Date: Sunday 22 March 2025

Time: 11.00 am to 1.00 pm

Location: Bentwood, Gruyere, Yarra Valley, Victoria

Be part of the second Gardenstead March meetup in the world

Join gardeners from across the Gardenstead community for an autumn gathering at Bentwood in Gruyere.

Owner Louise Brown shares, “A rainy Sunday drive led us to a falling down house on a hill, in Gruyere, a farming pocket of the Yarra Valley, tucked away between orchards, vineyards and dairy farms.

A north/west aspect with limited water supply has led us to a garden of (mostly!) hardy plants, with, of course, some follies that challenge us.  

Hedges, old and salvaged pieces, combine to bring structure to the garden.  Two gardeners who have been dreaming and creating here for the past 20 years, one favours the formality, and one fills in the gaps with as much wild as possible.  

This is a rare chance to visit a garden that is revered amongst the gardening community, and to meet kindred growers in person.

This event is for Gardenstead members only. If you are not yet part of the community, you can join today and come along. Download the Gardenstead app and become a member to book your ticket.

What to expect:
You will step into a beautiful private garden in autumn and be welcomed into a relaxed, friendly space to connect, share and learn.

• A warm welcome and  introduction to Bentwood, its setting and design intent and guided tour

• Time to meet other Gardenstead members, swap ideas and ask questions

• A community plant, seed and produce swap for those who wish to take part

• Morning tea on arrival and seasonal refreshments

• A chance to take in this incredible garden and landscape that sits within the rolling hills of the Yarra Valley.

You will leave with new connections, new seeds or cuttings if you choose to swap, and fresh energy for the season ahead.

What is included:

• Entry to Bentwood for the Gardenstead March Meetup

• Morning tea and simple seasonal refreshments

• Hosted community time for conversation, knowledge sharing and the swap

• A social impact contribution to an environmental initiative, because gathering around gardens should always leave something better than we found it.

What to bring:

• Optional seeds, cuttings, a small plant or homegrown produce to swap, clearly labelled

• A small bag or container to take swapped items home

• Weather ready clothing and appropriate footwear

Who this is for:
Gardenstead members who want to meet locally, share knowledge and be inspired by an extraordinary private garden. All experience levels are welcome.

How to attend:

1. Join Gardenstead.

2. Download the Gardenstead app.

3. Purchase your ticket here.

4. Bring proof of membership on the day in the app.

Important
Tickets are limited. This is a Gardenstead members only event.

About Natasha:
Natasha Morgan is a landscape architect, educator and community builder based in Daylesford, Victoria. She has contributed to significant public realm projects and taught at RMIT and the University of Melbourne. In 2014 she created Oak and Monkey Puzzle in Spargo Creek and now continues her work at Little Cottage on a Hill, a 515 square metre site where she translates large scale design thinking into a compact, abundant garden. Natasha shares her practice through workshops, writing and collaborations, and is the Community Manager of Gardenstead, a growing international platform that connects people who grow, design and live with plants and place.

About Bentwood:
Bentwood is a much‑loved two‑acre country garden in Gruyere, shaped slowly over more than twenty years by Louise Brown and her partner Ben. Once a bare, weedy paddock, it has grown into an eclectic patchwork of garden rooms, framed by hedges and wide Yarra Valley views. Visitors wander past salvia and iris walks, roses and perennials, an evolving orchard and a working flower paddock, with birdsong and bees threading it all together. Recycled structures, vintage finds and hand‑built details give the garden a quietly personal, lived‑in character rather than a polished showpiece. Bentwood is still changing, season by season, and its owners are generous in sharing both the beauty and the work behind it. It is an inviting, thoroughly real garden – the kind of place that makes you want to linger, ask questions, and go home inspired to grow your own.