Behind the hedge lies a woodland garden that celebrates trees: red and white oak, copper beech, cypress, cherry, pine, dogwood, liquidambar, deodar cedars, maple and more.
Established in 1928 by George Whyte, a Scottish orchardist, St Annes is now in the hands of its fourth caretakers. Each family has added to the character of the garden whilst respecting its history.
In the 1950s, Mr Whyte won a prize for his ‘miniature garden’ and this space has retained the name of the Japanese Garden. The current owners have added a granite basin from Japan and dwarf maples and conifers as a nod to its history.
The Sibiriakoffs added to the stone walls and put in much of the softer planting. Molly Sibiriakoff was a Sydney girl whose husband had fled the Russian Revolution. They brought Lily of the Valley with them from Paris, planting them in the Woodland Walk.
The Stevensons planted cherry trees along the drive and hundreds of hydrangeas, and built a chook house imagined by a theatre set-designer.
The current owners have discovered old paths and restored old rock walls, increased plantings of camelias, rhododendrons and azaleas, and put cottage plants into the beds along the front of house. The Little Meadow fills with narcissus and meadow flowers in spring.
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