sales | Wheelchair access | Picnic spots