Leura Gardens Festival, Blue Mountains Spring Gardens

"Elouera" 18-24 Sublime Pt. Road Leura, Courtesy of Mrs. B. Heuer

An original Festival garden "Elouera" (aboriginal for pleasant place) was created out of virgin bush in the late 1940's by Dr North, the founder of the Leura Gardens Festival. Dr North's aim was to create a low maintenance garden combining both formal and natural areas. The garden features a myriad of stone pathways and steps which meander through groves of conifers and deciduous trees, rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas, as well as native vegetation. The paths link to a peaceful formal area surrounding the house.

Look out for the majestic cedars (both blue and green Atlantic and green and gold deodar), which frame the house from the lawn and the towering stands of spotted gums and Californian redwoods near the northern boundary. But don't keep your eyes skyward for too long; the garden also features beautiful rock work, with a semi-circular seat and table as the focal point, and three iron-stone slab benches strategically placed for contemplation. Take your time exploring the paths and see if you can locate the romantic cellar door set in the sandstone foundations of the formal area.

In recent years the garden has under-gone extensive re- planting and restoration by Mrs Heuer and her late husband, all carefully in keeping with Dr North's original ideas.

Today the garden is a lovely tranquil place and a mass of colour all year round. Dr North would be very pleased indeed.

Garden courtesy of Mrs B Heuer

Please note that this garden is not wheel chair friendly