A five acre garden and an underground house are among the highlights that await those who will be taking the CanAssist Garden Walk next weekend.
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That’s right! Young has an underground home that sits amid a mix of native flowers, cottage plants, metal garden art and two dams.
The garden walk is being held on Sunday, October 20 to raise money for the Young/Boorowa branch of CanAssist.
Branch president Gail Hanigan said the underground house – belonging to Ross and Dimity Causer – is not part of the attraction, “but it is certainly part of the garden”.
When Ross, 81, and Dimity, 76, - who are originally from Quandialla - first bought “Euroka” in Ratho Road, all that sat on the five acre property was two trees.
Ross, now a retired earthmover, made it his mission to turn the area into something spectacular.
In 1981 he started building his not-so-ordinary house – a dream he’s had since he was a young man.
In fact, the end result was so unique it caught the eye of the National Trust, a national body who opens homes of a particular and unique interest, in 2012.
Ross then built a magnificent large-scale garden around his underground home over the next 32 years.
Scrap metal artwork is also one of the features of this garden, including golden sunflowers and arches made from old gates and trampolines.
“He has had no landscaper here – all of it is his own work,” Gail said.
“Ross opened the garden for us once before, three years ago, but he’s done so much more.
“I have never seen a garden of that scale in Young, it’s incredible.”
“It’s been a labour on a grand scale and he’s chosen his plants to marry with his local environment,” Gail said.
Ross said all of it has been a challenge for him, not being able to pinpoint a particular project in the garden that he’s especially proud of.
“What do I love about this garden? All of it, it’s just magic,” Ross said.
“Especially when we open up the windows and the sun comes in, it’s just gold.
“I’ve always dreamed of having an underground house – I read a lot about it.”
Ross said he built it for efficiency reasons, such as for heating, cooling and silence. It’s also fire proof.
The Causer’s garden is not all that will feature in the special event to raise money for the Young/Boorowa branch of CanAssist.
There will also be a town garden on show – that of Garry and Helen Sell at 4 Stanley Street.
This garden is a cottage garden consisting of a variety of roses with shady trees and pockets of garden beds.
A large variety of shrubs are interspersed with garden art and there will be a trading table and raffles held in this garden.
Food will be served at “Euroka”.
