Your Questions Answered

For garden/event visitors

How do I find open gardens?

You will need to register on our website to be able to view the full open garden/event details. Registration is free and you will only need to fill in your details once.

You can then explore gardens nearby, and by region, state or name. You will also receive automated email reminders about upcoming events.

Why do I need to register?

We require you to register to My Open Garden so that we can provide the best possible experience using this site and to help prevent spam. For more information about the benefits of registration, please see the registration page.

How can I visit an open garden?

Each listing provides the opening dates and times for that garden/event, as well as an address and map to find it. In most cases you can simply visit on the specified dates and pay the entry fee at the gate - but please check the listing as some require advance bookings.

However, why not make a day of it! You can also see information on each garden/event profile about other gardens open on the same day, as well as local regularly open private and public gardens and even local nurseries that might be worth a visit.

Event Cancellations

You should check that a scheduled event is still open on the day you are planning to visit. Last minute cancellations can occur due to events beyond the control of the organisers - bush fires, storms and other emergencies are a fact of life - and nobody will be more disappointed than the organisers themselves if they are forced to cancel because they will have spent a long time preparing for the event.
If possible we will send out an alert email to registered users about any cancellations.

What gardens are open?

Gardens of every variety all across Australia are on My Open Garden. They include both regularly open private gardens, public gardens as well as those that only open for one week-end a year. The garden profiles provide plenty of information about all the unique gardens that you can visit.

How are the gardens chosen?

Gardens may be presented by a state or regional group or by individuals. We offer all Australian garden owners the opportunity to open their gardens to the public. Garden owners pay an annual fee to list their garden. We encourage garden owners to provide enough information and photographs to accurately represent their gardens to potential visitors. All the information is provided by the garden owners and has not been verified by My Open Garden. If you have concerns about any of the information on a garden listing, please contact us.

What happens to the entry fees to the gardens?

Garden owners and event organisers set their own entry fees. They also decide where the entry fees go. Many garden owners choose to donate some or all of their fees to a charity or other cause, which may be listed on their garden profile page.

Are all open gardens listed?

We are endeavouring to list every great open garden (both commercial and private) in Australia and are continuing to grow our database as quickly as we can. Event listings stay on our site for up to a year after their last opening so you have a reference but there is no guarantee they will open each year. Feel free to send our website details www.myopengarden.com.au to anyone who you think might be interested in opening their garden. Or alternatively send us their information using the contact form and we will get in touch with them and ask them to be part of the My Open Garden community.

For Garden Clubs & Other Groups

Can we get earlier advice about open gardens?

Yes. If you are on our Clubs database you will receive an email during the first week of each month with a summary of events coming up in the following month. i.e. about 4-8 weeks advance notice. Our database already has about 500 garden clubs and special interest groups around Australia that receive alerts. Please feel free to contact us to have your group included. This is a free service.

Managing your site settings

You can manage all your personal settings through the "Settings" main menu option which is displayed when you are logged in. Through this menu you can update your email address, password, postcode and control the automatic email alerts to which you are subscribed.

Garden visiting courtesy

What are the rules for garden visitors?

Remember that you may be being invited into a persons private garden. Common courtesy would suggest that the following general rules for garden visitors apply:
DO

• Visit gardens only on the days and times specified on the listing
• If you want to identify a plant, ask the person to come to the plant
• Keep to paths
• Be Careful. All gardens can have uneven paths, trip hazards, overhead branches etc. You are responsible for your own safety.
• Take everything with you that you brought into the garden
• Bring children with you, but ensure they are well-supervised and that their behaviour does not disturb other visitors
• If dogs are permitted, or you have an official Assistance Dog, keep them on a leash and under control at all times
• Check with the owner before you take photographs in the garden

DO NOT

• Do not enter the garden owner's house unless specifically invited to do so. If the house is open to visitors this will be specified on the garden listing.
• Do not remove any plants or parts of plants in the garden
• Do not create loud noise or disturbances in the garden
• Do not park your car where it will block the area to other people and cars, or where it may damage the property or garden

Of course, please enjoy your day. Take your time and have a close look at the garden - every one has something special - and have a browse through the owners plant stall or enjoy the refreshments if they are available.