Markdale

Crooked Corner, NSW, 2583

Markdale

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

We're sorry to say that this listing has expired. The details here have been retained for archival purposes only and are out of date. We are unable to help with any enquiries about this listing.

Open Garden Dates/Times

No Open Dates currently scheduled

Entry Fee: $20

Tours will be available from October 2022 onwards.

For booking details please contact: louise@markdale.com

Warning: Water in the garden, Uneven surfaces

Location & Contact Info

  • Crooked Corner, NSW, 2583

Note: Proceed through the main entrance of Markdale and follow the signs to the Edna Walling Garden and allocated parking area.

Local Climate Zone: 8-9 - Cool Temperate to Alpine

Summer avg. Max: 27°C Winter avg. Min: 1°C
Avg Frost Days:86
 
Annual Rainfall avg: 813mm. Summer avg. 190mm.
No. of rainy days: 46 Winter avg. 215mm.

Regularly Open Gardens (<100km)

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Garden Guide

A great Australian country garden

Markdale's garden is acknowledged as one of the great country gardens of Australia. It was started in the 1920's and redesigned in 1949 by the pioneer of Australian landscape gardener Edna Walling.

Spanning 5 ...

Charming Farmstay Accommodation

Markdale Farmstay is a beautiful country retreat that offers total privacy, seclusion and charming accommodation for up to 24 people, surrounded by over 6,300 acres of beautiful rolling hills in the Southern Tablelands of NSW.

Guests can stay in the self contained 2 original 1850's Stone Cottages and Shearer's Quarters and have unlimited access to the 5 acre Edna Walling garden during their stay as well as the tennis court and pool.

Only 3 hours from Sydney and 1.5 hours from Canberra, the property is a fully-operational merino sheep and cattle farm and also features one of Australia's great country gardens.

Edna Walling Garden

A Great Australian Country Garden

Edna Walling has blended native plants and exotics, thyme lawns, informal garden pool, hand built paths, and integrating the house with a serene yet untamed garden.

Markdale's garden features a pergola of blue and white wisteria, stunning golden and weeping elms, a profusion of roses, stone-walled garden and a sweeping lawn down to a small lake.

Walling used the glorious natural scenery of paddocks and hills to advantage, removing many of the existing hedges in the process.

Today, silver birch, aspens, pinoaks, hawthorns, golden elms, golden ash and claret ash, spireas, viburnums and native eucalypts shelter and frame the garden without obscuring the view.

History of Markdale

As well as being a property with great historical value, Markdale is renowned for its international association with the game of polo and agricultural merits.

One of the first known owners of Markdale, Mr William Marks, bought 640 acres of present Markdale land (then known as Slete's Gully) in 1858. Upon it he built a tiny slab cottage which survives to this day beside the Farmstay.

Some historians note that this slab hut was built to house the Horse and Jockey Inn and later became the general store for the workers on the sheep station.

In 1920 Markdale was bought by Mr James Ashton, parliamentary member for Goulburn 1901-1908 (Minister for Lands), father of the Ashton Polo Team grandfather of the now former owners, Mr and Mrs Geoffrey Ashton (sold in 2017).

It was in the late 1940s and early 1950s that Markdale underwent a siginificant change. This was when two of Australia's most revered designers, architect Professor Leslie Wilkinson and landscape designer Edna Walling, were commissioned to create the magical haven that it is today.

After Walling designed the garden in 1947, Wilkinson was also commissioned for a major redesign of the house to complement the garden in 1951. It was only this once that the two Australian icons combined their talents - Professor Wilkinson extensions and gardens by Edna Walling.

Over the years Markdale has been featured in many books and publications and is known as one of Australia's great country gardens.

Today the property continues to be a fully operational sheep station with over 8,500 fine merino sheep over 6,300 acres.

Crookwell Garden Festival

Markdale is holding a special open garden weekend as part of the fabulous Crookwell Garden Festival which will be held this year on 5-6 November.

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