The former presbytery will open to regional Victorians as Open Gardens Victoria welcomes the return of garden visitors.

Built in 1905, the Clunes presbytery has been lovingly restored and the garden beautifully designed to enhance the site's history and terrain.

The owners have filled the garden with more than 100 different herbs and medicinal plants.

"The garden has ornamental plants and fruit trees but the focus is predominantly on the medicinal and herbal plants in keeping with the healing tradition of the place," co-owner Dr Kevin Lee said.

"These are used not only for ourselves but also as a way to look at how many of these plants grow that can now be found to be used in hospitals in terms of medicines today."

One plant of interest in the garden is sweet annie or Artemisia annua, which is used to treat infectious malaria.

"In the Clunes presbytery garden there are over 80 such herbs and medicinal plants that have interesting stories. Come and explore them and during our regular tours, ask questions and look into the histories," Dr Lee said.

"You can just come and relax as well with tea and refreshments which are made locally. There are even botanicals, plants, artwork and bric-a-brac for sale."

The garden is set over several levels down a gently sloping block overlooking the Clunes township.

It features intimate garden rooms having distinct styles of plantings with old world charm. Receiving very low annual rainfall, the presbytery has been designed with sustainability top of mind.

OGV says to achieve a garden so lush and beautiful on such a scale with just one monthly watering is truly remarkable.

The Presbytery garden will open on October 30 and 31 between 10am and 4.30pm. The event will include medicinal plant talks and 'The Weekend Gardener' talks on the hour.

Due to COVID-19 protocols, tickets must be booked and pre-paid online via TryBooking. Cost: adults $10, students $6, under 18 free, online medicinal plants talk $15.

Prior to the open weekend, OGV is hosting a live online talk on medicinal plants by presbytery co-owner Dr Kevin Lee at 7.30pm on Thursday, October 21.

Dr Kevin Lee is a specialist physician and research scientist at Monash University.

He gained inspiration from the physic gardens of old and gardens from the Royal College of Physicians in London with its extensive collection of plants that have medicinal value.

Dr Lee's interest includes how plants have shaped and continue to inform the healing arts from herbalism to modern day medicine and how gardens can be used as a healing space in challenging times as part of social prescribing.

For more information about open gardens and events, visit: www.opengardensvictoria.org.au.

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