Due to a few last minute cancellations there are several tickets now available to this previously sold out event.

Following three years of landscaping works I am excited to offer this opportunity to members of the public to join me for a guided tour of my extensive productive garden in Kyneton, Central Victoria, one hour north-west of Melbourne.

Regular readers of my

monthly newsletter and my social media followers have been receiving progress updates on the implementation. Now is your opportunity to see this work in progress in person. The tour will commence in my on site classroom with a very quick overview of the history of the site (including some "before images") and the proposed design. We will then head into the space for a guided tour including discussions on the features, successes and failures of the implementation. You will have the opportunity to ask questions throughout the tour on any specific areas of interest you may have. You will have some free time to explore the space at your leisure, to take photos or ask any final questions you may have at the end of the tour.

Included in my productive garden are the following features:

Huge netted enclosure
Berry patch with 33 varieties of berries
Backyard Orchard
Edible Forest Gardens
Espaliered fruit trees and 'Step-Overs'
Large vegetable growing spaces
Lawn space and open air classroom

The tour duration will be approximately one hour, with an additional 30 mins to explore the site at your own pace.

This is an all weather event and will be conducted regardless of the forecast. The site has uneven surfaces and the paths mulched with wood chips. If you have specific accessibility or mobility needs please contact me before booking to ensure that we can meet them.

Bookings are essential. The group size will be strictly limited to 20 participants.

Are you part of a gardening club, community garden, permaculture course or other group of gardening folk? See my Private Garden Tours page for more information about organising a private tour for your group.

About the facilitator

I’m Duncan Cocking and I’ve been growing fruit and vegetables since I was four years old. I support others to grow food and reconnect with nature through my business Leaf, Root & Fruit. I'm passionate about reconnecting you to nature via gardening. I write about growing food and living sustainably. I'm a cool-temperate gardener and permaculture educator with 10 years of experience hosting workshops.

During my classes, I focus on the science behind how gardens grow. This gives you an understanding of the built-in resilience of plants. Rather than always finding problems to fix with sprays and other products, you will have a renewed focus on relaxing, observing your garden, and enjoying it. Understanding “why” minimises the amount of work you have to do in your garden.

"An engaging and informative workshop pitched at the various levels of those attending … not dumbed down and not overly “sciency” … something for everyone. The opportunity to ask questions along the way was appreciated and added immensely to the experience. I look forward to completing other workshops later in the year as Duncan’s style of both teaching and gardening resonates."

Corrina L.

Workshop participant

About the facilities

In 2019 my young family and I moved from Melbourne to make a tree change to Kyneton, a small town 80 km north-west of the city in Victoria, Australia. Since then, I have been busy developing a permaculture-inspired garden ecosystem.

The property has an onsite classroom, with heating supplied by a wood burner. A split system acts as a back-up source of heating and cooling. The light filled, colourful classroom is kitted out with a large screen for running presentations (I promise that these presentations are almost entirely pictures and rarely contain words). The classroom has basic tea and coffee making facilities, ample car parking and a dedicated toilet.

My demonstration orchard contained within a netted enclosure provides opportunities for workshop participants to explore all aspects of growing fruit trees, and contains many examples of espaliered trees. I have designed and planted an extensive berry patch, market garden beds and edible forest gardens. The kitchen garden demonstrates food growing in a more typical backyard setting.

Participants from all over the state attend our workshops. I look forward to hosting you at this exciting event.

Cancellation Policy:

If you cannot make the event for whatever reason then your ticket fee will be issued as credit, for any future LRF hosted event. If the event has sold out and I manage to re-sell your ticket to another participant from the waiting list then I will issue you a refund, minus the 2.9% ticket booking fee. Giving me as much notice as possible gives me a better chance to re-sell your ticket. Thanks for your understanding..

Orchard and Edible Forest Garden Tour Autumn 2024