Glamping At Mayfield Garden, Oberon NSW

Mayfield Garden's two-person tents are cosy and comfy. — Mayfield Garden’s two-person tents are cosy and comfy. (Photo supplied by Mayfield Garden.)

Imagine waking up to 65 hectares of beautiful garden and having it pretty much all to yourself. That’s the beauty of glamping at Mayfield Garden, near Oberon, in country New South Wales.

What a joy to spend the night all tucked up and cosy in one of Mayfield’s luxury tents before waking at sunrise and wandering in the garden before it opens to the public at 9am. So peaceful, so tranquil, with barely a soul to be seen and only the sound of birds chirping.

Although part of the garden is open year-round, Mayfield holds four seasonal festivals each year, when guests get to experience the entire garden, including a 50-hectare private family estate. You might have read our post on the Winter Festival back in July.

Glamping at Mayfield Garden — The glamping tents discretely off to one side of the beautiful garden.

The Spring Festival is underway now and continues until October 23. In conjunction with the Spring Festival, Mayfield is offering glamping packages which include accommodation and a three-course a la carte dinner in the garden restaurant.

We were among the first to stay this season in one of the tents that are tucked away behind the garden’s picturesque Obelisk Pond. The tents are comfortably appointed with queen-size bed, luxurious mattress, beautiful linen, and natural fibre rugs on the ground. We can vouch that they are waterproof (the rain bucketed down while we were there).

Mayfield Garden Glamping — Shower under the stars – if that’s your thing!

There is no power but there is a very effective battery-operated lamp, a jug of water, toiletries and fluffy towels. The tents don’t have ensuites but a toilet block is just metres away, and there’s a separate shower block with private cubicles open to the stars.

Outside each tent is a table and two chairs so that you can bask in the sunshine while enjoying breakfast delivered to your tent. It’s a simple breakfast – granola with yoghurt, fruit juice and a small pastry. You’ll have to head to the café if you need your shot of espresso.

About a dozen tents are nestled around a single large tent where you can relax and gather with other guests; it would be fun to do this with friends. At night, you can do some stargazing if the weather is kind, or you can enjoy drinks around the firepit in the restaurant’s outdoor dining area.

Dinner is a choice of three entrees, three mains and two desserts. My confit chicken Maryland with Lyonnaise potatoes, broccolini and mushroom sauce was beautifully cooked, and the Miso-caramel apples with macadamia crumble dessert was delicious.

It pays to retire early and wake early to experience this vast cool-climate garden before it opens to the public. Pack a brolly and waterproof shoes in case of rain – highly likely with La Niña in full swing. The spring blossoms were in their early flowering stage when we visited last weekend, but there were brilliant shows of daffodils and lilacs, and smaller plantings of tulips and hyacinths.

Masses of plantings welcome visitors at the garden entry.

Guests get to experience the full scope of the garden, from the amphitheatre and family chapel to the English box hedge maze, rowing on the lake, and visiting the stumpery (impressive tree stumps in a pine forest with an understory of rhododendrons and ferns). Glampers can arrange to enjoy a sunset picnic or early-morning breakfast, complete with bottle of champagne.

The glamping package costs $475 which includes garden entry, accommodation in a 2-person tent, and a 3-course dinner for two.