by Emma Moss
Nestled in Peppermint Park / Wita Wirra (Park 18 of your Adelaide Park Lands) is a preserved example of early 20th-century garden design; a garden that been overshadowed in recent years by its more famous next-door neighbour.
Osmond Gardens, 2020. Pic: Shane Sody
In the decades after European colonisation (1840s to 1870s) most of your Park Lands were cleared for fencing, firewood, grazing, and construction materials, leaving the landscape degraded and exposed.
A report drawn up in the 1880s recommended how your Park Lands could be revegetated, but it took until the early 1900s for these recommendations to be acted upon here in Park 18.
The first known image of Osmond Gardens. Date unknown. Pic: City of Adelaide archives
Created in 1907-1909, Osmond Gardens is a living legacy of August Pelzer who served as Adelaide’s influential City Gardener from 1899 to 1932.
Pic: City of Adelaide archives
Pelzer was trained in the European Gardenesque tradition. He believed gardens should celebrate the individuality of each plant species. This philosophy is evident in Osmond Gardens, with its curated mix of ornamental plantings, winding paths, and elegant design details.
Pelzer’s legacy here in Osmond Gardens has proved to be both practical and visionary — integrating aesthetic principles with climate resilience. Pelzer introduced a diverse palette of drought-tolerant exotic and native species, carefully selected not only for their beauty but also for their suitability to South Australia's arid conditions.
Some of the original features of Osmond Gardens still remain, including two separate garden beds, both featuring succulent plants.
The main oval-shaped garden bed in Osmond Gardens once hosted a large Moreton Bay fig tree, which is visible in this aerial photo.
1936 - the highlighted area is a large Moreton Bay fig tree, now long gone, and replaced with an oval-shaped garden bed, pictured below.
The main oval-shaped garden bed in Osmond Gardens. Pic: Shane Sody
However the main feature of historical significance in Osmond Gardens is this 1912 pergola, offering visitors a tranquil spot to sit and reflect.
The vine-covered pergola in Osmond Gardens, pictured during an APA Guided Walk, November 2024
Naming
Osmond Gardens was named in honour of Osmond Gilles (1788–1866), South Australia’s first Colonial Treasurer.
A colourful and prominent figure, Gilles was also a pastoralist and landowner. He discovered silver and lead on his Glen Osmond property, "Woodley," which became a highly profitable mine. His name echoes across Adelaide in places like Gilles Street, Osmond Terrace, Glen Osmond, Mount Osmond, Gilles Plains and O.G. Road, but Osmond Gardens remains one of the most tranquil tributes to his legacy.
Osmond Gillies, SA’s first colonial Treasurer
The fountain
Osmond Gardens is low-lying with poor drainage, so has been subject to flooding after heavy rain.
One of the early features of Osmond Gardens was a cast iron fountain, (pictured above) which will look familiar to many Adelaide people.
The fountain has had three lives. In 1887 it was installed at the front of the now-demolished Jubilee Exhibition Building on North Terrace.
In 1909, Pelzer orchestrated the fountain’s relocation to Osmond Gardens, marking a significant addition to the garden’s charm. The fountain stayed in Osmond Gardens for more than 60 years, before being moved to Adelaide’s central shopping district in 1976 when Rundle Street was reborn as Rundle Mall.
Down-sizing
When they were established in the first decade of the 20th century, Osmond Gardens encompassed 6 acres (2.5 hectares).
However in the 1980s, the Gardens shrank in size, to accommodate the creation of what has become its much more prominent neighbour, the Adelaide Himeji Garden.
In 1982, following the establishment of a “sister city” relationship between Adelaide and Himeji, Japan, the Adelaide City Council decided to allocate a portion of Osmond Gardens for the development of a traditional Japanese garden, which was constructed between 1985 and 1990.
Himeji Japanese garden, the better-known neighbour of Osmond Gardens. Pic: Tully Haines
Today, both Osmond Gardens and the Adelaide Himeji Garden coexist within Park 18, offering visitors a unique juxtaposition of European and Japanese garden designs. This transformation reflects Adelaide's commitment to cultural exchange and the evolving nature of its public spaces.
You can experience Osmond Gardens (and other nearby features of the Adelaide Park Lands) by following the Trail Guide to the south-eastern Park Lands off Glen Osmond Road; i.e. Peppermint Park/Wita Wira (Park 18) and Pelzer Park/Pityarilla (Park 19) .
Osmond Gardens in Park 18. Pic: Shane Sody
The author of this article, Emma Moss, is a volunteer writer for the Adelaide Park Lands Association.
With a professional background in Learning and Development, Emma is passionate about education, clear communication and community engagement.
Outside of work, she is a dedicated artist and an advocate for animal and wildlife conservation.
