Melbourne Places » Gardens

Camellia time at the Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens is July and August

Melbourne — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:46:04 +0000

The camellia collection at the Royal Botanical Gardens Melbourne is planted in an imaginative way. The area is a sort of square with a twisting path that wanders between the plantings giving a touch of magic – almost as if you were in a private room of camellias.

Turn right after this beautiful tree and you are in the camellia garden

The magic is more pronounce at the moment with plantings of daphne amongst the camellia trees. The perfume from the daphne wafts around as you stroll along the path. It’s a heady sort of perfume.

There are early and late camellias so you are never there when every tree is in flower but the Royal Botanical Gardens say August is The camellia month. There is plenty to see at the moment and many of the species are identified by name.

Some beautiful white blooms.

Clumps of snowdrops tucked between the camellias give a touch of early spring.

Getting There:-
Any tram that goes down St Kilda Road.
Tram 8 runs alongside the gardens and into Domain Road which also borders the gardens.

Opening Hours:-
7.30am to sunset

St Kilda Botanical Gardens – a winter view

Melbourne — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:18:00 +0000

The St Kilda Botanical Gardens are in winter mode. It is a lovely time to visit and see the gardens preparing for spring and summer. Occasionally you see a sign of things to come with clumps of bulbs sending up their first spring shoots.

The ambiance in the Alistair Clarke Rose Garden is different at this time of the year. The roses have been pruned – the green and the flowers have gone and the canes are stark against the mulched ground.

I am interested in their pruning style. When I studied the canes and what was left after such abundant growth earlier in the year I realized that I had been very timid when I pruned my few roses. The gardens have cut them back severely.

I am looking forward to seeing how these canes sprout and how quickly the flowers come. Last season they were beautiful.

The grass is very green after all the rain we have had and bare branches of the deciduous trees stand out against the sky and the luscious green of the Macrocarpa hedge that protects the rose garden.

There is a lot to see at this time of the year.

Getting there:-
96 Tram to the terminus the end of Acland Street. Walk up Blessington Street – on your left.
Trams 67, 3 or 16 to the corner of Brighton Road and Carlisle Street and walk along Blessington Street – Blessington Street is on your right when you get off the tram.

The Garden of Eden in Albert Park

Melbourne — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:52:57 +0000

Melbourne is a city of public gardens and parks but sometime it’s nice to soothe the soul in a Melbourne place that is more like our own courtyard; if we are lucky enough to have one.

The Garden of Eden Nursery in Albert Park is a Melbourne place where you can recharge your batteries and dream about what you could do in your outdoor space.

It is a place to stop off, wander about and dream. For a while you can imagine that the winding paths and the secluded nooks are your own.

The staff will talk to you about the plants and they are knowledgeable and know what they are talking about. They also let you wander and daydream.

The building is part of the old Albert Park Railway station so while your musing on how to get that metal arch onto your balcony and then entwine the structure with plants, the 96 tram will slide into the station, doors open, then close again and take off . You have seen nothing because a block of wonderful trees and bamboo has obscured the mundane from view.

When I work in the area and need time out I pop in and soak up the atmosphere. And sometimes I find it pleasant to get off the tram, browse and then pick up a later one. They run frequently on the 96 route.

The Garden of Eden has been there for about 20 years so it is no wonder there are some well established permanent plants.

The staff is interested in sustainable gardens and drought resistant plants and there is a home-ware section in part of the old station that they share with the Railway Antiques and cafe.

I like their garden sculptures and the way they display them making this Melbourne place an oasis in which to escape the everyday world.

The soul soothing experience of the Garden of Eden nursery is free – you can just wander about. It is of course a commercial enterprise but no one stops you absorbing the ambiance.

Garden of Eden
365 Ferrars Street,
Albert Park
Phone 9696 0551

Opening Hours:-
9.00 to 5.30 daily

Getting there:-
The 96 tram to the Albert Park Station

There is free parking on Ferrars Street
You will recognize The Garden of Eden by the bright coloured buckets hanging outside.

In the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne there is a place to pay homage to the wind.

Melbourne — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:42:12 +0000

A summer’s day and the heat is up. You pant a bit then fan yourself with your hand, a light wind wafts around. It is refreshing and with it comes an instant love of this movement of air. It is easy to worship the wind on such a day.

In the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne there is The Temple of the Winds. It is an ideal place to give thanks for that wind.

Temple of the Winds

The temple was built in 1901 and sits on a hill overlooking The Yarra River.

This is an elegant structure. It is built in grey masonry, is circular and has 10 columns to support it.

Its symmetry is beautiful.

Temple of the Winds

At this time of the year the trees along The Yarra and Alexandra Avenue block some of the view. Iin the winter when the leaves have gone you can see The Yarra, across to Richmond and beyond.

The steps around the base are an ideal place to sit, take in the view, meditate, think on the winds, relax, contemplate life and on a hot day ask for a cool breeze.

Getting there:-

The Temple of the Winds is at the Alexandra Avenue side of the gardens. Enter through Gate A on the corner of Anderson Street and Alexandra Avenue and follow the path that runs parallel with Alexandra Avenue until you come to some wide steps. Climb them. The Temple to the Winds is at the top.

Steps to the temple

There is three hour free parking along Anderson Street.

If you approach from the St Kilda side of the Botanical Gardens you need to find your way to the other side of the lake. Then follow the signs

Opening Hours:- 7.30am to sunset every day of the year.

More information on the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne can be found here

Melbourne Zoo – view the baby elephant – everyone is doing it.

Melbourne — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:29:26 +0000

The yet to be named baby elephant is a Star. Crowds are surging through the gates of the Melbourne Zoo daily and queuing to get a glimpse of this miniature elephant. Yes that is what she looks like a tiny miniature of the grown-ups.

I couldn’t resist the urge to get my first look at a baby elephant and it was an amazing experience.

We arrived a little after 11.00 am for the 11.00 to 12.00 viewing and spent time in the queue. This gave us a chance to absorb that ambience of the plantings around the Elephant Enclosure.

These are Thai elephants and they live in a Thai-like atmosphere surrounded by stands of bamboo and Thai artifacts. Notices are written in Thai and entrance ways to the enclosure are carved and painted as if we were in Thailand.

The line snaked its way through shady stands of bamboo – it is worth going for the bamboo – beautiful.

Before I got there I was wondering why we were planning to give this young lady a Thai name. Why not an Australian name? She was born here. She is our elephant.

Four names have been selected for the public to choose from. They are:-
Leelawadee (which means frangipani),
Mali (jasmine),
Ma Li Wan (climbing jasmine),
Su Ma Li (osmanthus)
Iyares (which means both elephant and orchid and is pronounced Ai ya

The names are not only in keeping with her Thai heritage but also family lineage – her relatives have names of Thai flowers.

I did see the point of the names and I voted for Jasmine but I still think we could have added an Australian flower to the lineage – Wattle for example.

She was born on the 16th of Jan making her about 6 weeks old now and growing fast. She appears to be oblivious of her fame and enjoys herself in her enclosure with her mother and her aunt.

If she feels shy she can hide behind the bulk of these as she did when our group entered. But in a minute she ambled out and began to toss some hay about. It was a short but somehow a remarkable and memorable experience. All young have charm and she is particularly charming and cute. She put her trunk up like a ‘real’ elephant and it was a joy to see.

At the moment there are two viewing times 11.00am and 2.30pm. The queues begin to form about 15 minutes before viewing begins. If you think ahead you will bring a picnic and eat it at the elephant enclosure where there are seats and shade. That way you will be in the front of the queue and get your four minutes of staring and camera-clicking time without too much wait. This will give you more time to see the rest of the Melbourne Zoo.

Zoo opening times:-
Daily 9.00 to 5.00pm

Viewings:-
Weekdays 11.00 am to Noon – 2.30 to 3.30
Weekends – 10.30 to Noon – 2.30 to 3.30

Getting There:-
Tram – No 55 runs from West Coburg through William Street the city to the Domain Interchange and stops at the Zoo

Train- Upfield Line from Flinders Street to the Melbourne Zoo Station

Artist Camille Monet and the St Kilda residents create a special piece of art for the community

Melbourne — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:30:57 +0000

The St Kilda community has created a wall to bring people together rather than shut them off from each other. They are calling it the Great Wall of St Kilda.

This wall is 11 metres x 5 meters and made of clay tiles, in total 807 tiles.

Two hundred and seven large tiles that capture characters and stories of St Kilda have been created by Australian Artist, Camille Monet. Six hundred smaller tiles have been designed and made by local St Kilda people who she encouraged to get involved. This makes the fascinating and creative wall truly belong to St Kilda

In an interview with ABC Arts Programme, Monet said, “The mural caters for all sorts of people, including those in and out of homelessness. It tells the real story of St Kilda and captures its diversity.”
She says it turned out to be bigger than they expected. She walked the streets of St Kilda, speaking to people and getting to know them so she could capture the ‘ real’ St Kilda and get local people involved.
Each tile is unique and you can spend a lot of time just looking at them and taking in each message. It’s colourful and Monet believes colour represents St Kilda.

The Great Wall of St Kilda is erected behind the National Theatre, on the corner of Carlisle Street and Barkly Street, in the Talbot Reserve. It covers what was an ugly Citypower wall that was the target of tagging and old bill posters.

This mural is the final part of an up-grade to the Talbot Reserve which has included new seating, a children’s play area, more paths, landscaping, lighting and a very stylish drinking fountain.

If you are in St Kilda wander into the Talbot Reserve and study The Great St Kilda Wall. I’m sure it will become part of St Kilda’s history. It is a stunning idea and the wall is eye-catching and with so many contributors it is truly unique.

It is a feel good piece of art.

To see it you need to go into the Talbot Reserve as the wall is somewhat hidden from view when you are on Barkley Street.

Getting there:
Melways 58 B10 – You may want to check this as the wall is hard to see from the road.
Tram 17 and tram79 in the weekends – Get off at the corner of Carlisle and Barkly Streets. Talbot Reserve is behind the National Theatre.

Tram 96 – Get off at the corner of Acland and Carlisle Streets and walk up Carlislie to Barkly Street

Take time out from the city with a visit to Werribee Park and Werribee Mansion.

Melbourne — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:08:31 +0000

Melbourne is the best but sometimes it is good to leave all the buzz and excitement for the surrounding countryside. This hectic time of the year gets me craving for some air, quiet and space – Werribee Park is my choice when I feel like that – it’s only 30 minutes from the CBD.

Werribee Mansion is set in the beautiful park with some old trees that are on the Significant Tree register for Victoria.

The mansion was built between 1874 and 1877 by the Chirnside family. It is described as an exquisite sixty-room Italianate mansion. Sixteen of those rooms are bedrooms. Today a considerable portion of this once family home is refurbished in the style of its early days and is open to the public.

The rooms are furnished either with the original furniture and colours or with equivalent furnishings that reproduce the atmosphere of those leisurely colonial days.
One mind blowing part of the house is the bachelor wing. It houses a billiard room with the required dead trophy animals on the walls and skin rugs complete with the head and glassy eyes on the floor.

Then strangely and stunningly you have a beautiful conservatory leading from it. The contrast is startling and it is hard to image gentlemen who left the dark masculine atmosphere of the billiard room feeling comfortable with their cigars and pipes in the light, bright feminine environment of the conservatory. It gives a surprising and thought provoking view of the colonial gentleman.

One of the most interesting moments was finding a charming blue stone building just outside the enclosed yard. This was the laundry. What makes it interesting is the charming visual and sound show that explains, with miniature figures, how the laundry was done for this huge household – give me my automatic any day.
The ground are extensive – 400 hectares that are owned and managed by the Victorian government. You could bring a picnic and relax under one of these ancient trees or admire the large formal garden that has been planted with petunias; not in flower yet.

This map gives you an idea of the area.

We had afternoon tea at the Sofitel Hotel and Spa which is now in one wing of the mansion.
We sank into comfortable deep couches and devoured delicate sandwiches, newly bake scones, and a variety of cakes. The cost was $25.00 per hear with bottomless cups of plunger coffee and tea or you could order your favourite espresso.

Getting there:-
Werribee Park is located just 30 minutes drive from Melbourne, via the Princes Highway on route to Geelong

(Melway Map 201 D 1)
The address is
K Rd
Werribee VIC 3030
Phone
03 8734 5100
13 1963
Web here
Entrance fee to the Park and the mansion
S14.00 ADULT, $9.00 CONCESSION , $33.00 FAMILY

Werribee Park Shuttle
The Werribee Park Shuttle Service operates daily return trips from central Melbourne to Werribee Park , Werribee Open Range Zoo, RAAF Museum and Point Cook Homestead. For further information and bookings phone (03) 9748 5094 or see the web site

The Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden in the Royal Domain is an area of peace and charm

Melbourne — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:19:58 +0000

I believe some of this tranquility comes from the formal and the symmetrical design. It is pleasing to the eye and it seems to balance the mind. Or maybe it is just the over-all beauty of the design.

The garden was officially opened in 1935. It was designed by Hugh Linakar as part of Victoria’s centenary celebrations. It is a sunken garden cut into the side of the hill, an aspect that gives it privacy and form.

The cross shaped water canal leads to a blue tiled grotto. This is the centre piece of the garden.

The delicate bronze figure by Charles Web-Gilbert’s of a woman is set in the centre of the grotto. The gardeners have let the ivy from above fall towards the water below and although this partly covers the plaques it softens the feature. Water lilies grow in the canal.

There are no seats provided but there is plenty of grass for a rug. The garden was dedicated to Victoria’s pioneer women. This place is a beautiful tribute to their hard work, their dedication to their new country and to their families.

Last time we were there we found ourselves discussing what the lives of these pioneer women would have been like and how different our lives are. We didn’t envy them. We gave a quiet thank you to these early pioneers for helping making what we have today possible.

We agreed that one of the big differences is choices. What choices did those women have?

This garden is a truly beautiful memorial to them.

This is the top of the sunken garden viewed as you approach from Birdwood Avenue.

This area is adjacent to the Botanical Gardens and is part of The Domain Parklands

You can down load information and a map to the The Domain Parklands here.

Getting there:-

Any tram from Federation Square that runs along St Kilda Road as far as the Domain Road Intersection, or if you want to get off in Domain Road and walk across the parklands from there catch the No 8.

There is metered parking along Birdwood Avenue and Linlithgow Avenue.

Alister Clark’s Rose Garden in Full Bloom

Melbourne — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:49:52 +0000

October was a wet month for Melbourne and the roses loved it. They’re in flower all over the city. It was time for a visit to The Alister Clark Memorial Rose Garden in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens. (See my previous post)

I went this week in the relative cool of an early morning when the temperature was to rise into the 30s later. The roses have suffered because of this heat. It has actually singed some of the more delicate blooms.

The Alister Clark Rose Garden is a special place - warm and fragment with the huge sculptured macrocarpa hedge protecting it. It is a little sad to think this beautiful hedge may have contributed to the scorching that some of the blooms have suffered.

It is still worth a visit. Many have been spared by the heat wave and are putting on a spectacular display.

This is one of my favourite roses and I am again lamenting that the roses aren’t named in this garden. I would like to own it so unless I can find a knowledgeable nurseryman who can identify it from the photo I am stuck with simply admiring it whenever I visit the Alister Clark Rose Garden.

There are some big shady trees for a picnic and at the moment it is also a chance to admire some of the irises – they don’t appear to mind a gust of hot wind.

The gardens are open from sunrise to sunset (from dawn until dusk) seven days a week.

Getting there:-

96 Tram to the terminus the end of Acland Street. Walk up Blessington Street – on your left.

67 Tram to the corner of Brighton Road and Carlisle Street and walk along Blessington Street -on the right off Brighton Road.

Peace and relaxation in the Tropical Glasshouse, Melbourne’s Botanical Gardens, St Kilda Road,

Melbourne — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:27:45 +0000

Your’re in Melbourne’s CBD and you want time out – peace, time away from crowds and the concrete jungle and some tranquility? How about the Botanical Gardens and in particular the Tropical House?

The Melbourne Botanical Gardens are at the edge of the CBD – walking distance if you are feeling energetic or a few minutes on a tram – see below.

As soon as you open the sliding doors and walk into this heated Glasshouse the atmosphere changes. You may say of course it does but you don’t expect the feeling of peace that comes with it. I expected warmth but not the peace. Warmth and peace may go together and perhaps that is what happens when you walk into that heated space.

The air is heavy and slightly damp and perhaps that is why it is relaxing. It quietens us. We start to speak in soft voices almost whispers and we notice the people around us are doing the same. We walk gently and we slow down. There is a background hum of machinery that goes on and off. You do notice this as it changes from on to off and then a bit later on again, but it is still peaceful.

As you enter there is a free pamphlet that directs your viewing of the plants. These are described as ‘vital plants’, that is vital-tropical plants that effect our every day quality of life,for example coffee, rubber and cocoa are identified by numbers. The pamphlet gives you interesting information about each of them. For example did you know that Attila the Hun demanded 3000 pounds of pepper in ransom for the City of Rome in the 5th Century. It’s probably not information your are ever going to need; just something to file away.
More useful, perhaps, is the information that a pineapple plant can produce a pineapple every year, for up to 50 years. Now that plant is a good investment.

Paths wander through banks of greenery and overhead foliage. There are splashes of white flowers and every now and again a dash of a bright coloured flowers. There are some strange and wonderful plants, too.

At the far end of the glasshouse water runs over rocks and splashes into a fish pond complete with fish. There are benches to sit on while you absorb the atmosphere of water and the tropical forest.

The Botanical Gardens are open from 7.30 to dusk every day of the year and the Tropical House or Glasshouse as it is called on most of the signs around the gardens is open from 10am to 4pm.

How to get there:

Any tram from Federation Square that runs along St Kilda Road as far as the Domain Road Intersection, or if you want to get off in Domain Road and enter from there catch the No 8.

The Tropical glasshouse is at the Domain Road end of the gardens but you can wander into the gardens anywhere along St Kilda Road and you will find good signage leading you to the glasshouse.

Remember it is called the glasshouse – there’s nothing about the tropical plants.