The Prunus Elvins Walk.

This scene shows the view along the Prunus Elvins Walk, with a columnar Pencil Pine at the end of the path.
 The scene here is taken at mid Spring, shortly after the Prunus blossoms have finished and leaf begun.
The Prunus Elvins hybrid are the most floriferous of the Prunus blossoms, and are an Australian hybrid, named after the wife of Professor Elvins.
 The blossoms begin white and change to pink after a few days.
 The blossoms flower in our climate in the second week of September, and are a spectacular sight.

The Garden Driveway

The Garden Driveway is bordered by hundreds of blue agapanthus, with massed clivea miniata behind them. This semi-circular drive winds past the House Entrance around to the Garden Entrance, watched over by two bronze lions, Leo and Felix. These guard lions survey the entrance from a sandstone platform, the starting point of The English Lane.

This laneway was dubbed by the locals "The English Lane" some twenty years ago, as it was considered to be reminiscent of an English country lane.

The English Lane

The English Lane is girded on both sides with trees and shrubs of botanic interest. On the left is an age old Manchurian Pear, a deodar, a 50 year old rhododendron, brugmansia, camellias, and various other specimens.

On the right are two Louis Van Houtte golden elms, another deodar, mock orange, more camellias, mostly about 50 years old, a fiddlewood tree, a persimmon tree, and Japanese maples.

The entrance to the Secret Garden is off to the left about half way down the English Lane.

Two large blossoms flank the lower part of The English Lane. The scene displayed here shows the cliveas massed under the shrubs, Belgian hybrids on the right looking back up the lane, and the rare cream cliveas on the left.

At the bottom of the lane, the visitor emerges onto the main area of the garden, which is displayed below.

The Lawn.

Emerging from the English Lane the visitor comes out into the main garden, and, except in high summer when foliage is at its peak, is able to view almost to the perimeters of the garden. As indicated on the map, to the right is the Prunus Elvins Pathway, below is the Pear Novallis Walk, and to the right is the Clivea Walk through to the Rose Garden which is over an acre in area.

The element of surprise in the area is one of the delights of Francesca Park. From this point there is over half a kilometre of pathways to view the botanic collection.

The Wisteria and Azalea Walk

The Wisteria Walk, flanked by azaleas on the high side has various wisteria specimens, including large white wisteria at he entrance, and the  blue wisteria displayed here. the azaleas are usually in full bloom when the racemes of wisteria strut their beauty.

On both sides of the pathway, cliveas are also in their later bloom, with hybrids mixed in these positions.

On the level below, a line of Nyssa Sylvatica begin to leaf when the wisteria blooms, throwing further shade on the Wisteria Walk.

The Wisteria and Azalea Walk leads out to the Cactus display, and under three further pergolas, with the orange trumpet vine starting to cover these structures.

The Eye

The Eye is a sandstone platform from where large segments of the garden can be viewed, other than in high summer, when the foliage of the various plantings tend to turn the different garden areas into rooms, with the lawn acting in a sense as a carpet or floor covering connecting the various rooms.

The Clivea Walk leads to the Eye, and for the last 30 metres, bluebells are massed to one side, underneath rhododenrons, camellias, a magnolia, and finally the visitor arrives at The Eye, flanked by two very large standard Louis Van Houtte elms.

The bluebells are crowned above when in full bloom by the elm blossom, and when they finish, the elms leaf up to provide welcome shade for visitors wishing to sit at The Eye.

At The End of the Path.

June Leech-Larkin, the owner of Francesca Park, standing at the end of the Path.

As demonstrated, Francesca Park has over half a kilometre of pathways, primarily made from decomposed granite, or crushed terracotta. The pathways always follow the natural contours of the garden.

Essential to the design is the creation of garden rooms, often showcasing various features natural and built in each area.

Whilst the design is of central importance, Francesca Park is very much a plantswoman's garden. The cultural requirements of the botanic specimens are in no means subordinated to the design with its many vistas and significant features. The raison d'etre of Francesca Park is to show each specimens and their groupings to maximum advantage and potential. 

Steps Up to the Fernery

Francesca Park is situated on a north-east slope, the most favourable aspect for day long sun. Proceeding down the lower reaches of the garden are about a dozen sets of steps, some winding, some straight. These steps are constructed of sandstone quarried from the local Yellow Rock Quarry.

The steps shown lead up to the Fernery, and are flanked by cream cliveas, always providing interesting borders for these paved areas.

The Horse Gates, so called, are hitching rails, designed to accomodate the reins of horses. These  particular beauties were made at the St Pancras Iron Works in London. The Gates originally belonged to Sir George Reid, onetime Prime Minister of Australia. They were purchased some 40 years ago by June Leech-Larkin.

The Gates have been completely restored  by Duncan Piggott at the direction of Mrs Leech-Larkin. They are viewed here through branches of a Magnolia Tree, with November Lilies at the front of the picture.

The Horse Gates are only one of the many historic features incorporated into the gardens at Francesca Park.

One of the many interesting botanic features at Francesca Park is this apricot brugmansia. There are about 20 brugmansias in the garden of different hues, and most trees flowers several times a year in the equable climate at Francesca Park.

A feature of summer at Francesca Park are the dahlias. Many different varieties are planted yearly at Francesca Park, and include the trusty old "dinner plate" varieties, the cactus and pom pom as well. One of our favourites is the red pom pom named "Magnificat".

Autumn flowers are a feature at Francesca Park, and hundreds of plectranthus grace the garden beds along the pathways. The plectranthus provide a lovely contrast with the burnished colours of autumns, the browns, reds and yellows of scores of maples, liquid ambers, and many other autumn specialties. 

Leo and Felix will welcome you to Francesca Park, and see you off the premises as well. Always on guard the lions add to the atmosphere of serenity and sanctuary that pervades the Park.

They look forward to your presence in their domain.

Just another demonstration of the beauty of the azalea and wisteria walk. Here the blooms, and especially the scent of the wisteria will delight your senses and transport you to another hemisphere, one of inordinate order and serenity.

Over the Park, in late Spring, some 5000 liliums emerge from their hiding place in the earth and furnish the garden beds with another display of nature's finest offerings to remind us of where life began.

Despite the mild climate at Springwood, our autumn offerings at Francesca Park reveal nature at its autumnal best. Over 200 trees compete to provide a burnished display, and offer their golden, brown and red leaves to the season of winter, after which comes the regeneration of spring.