THERE can be few better descriptions for a garden than 'a place for stillness and beauty', and two very different but equally fascinating Monaro gardens invite visitors to enjoy their distinctive atmosphere when they participate in Australia's Open Garden Scheme.
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The Russian Orthodox Monastery at Bombala opens on Saturday, December 11 and historic Traveller's Rest, near Cooma, will open on December 11 and 12.
The Monastery stands on grounds first acquired by founder Father Alexis in 1992, and has blossomed over the past 10 years into a permanent community that aims at self sufficiency and welcomes pilgrims.
"All Orthodox monasteries are contemplative by nature," Father Alexis explains. "The Orthodox church teaches that a mature and fruitful spiritual life requires quiet and contemplation. Beauty is very important for contemplation * we see it as the ultimate manifestation of the love of God. We can contemplate the majesty of creation as easily in the stars or the petals of a flower."
To this end, the monastery has established orderly and productive gardens of striking beauty. Vegetables, an orchard and berry gardens containing currants of all kinds, raspberries, strawberries and loganberries are all grown in an organic regime.
Raised beds contained within impeccably laid stone-walls surround courtyards brimming with vibrant flowers and herbs, all cared for by Australian born monk Father Makaras who is the monastery's gardener.
All the monks have spent time overseas and despite its geographical isolation, the monastery has become a centre for lively exchanges of ideas and the development of an Australian flavoured orthodoxy.
"Unlike many other churches, Orthodoxy has no one centre of power," Father Alexis says. "Each community develops its own culture, so when we came here we knew that Cossack hats and copper samovars wouldn't be appropriate. Everything we do * whether in our language, our architecture, our food or the colours we use in our icons - is part of an ongoing synthesis between Australia and traditional Russian ways."
The chapel's icons illustrate the point superbly: depicting the feasts of the church and saints from both Eastern and Western traditions, they are executed in egg tempera, encaustic and mosaic - the full range of traditional materials - and housed inside a chapel made of weatherboard with a distinctly Australian flavour.
The Monastery gardens will be open on Saturday only, between 10am and 4.30pm. Entry is $5.
From Cooma, take the Monaro Hwy towards Bombala, turn into the Dalgety/Berridale Rd 2kms south of Ando, travel 11kms and turn left into the Gunningrah Rd; travel 3kms and then turn right into Richardson Rd.
The monastery is a further 11kms and the road includes stretches of rough gravel that necessitate careful driving. Please beware of other drivers approaching in the opposite direction.
There is a similarly exciting riot of productivity at Traveller's Rest. This wonderfully engaging garden has been established by David and Gaye Epstein around an 1860s inn, originally built during the Kyandra gold rush and situated 5kms outside Cooma.
Gaye's passion is the creative world, and there are also special treats in store each day: renowned craftswoman and weaver Rowena Hart will be giving continuous workshops on weaving with materials from the garden including lavender, garlic and cabbage tree fibres, and Gaye will talk about the lavender story at Travellers Rest.
The garden is 5kms from of Cooma on the Snowy Mountains Hwy towards Jindabyne, and opens each day between 10am and 4.30pm. Entry $5. Further information, call 0269 432666 or for directions call 1902 261026
