the grounds alexandria Archives

The Secret Garden Installation at The Grounds of Alexandria

Wander through a sea of vibrant, colourful flowers at the Secret Garden installation at The Grounds of Alexandria.

Visit The Grounds of Alexandria any time until August 15 to enjoy this stunning installation, comprised of thousands of stunning flowers inspired by the classic Frances Hodgson Burnett book, The Secret Garden.

Enter through the wrought iron gates and explore an elegant world where fantasy comes to life.

The team at the Grounds have created this experience for their restaurant guests to enjoy, so if you stop by for some photos, stay for a meal at The Cafe or The Potting Shed. Booking a table is highly recommended!

Try the special Secret Garden menu items:

The Secret Garden Cake

Secret Garden at the Grounds of Alexandria — Courtesy of The Grounds of Alexandria

A mini almond sponge cake, layered with apple custard and caramelised apple, topped with honey buttercream and garnished with pressed, dried flowers.

The Bees Knees

A refreshingly delicious mocktail. Cocktail version available on request.

The Secret Garden is open daily until August 15.

Read more about dining at The Grounds of Alexandria.

NOTE FROM THE GROUNDS TEAM:

The Secret Garden experience has been created for our restaurant guests to enjoy. Please be aware that guests who don’t intend to dine in The Cafe, The Potting Shed or order takeaway from The Grounds may not be permitted entry during our busiest times. Additionally, there will be no access to The Grounds for professional photoshoots (outside of events), without prior written approval.

After 5pm, access to our beautiful laneways will be reserved for patrons dining in The Potting Shed or event guests. Alternatively before 10pm, you can purchase an after-hours pass from our friendly staff at the Bourke Road gate for $5 per person (kids under 10 years are free).

Please note that The Grounds of Alexandria will be closed after 10pm.

The Grounds of Alexandria
7a/2 Huntley St, Alexandria
thegrounds.com.au/secret-garden

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For a long time, whispers about an inner city cafe with a pet pig had been reaching my ears (and clogging up my Facebook stream), even while I was living in New York. On my return to the homeland, the first place I was dying to check out for breakfast was The Grounds of Alexandra. This family-owned and operated cafe was built within an old pie factory from the 1900s, retaining the rustic charm while serving up speciality coffee and wholesome food. The Grounds opens up into a garden filled with heirloom vegetables and herbs, which are picked every morning and used throughout the day in the cafe. Be sure to plan your visit for the first weekend of the month, when The Grounds hosts a market filled with fresh produce and other goods.

A big draw for The Grounds is its star, Kevin Bacon. The pig. This Kevin Bacon resides in a little petting zoo for kids, along with chickens and a sheep. He made headlines last year when he was pignapped (along with Bradley the lamb), turning up at an animal sanctuary in Victoria. Luckily for us, Kevin is fully recovered from his ordeal, and is back, along with Bradley, at The Grounds.

The Grounds also features a little playhouse or kids, fenced in (yay!), with a slide and little climbing wall. Considering the wait time for a table, this playhouse and the animals are saviours for parents of itchy-footed toddlers.

Our party included one small toddler, one medium toddler and one preschooler — and The Grounds had something to suit everyone. A cute kids’ menu suited the preschooler (who ordered the burger and fries), hot chips and a kid-sized smoothie for the toddlers (the soothie came in a jar shaped like a bear. The cuteness!!). The adults ordered the Avocado Smash (with poached eggs), Asparagus and Herb Frittata and Salmon with Quinoa. I didn’t note down the exact names of the dishes and prices, and then sadly realised they weren’t listed on their site (d’oh!!). The food was all absolutely delicious, from the smoothie and hot chips, to the famous Avocado Smash.

After our meal, we spotted a gelato stand in the cafe grounds, and ordered a scoop of Pavlova Gelato ($4). It was so good we went back for seconds.

The kids were all going a little nuts after having to sit down for lunch, so we drove down the road to the playground at Sydney Park. The playground is huge, and has great features for kids aged toddler and up, including the rope bridge below, huge slides, swings and a giant sandpit.

Last Bite: Delicious food, fun for the kids, and a nearby park. A perfect score.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

The Grounds of Alexandria
Building 7A/2 Huntley St,
Alexandria NSW 2015
Phone: 02 9699 2225
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm, Sat & Sun 7:30am-4pm
Get Directions

Sydney Park
Barwon Park Road
St Peters, NSW, 2044
Entrance to the car park is off the Princes Highway, just after the turnoff to Sydney Park Road (just after the big chimney stacks)