In 1978 the Bickleigh Vale Village was recognised by The National Trust and declared a “Classified” Landscape. It is also recognised as “an area of special significance” by the Yarra Ranges Shire. In 1988 Devon Lane was renamed Edna Walling Lane in recognition of Edna Walling's creation of Bickleigh Vale Village and her contribution to Australian landscape design.
In 2005 Bickleigh Vale was included on the Victorian Heritage register as a historical landscape of horticultural and architectural significance to the State of Victoria.
Walling’s Philosophy
The goal at Bickleigh Vale was to create an environment in which houses and gardens related harmoniously with each other as well as with the natural environment; and within which like-minded people could appreciate and preserve this village concept. The spirit of Edna Walling still exists within this community today as residents consciously aim to protect and maintain the common features of the area, which make this a place of such special significance to so many.
Walling had a number of design principles which she applied to her garden designs. These are very much in evidence at Bickleigh Vale. Walling felt one should create “rooms” or different areas within the garden. The simple bare bones of the design should be visible in winter. The most important colour is green, but one should be sensitive to foliage and texture. Trees should be planted in copses and groundcovers allowed take over. Gardens should be mulched and not overwatered. Gardens should be allowed to grow naturally; where possible they should be left alone, and where pruning is necessary, it should not be overdone.
Much of the philosophy she espoused has since been revived by others with the revival of the cottage garden. But her emphasis on foliage and the colour green remains unique.
The Plantings
At Bickleigh Vale, Walling blended native and exotic plants and built cottages nestling into a landscape characterised by repeated plantings of a wide variety of her preferred groundcovers, shrubs and trees. When residents replant today, they do it with one eye on her writings so that the character is preserved.
Walling favourites common at Bickleigh Vale are:
Trees - Crab-apples, birches, hornbeams. hawthorns, plums, ti-tree, apricots, oaks and elms. Shrubs – various viburnums, kolkwitzia, (the Beauty Bush), berberis, buddleia, (the Butterfly Bush), japonica, cotoneaster, forsythia, spirea, magnolia, mock-orange and mint bushes. Groundcovers/flowers - Yarrow, brachyscome, erigeron, forget-me-not, periwinkle, thyme, veronica, bell-flowers, foxgloves, penstemon, snow-in-summer, Japanese windflowers, ajuga, aquilegia and herbs. In Spring – drifts of bulbs.
The Future
The challenge today for owners as caretakers is to maintain the gardens in changing climatic conditions. Many ancient trees were stressed by the drought, dropping limbs and dying. Now others are struggling to hold their roots in the ground because of so much rain. Also there is the issue of “weeds versus heritage” as many of Edna Walling’s favourite plants are now on the Shire of Yarra Ranges weed list e.g. Agapanthus, Erigeron, Cotoneaster, Vinca Major and Hawthorn to name but a few. Residents are now thinking about succession planting to replace senescent trees.
Since Edna Walling left Bickleigh Vale in 1967, residents have worked together to maintain the roadside vegetation. In 2009 they became affiliated with the Victorian Environmental Friends Network to become “Friends of Edna Walling”. They also received a grant from Heritage Victoria and have worked with the Shire to rejuvenate the roadside vegetation. This year residents have planted over 500 trees, shrubs and ground cover plants and bulbs
The residents’ aim is to preserve the environmental vision of Edna Walling and her Heritage Village – which is the only one of its kind - for future generations.
(Source: Open Gardens Australia, "BICKLEIGH VALE VILLAGE: EDNA WALLINGS MASTERPIECE SUNDAY 5th OCTOBER"
In 2005 Bickleigh Vale was included on the Victorian Heritage register as a historical landscape of horticultural and architectural significance to the State of Victoria.
Walling’s Philosophy
The goal at Bickleigh Vale was to create an environment in which houses and gardens related harmoniously with each other as well as with the natural environment; and within which like-minded people could appreciate and preserve this village concept. The spirit of Edna Walling still exists within this community today as residents consciously aim to protect and maintain the common features of the area, which make this a place of such special significance to so many.
Walling had a number of design principles which she applied to her garden designs. These are very much in evidence at Bickleigh Vale. Walling felt one should create “rooms” or different areas within the garden. The simple bare bones of the design should be visible in winter. The most important colour is green, but one should be sensitive to foliage and texture. Trees should be planted in copses and groundcovers allowed take over. Gardens should be mulched and not overwatered. Gardens should be allowed to grow naturally; where possible they should be left alone, and where pruning is necessary, it should not be overdone.
Much of the philosophy she espoused has since been revived by others with the revival of the cottage garden. But her emphasis on foliage and the colour green remains unique.
The Plantings
At Bickleigh Vale, Walling blended native and exotic plants and built cottages nestling into a landscape characterised by repeated plantings of a wide variety of her preferred groundcovers, shrubs and trees. When residents replant today, they do it with one eye on her writings so that the character is preserved.
Walling favourites common at Bickleigh Vale are:
Trees - Crab-apples, birches, hornbeams. hawthorns, plums, ti-tree, apricots, oaks and elms. Shrubs – various viburnums, kolkwitzia, (the Beauty Bush), berberis, buddleia, (the Butterfly Bush), japonica, cotoneaster, forsythia, spirea, magnolia, mock-orange and mint bushes. Groundcovers/flowers - Yarrow, brachyscome, erigeron, forget-me-not, periwinkle, thyme, veronica, bell-flowers, foxgloves, penstemon, snow-in-summer, Japanese windflowers, ajuga, aquilegia and herbs. In Spring – drifts of bulbs.
The Future
The challenge today for owners as caretakers is to maintain the gardens in changing climatic conditions. Many ancient trees were stressed by the drought, dropping limbs and dying. Now others are struggling to hold their roots in the ground because of so much rain. Also there is the issue of “weeds versus heritage” as many of Edna Walling’s favourite plants are now on the Shire of Yarra Ranges weed list e.g. Agapanthus, Erigeron, Cotoneaster, Vinca Major and Hawthorn to name but a few. Residents are now thinking about succession planting to replace senescent trees.
Since Edna Walling left Bickleigh Vale in 1967, residents have worked together to maintain the roadside vegetation. In 2009 they became affiliated with the Victorian Environmental Friends Network to become “Friends of Edna Walling”. They also received a grant from Heritage Victoria and have worked with the Shire to rejuvenate the roadside vegetation. This year residents have planted over 500 trees, shrubs and ground cover plants and bulbs
The residents’ aim is to preserve the environmental vision of Edna Walling and her Heritage Village – which is the only one of its kind - for future generations.
(Source: Open Gardens Australia, "BICKLEIGH VALE VILLAGE: EDNA WALLINGS MASTERPIECE SUNDAY 5th OCTOBER"
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The vegetated road reservations in the Bickleigh Vale Estate need programs for weed management and renewal of senescent trees and shrubs in order to preserve the country lane character as originally envisaged by Edna Walling.
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Bickleigh Vale is of scientific (horticultural) significance for its many outstanding trees and plantings, including stands of rare oaks and other deciduous varieties. Numerous plants occurring at Bickleigh Vale were popularised by Edna Walling.
Did you know that two our our trees are in listed in the National Trust's register of Significant Trees? |
Bickleigh Vale's quiet, leafy lanes and expansive gardens are a haven for birds and other wildlife
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