ONCE UPON a time...

SET IN MISTY MOUNT MACEDON, THIS MYSTERIOUS GARDEN REVEALS SURPRISES AROUND EVERY BEND

- REBECCA HOOTON

FULL OF LIFE Although the garden has the appearance of having grown wild, every plant was intentionally placed when the landscaping was first established in the early 1870s. The woodlands sections are full of ferns and maples. A maple leaf adds a delicate touch of seasonal colour on top of white hydrangea petals (opposite). Boston ivy cloaks the garden's rotunda in the glowing colours of autumn (previous page).

You'd be forgiven for expecting-fairies to emerge from this Mount Macedon property in the Central Highlands of Victoria. "It's like an enchanted forest," says Martina Gemmola, the photographer who captured the magic of the European-style garden. On this day, a fog has settled across the winding slate paths, moss-covered retaining walls and regal statues that stand in the same spots they were assigned when the landscaping began in the 1870s. "It's always misty," confirms head gardener Julian Ronchi, who's privileged with the monumental task of maintaining the historical grounds. "We're at the top of the mountain, almost 1000 metres above sea level, so the fog starts below us. Some mornings, it takes hours for it to clear.

It's an ideal climate for the greenery, which surrounds the Venetian Gothic home. Set among 10.5 hectares of trees you could easily get lost in, it's been fittingly nicknamed The Gingerbread House. The current owners have had it for about 10 years and Julian says they're "happy to preserve such a significant property". In 1998, a survey was done, which identified almost 600 trees. "I think it's one of the best private collections of botanical trees in Australia," says Julian.