For many in Sunraysia, it doesn’t feel like Christmas without a visit to Kathy and Kevin Nolen’s Christmas wonderland in December. When they aren’t decorating their garden, they are planting, growing and selling their beautiful flowers. The couple welcomed Caitlyn Morgan to their home to discuss how the Christmas tradition began and how they transformed the garden to what it is today. Picture: Carmel Zaccone
PREPARATIONS for Christmas have already begun at the Nolen household in Red Cliffs
And with more than 80,000 lights to be put up and more than 100 hours of decorating to be done, there is no time to rest in November.
For 30 years Kathy and Kevin have created something magical in their own backyard, shared and appreciated by thousands of local residents each year and this year will be no different.
While Kevin admits the idea to decorate the garden was initially his, Kathy was the one who took it to the next level.
“Roy Burr had a display in Mildura that we would take our kids to each year and Kevin said he would like to do something like that for our kids at home so I said go for it,” Kathy recalls.
“It started off as one tree and Santa on the roof, we then got a manger and train and it took us two or three years to save up for our first set of lights.
“The first year there were only clear lights, so Kevin painted every single one of those lights green and red.”
Kathy says it “snowballed” from there and each year the couple continued to add more and more decorations.
“We try to do something a little different each year. This year we will have a new sleigh for people to take photos in,” Kathy says.
“It was about 25 years ago we started the wish book and I have kept all of those wishes; each night we read them and over the years have seen the progression of what children want.
“I remember when we first started it and the kids would peak out through the window, there were so many screams of delight when the kids noticed there was five cars that had pulled up to see it,” she says.
The couple now can’t keep track of the number of cars and people that visit the garden.
Thousands of people visit the garden throughout December and those not in town for Christmas can still view the display in the first week of January.
“I love the feeling that we are making a difference to somebody,” Kathy says.
“I really love that first night, hearing the excitement from the children that visit and hearing them call it ‘the maze’.
“For me, it’s like walking into a 3D book or picture and it’s just magic. It’s something we will continue to do for as long as we can.”
As much as the couple loves the tradition, so does the Sunraysia community.
“We have heard stories of people who can’t get into the spirit of Christmas until they have visited and other stories that the garden has become their family tradition,” Kathy says.
“There was one family who last year said it’s been a tradition in their family for three generations and they all still come together.”
Kevin added: “It doesn’t belong to us, it’s something that belongs to the community.”
When the garden isn’t being transformed into a “Christmas wonderland” the couple keeps busy with their blooming flower business, which they started almost a decade ago.
“I just wanted to be able to pick a bunch of flowers for the table so Kevin said he would plant me some flowers and now here we are 300 roses later,” Kathy says.
“We then planted 10 dahlias and they just went crazy, so it was suggested we sell them at the market.”
The couple had no trouble selling their flowers and have been selling them at local markets around Sunraysia ever since.
“We plant any flower that will grow in the climate and have a good vase life,” Kathy says.
“The weather does make a difference … this year has been particularly bad for snapdragons, they haven’t produced as many as they usually would but then the cornflower has been really good and the ranunculi has been amazing this year.”
Just when Kathy thought the couple couldn’t be kept any busier, Kevin has expanded his skills and has been growing seedlings.
“What started as picking once a week, now sees us picking every second day at first light and Kevin does the seedlings at night,” Kathy says.
“We really just love gardening, we always have with both our mothers wonderful gardeners.”
The couple are not the only ones who love their garden, their nine grandchildren all very big fans.
“I loved seeing our kids climb the trees and now seeing our grandchildren do the same,” Kathy says.
“The grand-kids just love it, they are right into being outside, even the one-year-old will tell us they want to go outside.
“They love running around, climbing the trees and helping with the garden.
“It’s amazing to see them pick the flowers and know what would be suitable together.”
The Nolen garden will be ready in time for the first weekend in December, where the lights will be turned on each night for the whole of Sunraysia to enjoy.
