THE weekend of May 23 and 24 will see the last ever private garden in NSW opening for Open Gardens Australia, formerly Australia's Open Garden Scheme.
Queensland and Victoria have gardens open until the end of June, but for NSW May 23 and 24 represents the end of an amazing era.
It began a generation ago when the ABC's John Henwood returned from an overseas trip enthralled by many glorious open gardens he had seen and determined to help Australians share their gardens with visitors.
He inspired the ABC to join with the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria and persuade 63 gardeners to open their gardens during the summer of 1987-88.
They published a guidebook, Gardens of Victoria (1987), edited by garden designer John Patrick, that provided details of open gardens, a brief history of gardening in Victoria and a series of useful maps.
The instant success of the first season quickly led to the establishment of Australia's Open Garden Scheme, a non-profit organisation whose mission was to promote the knowledge and pleasure of gardens and gardening across Australia by opening inspiring private gardens to the public.
The scheme's success depended on a few vital ingredients. These included a small but knowledgeable and committed board of directors and executive staff, a group of hard working regional co-ordinators and a vast team of volunteer selectors and committee members.
Underpinning everything were hundreds of dedicated gardeners who generously opened their gardens for one or two weekends every season.
The garden scheme was magnificently supported by ABC Regional Radio which publicised garden openings and gave details of opening times and costs.
It was backed up by numerous newspapers, including this one, magazines and local television and radio stations across the country.
The scheme also published an annual guide - a complete collection of these has become a resource of inestimable value for historians.
Of the garden entry fee, 35 per cent was returned to the garden owner or their nominated charity. Since 1987, owners have donated more than $5.5 million to many causes.
The remaining 65pc of gate money covered operating costs, with any surplus donated to garden-related projects throughout Australia - $1.1 million since 1987.
The best thing about the garden scheme, apart from introducing the love of gardens and garden to a wider public, was the fantastic enthusiasm it generated. It came from the top and infected every participant at every level.
It was wonderful for rural gardeners, especially those on isolated properties.
The scheme put them in touch with one another, everybody shared the hard work and the fun and their selector was there to boost confidence and steer the nervous through the occasional crisis.
There was also the special pleasure of being involved with a national organisation and welcoming visitors who often travelled long distances.
So what went wrong?
Australia's climate may be part of it - much of our country is inhospitable for gardeners and we simply don't have the gardens.
Lifestyles are changing, many couples both work, houses are bigger and gardens have shrunk.
But I think in the end the scheme was a victim of its own success. It led the way brilliantly and local organisations soon noticed the benefit of garden-loving tourists to their economy.
Rather than contribute to the costs of a national scheme, they organised their own open gardens. People opted for fewer outside visitors in return for the money they raised remaining in the local community and eventually it became impossible, sadly, for the garden scheme to compete.