A CELEBRATION AT WOOLMERS

Several thousand people flocked to Woolmers Estate, near Longford, last Sunday to help celebrate the first opening of the Estate fifteen years ago.

Bands played; clowns clowned and sheep were shorn. Spinners spun the wool, followed in production line, by knitters knitting the same wool just spun.

Sausages sizzled and and cider and wine was tasted and savoured. I tasted a range of different (and delicious) ciders from Dickens Cider at Hillwood in the Tamar Valley.

The ABC broadcast interviews live from the venue and certainly added greatly to the success of the event.

Tours of the main house were (as always) popular and Woolmers had their very own antiques roadshow with Kay Pickett to help anyone identify and value their treasures.

The National Rose Garden was especially popular because it is looking simply stunning right now and in full glorious bloom. Tours of the gardens were conducted and Les Hodge, The Examiner's Garden Expert was there to answer questions and chat to gardeners.

The day could hardly have been more perfect - warm, but not too hot and just the slightest of breezes. It's an absolute knockout year for gardens and it was great to see the gardens filled with such appreciative crowds.

A primary school choir from Longford sang sweetly on the steps of the old Woolshed - appropriately their first song was 'Click go the Shears' and there was even a big birthday cake which was ceremonially cut and handed round for everyone to taste.

Period costume had been requested and there were some wonderful examples, which gave a lovely authentic touch to the proceedings, and a rally of vintage cars, all in a row and all splendidly polished, added interest and colour to a wonderfully relaxing day.

"A big vote of thanks is due to those many volunteers who worked so hard to make this occassion such a resounding success" said Damian Saunders, who is the CEO at Woolmers. "A great day was had by all!"

VISITING THE VEGGIE GARDEN AT WOOLMERS

Imagine a neat formal garden with a diminutive fountain at its very centre; this has two little bronze birds appearing to be permanently drinking in its reflective pool. And the fountain is flanked by four standard mandarin trees, all bearing fruit right now, with low hedges of vivid lavender forming an outer circle.

Then, spreading out from that central circle, are neat beds planted with rows of onions, chives and garlic in one direction and broad beans and celery in another. Neat pyramids support several varieties of beans, and tomatoes and cauliflower are promising a bumper crop. Pumpkins are just starting to send out their runners and will very soon bloom.

There's a large bed of rhubarb ready to be picked and a bed of lettuce of alternating colours and varieties has been planted to form a decorative square.

An enclosed raspberry cage promises a crop of fruit which is destined for jam making to accompany the Servant's Kitchen speciality of scones with cream. (Don't miss this treat!)

Along one side of the garden are espaliered apple trees, planted as a reminder that there were once orchards of cider apples at Woolmers. And everything grown in this garden eventually finds its way into the Servant's Kitchen Cafe.

Separating all the vegetables from the National Rose Garden is a long row of ornamental cherry trees. And beyond that the roses in their thousands are all bursting into glorious bloom and wafting their delicious perfume over everything.

I love to visit the ever-changing veggie garden at Woolmers and I know many visitors enjoy the notice warning them to keep the gate closed so as to prevent Peter Rabbit from getting in!

Check out the website at www.woolmers.com.au