A Green-thumb’s Guide to the Lockyer Valley

It’s known as Australia’s salad bowl – and one of the most fertile farming areas in the world. So it’s not surprising that the Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane, is also home to some bloomin’ marvellous garden experiences.

For a start, it’s where you’ll find Pohlman’s Garden Centre – the largest wholesale plant nursery on the east coast. Pohlman’s is so big, it even has its own train.

You can jump on board the Gum Tree Express for a guided, behind-the-scenes tour of this massive horticultural operation. The tour is normally only available to groups, but during the nursery’s Spring celebrations on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th September, 2019 individual members of the public will be invited to get on board.

Lovers of lavender can sink into a purple haze at Holmwood Lavender, near Thornton in the Lockyer Valley.

Gary and Anne Young are the owners of this beautiful lavender and bush tree farm. They largely grow French varieties of the scented, flowering plant, along with native trees. Visitors are invited to explore the on-site shop, where many of Anne’s lavender creations are for sale. From skin-care products to lavender-scented pillows – even lavender-infused honey – a large range of lovely items are on display. And you must stay for Anne’s delicious lavender scones at morning or afternoon tea!

Few flowers are as bright and cheerful in the garden as geraniums.

At Just Geraniums in the Lockyer Valley, avid gardener Wendy Skelton shares her love of these pretty plants – along with their sweet secret. Wendy grows around 45 varieties of scented and flavoured geraniums – incorporating many of them in her homemade jellies and baking. Flavours and scents include coconut, nutmeg, pine, citronella, peppermint, orange, lemon and rose geranium. Wendy’s geranium-infused products are regularly for sale at local Lockyer Valley, Ipswich and Toowoomba markets.

You can get to Just Geraniums at Mount Berryman, via Laidley; visits are by appointment.

Why not pick up a geranium plant for your home garden while you’re there?