Page 153 - Australian House & Garden (January 2020)

For all its sophistication, the garden at Cranlana has been a popular The sunken garden is a vision of
playground for successive generations of younger Myer family members. symmetry. Today, the flowerbeds
SidneyandMerlyn’schildrenswaminthefishpondonhotdaysandplayed are filled with vibrant dahlias,
cleomes, zinnias, marigolds,
leap-frogovertheyoungevergreensonthelowerterrace.KenMyer’sdaughter, amaranthus and salvias. In the
Joanna Baevski, says the garden is what she loved most about visiting her background, a ‘long walk’ is lined
grandparents’ home. “The garden was paradise. It still is. My grandson, with pencil pines (Cupressus
Simon,recentlyhadhisseventhbirthdayatCranlana.One of his little friends sempervirens‘Glauca’).
saidtohismum,‘WewenttothebushinToorak’.” OPPOSITE Clockwise from top
Velvet lawns, floral colour and
Dame Merlyn loved the garden in all seasons. For her, it was not only a a stone seat in one of the lower

place from which she derived aesthetic pleasure, it was also the largest terraces. Gardens beds contained
‘room’atCranlana.Ingoodweather,shelovedentertaining guestsunder by low box hedging. A cherub
thetreesindappledsunlightorunder a heated candlelit marquee decorated statue is haloed by an arch
of nasturtiums.
with flowers from the garden.
Cranlana’s current head gardener, Anna Thompson, says the garden is
bothpeacefulandahiveofactivity.Intandemwiththeconstantmaintenance,
sheandherteamalsopropagatemanyoftheplants–vegetables,flowers,
eventheoaks–forMyerfamilymembers.Annasaystherearechallenges,
too,inbalancingthepreservationandrenewalofthishistoricplot.“We’re
not immune to the challenges of our changing climate,” she says.
“We’re mindful of our resource use and of fostering biodiversity.”
While the property is no longer a permanent residence, it is used as a

gathering place for the extended Myer clan and as headquarters for the
Cranlana Centre of Ethical Leadership, a not-for-profit organisation
dedicatedtoassistingbetterdecisionmakinginbusinessandgovernment.
TherewillbemuchtocelebratewhenSidneyandMerlyn’sdescendants
gathertogetherthisyear–undertheboughsof Merlyn’s beloved trees–to
mark the family’s 100 years at Cranlana. #

ranlana: The
irst 100 years by
ichael Shmith
$80, Hardie
rant) is out now.