Festival fuses with artistic skill

THIS year's Laidley Spring Festival and a sheer love of art have bought out the gardening talents of local resident, Val Gilfillan.

Val, a member of Lockyer Valley Artists Inc moved to the Lockyer Valley and purchased an acreage property that was a blank canvas for her creative spark and her inspiring achievements to date.

The property was initially covered with six feet high grass, dotted with a spattering of gums.

After rigorous digging, planting and the endless drawing of possible landscaping compositions, the magic happened.

The semi-barren landscape became a well ordered, bird lover's paradise, with floral borders of every type and colour, with gravelled driveways and water features.

Val, a five-foot-high ball of energy, and her husband George, decided to make the tree change from Coffs Harbour only five years ago.

They were taken aback with the quiet, scenic vistas of the Lockyer Valley and their hearts were stolen by the quaint charm of Forest Hill.

Val is enjoying the social and art interests that the Lockyer Valley Artists Inc. group provide and attends all of their workshops and exhibitions.

Some of her artworks will be on exhibit with the Lockyer Valley Artists Inc's art display, which will be in the Laidley Cultural Centre during the Spring Festival Flower Show display.

Her love of the Australian bush and flora is evident in her works.

The gardening bug flourished on their new property and ever young at the age of 88, they put in endless hours on their prize-winning garden.

It won the grand champion of the garden competition and the first prize last year in garden displays.

Val took up an interest in the arts at around the age of 40, and takes great pride in becoming a self-taught artist.

She has exhibited and sold paintings in Victoria and enjoyed success running an art gallery called “Kryal Castle”, located in Ballarat.

The couple's emphasis on self sustainability is evident in the presence of the working success of solar water heating and solar power with their excess electricity being bought back into the grid.

Their gardens are fed by two dams on the property and they in turn keep the expansive gardens in prime condition without draining monetary and environmental resources.

They will have their garden and artwork on display for visitors to enjoy from September 1- 15.