Harbour Bridge Wendy Whiteley "Secret" Garden

No Cars

 Sunday 15th January 2012

Dep: 2pm- home 5pm.

With the thought of seeing the Sydney Harbour Bridge 'sans traffique' too exciting a prospect to pass up, I leapt on the 428 bus from Newtown at 2pm.  It was a perfect summer day in Sydney, not too hot.  Bus trips into the city always reveal a mixture of interesting people.
  I had a brief chat (she chatted and I attempted to comprehend) with a "low talking women" and gentle words with a young lass from Uzbekistan, with a very large blue hat. By the time I had contemplated the wonders of Uzbekistan I was deposited at Circular Quay.

The Rocks

George Street is the main route to The Rocks area of Sydney.  There is much to explore in this area alone if you are in the market for some ugg boots, crystals, art, gems, clothes and food. You can scoot through the Nurses Walk which takes you to Harrington St, turn left up to Argyle Street.

Argyle Road

On the right are market stalls with a mixture of arts, crafts and food. Turn left into Argyle Street and meander for 100m. To the right is a staircase leading up through the rock wall. At the top of the stairs is the Glenmore Hotel in Cumberland Street. You can feel the history whilst listening for birds in the nearby trees. There is also a nifty view of the rocks down Argyle Street - you can still hear those convicts chipping away at the sandstone. (well I could !) Cross over the street - just about now you will be thinking "how many more steps" don't fret, 'cause the harbour bridge is so closeby.

On this day, the bridge is closed to traffic as the road is being resurfaced.  It was an opportunity to walk across the bridge without the usual hum of traffic.

As you begin your walk up the path  to the bridge, take a moment to admire the row of  Moreton Bay Figs to the right.  It was a picture perfect day, just a few buses, workman, lots of people walking along, occasional taxi.  Very quiet, gentle breeze, yachts on the harbour below. The walk across the bridge takes about half an hour.  The sky SO BLUE and the water below absolutely sparkling - magic.

Milson's Point

The bridge walkway empties at Milson's Point, with its eclectic mix of village shops and cafes.  Turn left at bottom of the steps, Burton Street, where you find yourself under the archway of the bridge.  Burton Street leads onto Alfred Street South, turn right turn and cross the road and continue north. Eyes left, a rather charming Chinese Christian Church. Not much further to Lavender Street, turn left, before you is Clark Park, with its green grass, trees, views of the harbour, dotted with date palms.  Plenty of seating, a well maintained park.  Keep walking across the grass with the harbour view in your sights. 

Wendy Whiteley's Garden

The steps leading down into Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden are framed by lavender which is at the sunny top of the steps. Follow the steps down into a very shady place where you  could really lose yourself.  It is easy to imagine office workers from the nearby buildings sneaking here for a meditative break during a hectic day.  Very quiet on my day, I was the only person. It is easy to appreciate the love and labour that has gone into this garden.  At one point I did wonder if it was a private garden that I had stumbled into ! 

Sit and relax

Leafy pathway

The landscaped garden is built on the side of the hill leading to a small valley. If you follow the mulched pathways, of which there are many, you will eventually find yourself on the floor of the glen, which reveals a grassy area with seating. From this point you can gaze skywood  and see a magnificent Moreton bay fig (Ficus macrophylla). There is  plenty to see and explore -  lots of purple Iresine herbstii, bay trees (Laurus nobilis) trumpet lilly (Datura sp.) shaded palms, ferns, geraniums, Lomandra longifolia, pots, bird baths and ornaments - dense shade for hot day meanderings. You can envisage ideas for your own garden, the steps, the stoneworks, framing vistas with plants, the retaining walls. It is a bird's haven with the occasional screams from luna park which is close by. A large stormwater drain at the lowest point is a framed grotto of cocos palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana). You will discover metal watering cans, garden implements and letter boxes. Pink Iresine sp. brightes up this densley shaded area with its differing shades of large leafed shrubs.

Exiting is easy as you retrace your steps back through the garden. There are conveniently placed benches on the way where you can rest and spot the Agapanthus sp, Agave sp, Dodonea sp , native violet (Viola hederacea) and the little daisy  (Erigeron karvinskianis). I reflected on the passion contained in the garden, a passion of love for a husband and daughter.  It is a place of joy and beauty and a place for reflection.

As you gaze to the left whilst returning up Lavender street a colourful row of terraces will again inspire you. I stopped off for a cuppa at a nearby cafe on Alfred Street.  With its chandelier and extensive bookcase, and excellent tea (with real leaves) - I was in heaven.

Museum

Bradfield Park North presents a short history lesson via signboards, about the buiding of the harbour bridge. You can hover here before you continue back the same way over the bridge. It was 4.05pm as I wandered past the  Australian Hotel in Gloucester Street. In this vicinity is also the Sydney Harbour Youth Hostel with an accompanying archaeological dig. (worth exploring on another day)  At the top of the steps down to nurses walk is the Susannah Place Museum.

 For more inspiration with gardening look out for the fabulous garden troughs at the end of Argyle Street, near Circular Quay. Crammed with vegies, herbs, a lemon tree, and aubergines. 

Conveniently there was a bus waiting for me at Stand B, home by 5pm. I kid you not - my Uzbeki lady was again on the bus !

Destination:  Wendy Whitely Garden Lavender Street North Sydney.

Route: 428 Bus to Circular Quay, train station as well.

Suitable: able walkers, steps, hills.

Time: alow 3-4 hours for round trip.