Three Victorian goldfields gardens are open on April 21, all sporting strong autumn colour. "Belleville" (26-28 Market Street, Dunolly) is an 1860s house with a garden planted in the midst of the millennial drought. Much of its layout is based on the garden that originally surrounded the house, gleaned from 19th-century photographs. There are deciduous trees, a long ornamental-grape-covered walkway and a sunken garden with overhanging fruit trees.

"Hedgehogs" (60 Hagues Road, Barkers Creek) has a pond designed by the late Gordon Ford with a eucalypt-filled backdrop as well as 30 fruit and nut trees, a raspberry house and a grapevine walk.

"Sally's Garden" (43 Steane Street, Kennington, Bendigo) has maples, ornamental pears, an ornamental grapevine and a "fine-leaf" Myoporum parvifolium lawn. All of the gardens are open from 10am to 4.30pm, $8. opengardensvictoria.org.au

PLANT SALE

The Growing Friends' autumn plant sale at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne runs from 10am to 4pm on April 28, and 10am to 3pm on April 29. The sale is inside Gate E and entry is free. See a catalogue of available plants at rbgfriendsmelbourne.org.