Memorial Garden

The Garden
Century-old oaks provide the backdrop for one of South Australia's finest church gardens.
Bursting with flowering displays during spring, wonderfully shaded through summer and alive with colour in Autumn, this is a garden for all seasons.



The sloping site to the southeast of the Church features a series of lawns and contoured garden beds bounded by sweeping stone walls. The effect is a series of intimate and peaceful garden spaces, each with its own focus.
A highlight of the garden is a beautiful cascade. Here water tumbles down natural stone formations to a pool dotted with water lilies.

The garden provides a peaceful setting for the internment of ashes; either in the columbarium wall or in nearby garden borders. The Church of the Epiphany at Crafers welcomes enquiries regarding the internment of ashes. This facility is also available to people outside the parish.

Click on the images below to see larger photos of the garden.

Location
The Crafers Memorial Garden is located within the grounds of the historic Church of the Epiphany at Crafers. Access is via Epiphany Place (adjacent to the Crafers exit on the South Eastern Freeway) or Mount Street to the northeast of the church.

History
While the Church and Rectory survived the Ash Wednesday bushfire of 1983 several important trees were lost in the blaze.
In 1995 local garden designer Diana McGregor was given the challenge of planning a garden for the unused land adjacent to the Church. Over the past 10 years her inspired design has been made a reality – thanks to the dedicated work of Parish of Stirling volunteers.

Design
The natural slope of the site has been carefully adapted in the design to provide open areas, elegant stone structures and places to sit and reflect. The mixed plantings reflect the historic nature of the Church grounds and the garden traditions of the Adelaide Hills.

Care
The garden is tended to by a team of parishioners and our garden committee, who generously give their time to look after the plantings and landscaping. While normally blessed with good natural rainfall, recent dry years and the associated water restrictions have created added challenges. Yet the garden continues to prosper, evolve and inspire.

Garden Committee Members

• Fay and Malcolm Abbott
• John Ashworth
• Jenny and John Harris
• Rosemary Perrott
• Philippa Wadham (HON. TREASURER)

For more information, download this brochure or contact the Stirling Parish Secretary.