My Mum Cried When I Bought This House

Natasha Morgan has transformed a rundown rural post office into an endearing home and a hub of creativity, writes Jane Cramer.

- Jane Cramer

For Natasha Morgan, the garden is at the heart of who she is. That’s no surprise, given Natasha is a landscape architect but Oak and Monkey Puzzle, a former post office in Victoria’s Central Highlands, is so much more than a beautiful, well-designed property. It’s a hub of cooking, growing and community collaboration.

In 2013, Natasha was looking for a weekender in close proximity to Melbourne. To allow her to pursue all the things she wanted to do most in life, the property had to have high rainfall, good soil and be close to an artistic and cultural community.

Natasha’s passions include cooking and preserving, a love fostered by her Maltese grandmother, whose pickling kit is now Natasha’s most prized possession. Being able to grow and arrange flowers were also a high priority for the former senior landscape architect.

“Having spent two years working with Melbourne’s most sought-after florists and event designers, it was time to create my own,” says Natasha, adding that “growing plants and designing gardens was always going to be a must-have.”