The website for Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden professes that the Lavender Bay locale is “one of the worst kept secrets in Sydney”.  The “guerrilla garden” started by Wendy Whiteley on unused RailCorp land back in 1992 is now a flourishing harbourside haven.

It made for a lovely location for a two outdoor Sydney Festival programs – which had, unfortunately, lined up with a dreary weekend. Saturday performances were cancelled due to bad weather and while Sunday’s forecast didn’t offer anything much more optimistic, the show had to go on (performer Joseph Tawadros told Limelight this week that he was ready to “dig deep rain, hail or shine“).

NoSax NoClar at Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden. Photo Photo © Wendell Teodoro

For the relaxed performance, five acts spread over 50 minutes offered a small taste of their sound under a gazebo in the park above (earlier, more immersive performances stationed performers around the gardens). The lineup was a gathering of virtuosos from a broad range of influences and instruments: William Barton and Véronique Serret, Joseph and James Tawadros, French duo NoSax NoClar, Maharshi Raval and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs VOX and Chamber Singers, to...