we are gradually opening
On the 23rd of March 2024 we were hit by a wildfire. Destroying much of the property, the fire was followed by several storm events that caused landslides to many helpers, donations of plants and a lot of elbow-grease we have rebuilt: teahouse, bridges, structures and replanted the garden. We look forward to sharing
About Us
How to find us
DIRECTIONS TO “CYPRESS FARM” WAROONA
(by appointment)
Enter 855 Nanga Brook Rd, Waroona into your Map finder app.
Travel to Waroona, an hour south of Perth and head along Nanga Brook Road for 9.5km; turn left at Rural Number marker 855. STAY RIGHT as you enter the gravel road; at 200m turn left (see our sign) and we are 1.2 km down this track (signs will direct you)
Follow the well made gravel road and you will arrive at our gate entrance
WE ARE NOT A PUBLIC GARDEN BUT IF YOU ARE REPRESENTING A GARDEN GROUP THEN PLEASE CONTACT US
(Image by Mick Barrow)
Winter Wonders and Early Spring are here
This is the time of the year when the garden starts the parade of fall colour leading up to our winter favourites such as the Daphne collection with fragrance and colour splashes. Our early purple beard iris and flowering quince along with the Formosan cherry herald spring that is just around the corner. Two large Formosan cherries (Prunus formosiana) are our earliest cherries flowering from late July through August.
Image: Flowering Quince (Chenomeles winter red)
Summer is over but not forgotten
The waterlilies had their best season while the garden was a sea of blue and purple lace cap hydrangeas with the wonderful white Hydrangea paniculata adding the finishing touches. The Japanese maples that provided cooling leafy shade are now in retreat for their deep sleep.
(Image by Mick Barrow)
Japanese Teahouse Rebuilt with interior fittings from the teahouse of the 2025 Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal Champion Garden.
We are delighted with the amazing work of local craftsman Mick Barrow to recreate and even better Japanese Teahouse over the lake. Many gardeners mourned the loss of our teahouse which was the first building to burn in the 2024 fire but we are delighted with the new version. An exciting addition is that courtesy of the generosity of leading Japanese garden designer Ishihara, winner of 14 Chelsea gold medals, we brought back from his Champion garden teahouse, the interior fittings that now adorn the Cypress Garden teahouse.
A bit of background Location: 855 Nanga Brook Road, Waroona, WA (Land grant in 1905). Area: 65 ha (160 acres); bounded by Lane Poole Nature Reserve Rainfall: 1200mm pa with two pristine water sources (Nyngan and Cypress Brooks) meeting at the property. Mt Riley (320m); Mt Nyngan (329m) are forested high points. Geology: 2.5 billion year old granites over dolerite which weathers to create the distinctive red soils of the valley. Vegetation: 85% original (though logged in 1900) moist Eucalypt forest of marri (Corymbia calophylla); yarri (Eucalyptus patens) and a high rainfall form of jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata). Video: Zen hardpan played by a neighbour at our main fountain, Trout Pond.
A Potted History
The formal gardens cover 12 acres enveloped in a natural temperate forest. The original garden had some exotic trees that survived from the 1980’s. However we have busily been planting since 2015, with major replanting of almost 5000 plants following the March 2024 fire. The waterfalls, fountains, lily ponds and streams are fed from two spring sources that ensure year-round water displays. Native sections include black kangaroo paws, rare banksias and many grevilleas that have attracted an amazing array of native birds including robins, honey eaters and wrens. A signature plant for the garden are the hundreds of magnificent tree ferns (Cyathea cooperi) some more than 15 meters high naturalised from just three planted in the 1960’s by a former owner Peter Eaton.
About THE GARDEN
A major Japanese maple collection
Autumn colours are one of the highlights of the garden
Summer colour from the large Hydrangea collections
More than 50 cultivars and specimen trees including collections of weeping maples with many being the only specimens (such as Hana Matoi pictured) known in WA. Bloodgood, one of the best red Japanese maples, has been planted extensively so expect to see them throughout the garden.
Summer colour from the large Hydrangea collections
Autumn colours are one of the highlights of the garden
Summer colour from the large Hydrangea collections
With an abundance of water and cool shade, the 300 Hydrangeas thrive in our acid soils to create the most stunning blues to grape colours. We are always on the hunt for new forms with Annabel hydrangeas added for the first time in summer 2023
Autumn colours are one of the highlights of the garden
Autumn colours are one of the highlights of the garden
Autumn colours are one of the highlights of the garden
For the last week of April and first three weeks of May the garden is resplendent in vibrant crimsons, yellows and orange. We call it 'fall' as the leaves take on their autumn livery and, just as quickly the leaves fall to create coloured carpets with then becoming light-filled.
Springtime (Aug - Nov)
Springtime (Aug - Nov)
Autumn colours are one of the highlights of the garden
Commencing with the winter flowering Azaleas and peaking in October, the spring garden has an abundance of colour including the new foliage of Japanese maples (from yellow to scarlet), daffodils, tulips, wisteria, waratahs, Japanese water iris, beard iris and many more.
Japanese Teahouse
Springtime (Aug - Nov)
Japanese Teahouse
Just rebuilt after the 2024 fire, the teahouse appears to float on the lake. Replete with authentic shoji screens, tatami mats., hand-painted scrolls and artifacts, the new teahouse also has a 'moon window'. A Zen garden with pond has been installed adjacent to the teahouse. If visitors can please observe the teahouse from the deck to preserve the hand woven tatami mats.
wild walks and news
Our Wild Walks
Beyond the garden area there is a variety of wilderness experiences from low impact walks such as The Cascades to more energetic walks to the summit of Mt Nyngan to high fitness long haul walks through the rarely visited western parts of the Lane Poole Nature Reserve, wilderness Murray River and Kyabram Falls.
Cascades Walk 20 mins Easy
Take the signed trail that is down from the barn towards the forest (you will see a signpost) which is a wilderness loop walk to The Cascades. A small bridge and bench with secluded views of tree ferns and waterfalls makes this one of our very special spots for quiet contemplation.
Mt Nyngan 30 mins Moderate
Discovery of the Lost Song Line of the Pinjarab people
For the slightly more intrepid take a return walk on the property to Mt Nyngan, 329m ASL. Follow signs to a viewpoint that has ocean glimpses and other points of interest.
Discovery of the Lost Song Line of the Pinjarab people
Discovery of the Lost Song Line of the Pinjarab people
In exciting news we were thrilled to welcome to Mt Nyngan local Pinjarab elders who confirmed in November 2022 the existence of the long-lost Noongar Song Line that linked Waroona to Dwellingup. This well developed and ancient walkway was discovered by us during a covid lockdown. Out of respect, the song line can be viewed but not traversed.
Waterfall Walk Easy
Cypress Form Walk 6km Moderate
And easy 20 min return walk to a secluded waterfall on the property where Nyngan Brook drops over an ancient dolerite cliff. Enjoy the mossy forest walk up to the waterfall and return on Nyngan Track.
Cypress Form Walk 6km Moderate
Cypress Form Walk 6km Moderate
Taking you along the original rail spur used to log the once mighty jarrah and blackbutt forest this is a long but easy paced walk that follows Cypress Brook to its source. A few giant blackbutts remain as testimony to the extraordinary trees that once again are growing back along the Brook.
Unique Wildlife
With up to 45 species of birds including two nationally threatened black cockatoos (Baudins and Forest Red Tails) plus phascogales, chuditch, kwenda, echidna and wallabies, for the patient observer or those venturing out after nightfall, our forest holds many surprises.
Murray River Walk (45min - moderate);Kyabram Falls Walk Difficult 2h return
Taking in the wonderful valley views of the serene Falls of Kyabram Brook, this walk is difficult as you ascend from the Murray R walk (take the track out of Donkey Paddock to the banks of the Muirray and enjoy a swim or relax in the peaceful tranquility of the Murray valley before attempting the walk to Kyabram Falls. Return via the Muja Power Line)
Major collections and things to see
Native Gardens
With plants sourced from the Nuts About Natives (thanks Ben and Anouska), Friends of Kings Park, Australian Plant Nursery (thanks to Nancy and the team) and Plantrite (David Lullfitz has been very generous) the native garden is expanding each year and currently covers 3 acres with collections of waratahs, banksia and black paws (Macropidia) with 2023 being the installation of the featherflower garden (work in progress) plus a large wildlife mural. Bird life is abundant in the rich nectar filled native species .
Rose Garden
2021 was a tough year with chilli thrip devastating the rose collection. However half of the collection survived the onslaught and summer/autumn 2023 has seen some spectacular flowering.
Orchid Collection
Orchid Collection
Cool growing orchids are part of our expanding collection including Pleione orchids from China (image), Cymbidiums including rare Chinese species as well as species from Assam plus Australian native orchids thrive in the humid cool environment in Cypress Valley.
Maple Garden
Maple Garden
Orchid Collection
Once covered in blackberry and bracken we have reinstated a collection of maples from Japan offset with our interpretation of an oriental pavilion.
Wilderness
Maple Garden
Wilderness
Over 80% of the property is intact, wet temperate Eucalypt forest with blackbutt, jarrah and marri with Mt Nyngan within the property and rising to 329m ASL. Wildlife is abundant with echidna, phascogale, chuditch, quokka, quenda, rikali (in the lakes) and Baudins and Forest Red Tail cockatoos. 11 species of frog occur in the lakes and ponds
Waterlife
Maple Garden
Wilderness
We have built 11 ponds that range in size from the Pond of Reflection at 12m long to lily ponds and the Terrace Pond to grow the rare waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda). All have fresh water exchange daily from the spring so are clear and algae free.
Magnolia Collection
Spring 2022 has been our best year for the collection with astounding first flowering of some stunners including masses of flowers on Vulcan and Royal Purple. The near-black Black Tulip along with Queen Elizabeth add interest to the collection. 2023 is shaping up as an all time winner with many plants putting on substantial growth spurts and bud formation already underway for springtime.
The Waratah Collection
One of Australia's best loved wildflowers and we have a collection of over 60 selections, hybrids and cultivars including our personal favourites, white Waratahs. Flowering for just 4 weeks in spring, they are dazzling with the latest addition being the newly released yellow Waratah. Our entry road is named Waratah Ave (there is an imposter road of similar name in Dalkeith) with 30 new cultivars including Esssie’s Gift in
Mini-conservatory
Mini-conservatory
Our mild climate with lack of frosts mean our mini-conservatory produces amazing begonias, bromeliads and the newest arrivals, a collection of the ultra-fine mainden hair ferns courtesy of the Fern Society members. Limestone pyramids have spring water 24/7 percolating from their peaks which keeps the porous rocks moist and is ideal for ferns and begonias.
Waterlily collection
Monet hardy water lilies
We learnt that our lakes have Marron with voracious appetites for waterlilies. So we have built ponds to house the collection. We have sourced some of Claude Monet's original waterlily hybrids so expect to see the same plants as you do at Giverny.
Winning gold at the 2025 Chelsea Flower show
Queen Camilla visits our orchid display
Queen Camilla visits our orchid display
Queen Camilla visits our orchid display
An estimated 120,000 people visited the Chelsea displays which were the first time that little aussie bushland orchids had been shown. The orchids including blue sun orchids were grown by a German colleague Dr Heinrich Beyrle to enable flowering during the northern spring. Royalty and visitors from around the world delighted at the display over the 6 days Chelsea Flower Show.
Orchid Conservation Display
Queen Camilla visits our orchid display
Queen Camilla visits our orchid display
We recreated a piece of southwest bushland with help from many including colleagues from the Royal Bortanic Gardens Kew, The display featured donkey orchids with the stars of the show being 12 blue sun orchids which delighted royalty and visitors amazed that there were blue orchids. Winning a Gold Medal, showed how special our Australian plants are.