Blooming weekend in Bridgetown with double trouble gardening events

It is set to be a big weekend for gardening enthusiasts in the Blackwood River region with two floral-focused events set for this weekend. The Festival of Country Gardens is making its return alongside the Ford House Garden Fair, where botany, gardening and floral enthusiasts will have an opportunity to look at some of the best gardens in the South West. The Festival of Country Gardens Autumn Festival will allow visitors to see nine open gardens in five different towns in the South West, including Bridgetown, Balingup, Greenbushes, Manjimup and Pemberton on May 4 and 5. The open gardens will include a rambling cottage and parkland-style garden in Manjimup, a Yarri Farm in Kangaroo Gully, a former commercial orchard transformed into a garden of more than 400 flowers in Kangaroo Gully, and a garden featuring a creek, with four ponds and water lilies in Balingup. Meanwhile, nearby at Ford House Bed and Breakfast in Bridgetown, the Garden Fair will allow visitors to look at some of the town’s plants, art and garden decor, while also enjoying coffee and food at the house. In town, the Ashbil Community Garden on Stewart Street will be open for the public to visit and check the bush tucker filled garden. The entry fee for Ford House is $5 for adults with kids passes free, while for the Autumn Festival, visitors can pay $8 for single garden entry at the garden they choose, or $60 for a two-day weekend pass by either contacting the committee on 0418 207 029 or visiting the Festival Centre at the Hillview Garden Centre.