Melbourne Places » Melbourne Botanical Gardens

Guilfoyle’s Volcano in the Royal Botanical Gardens – look into the crater.

Melbourne — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 06:49:20 +0000

There has been some water seepage from Guilfoyle’s Volcano. To address this, the water has been drained and a new liner on the bluestone wall is being installed.

At the time of writing this – mid July -it is a chance to look inside the crater of this folly and see what an enormous space it is. It is mind boggling to think of the amount of water that it will take to refill it.

Guilfoyle’s Volcano is part of the water management plan which enables The Royal Botanical Gardens to improve the use and management of water. So this huge reservoir of water is put to use.

When these repairs have been finished the floating islands will be restore. I guess they will be start from scratch and it will take time for them to become established again.

It was interesting to return to Guilfoyle’s Volcano again and of course fascinating to find it empty. It is about 15 months since it was established and I first saw it. See here

The plantings have grown. Most of the species have taken to their new home with love and have flourished. They help to create an architectural structure to the garden. This gives a strong visual impact.

Getting there:-
Tram 8 will take you almost to the Volcano. Get off at the Corner of Domain Road and Park Street and walk into the gardens. It is right there.
The Botanical Gardens can also be accessed from St Kilda Road – follow the signs to Guilfoyle’s Volcano.
Parking:- 1 hour free in Domain Road. Paid parking in Birdwood Avenue.

Opening Hours:-
The gardens are open from 7.30am to sunset every day of the year.

Tours:- can be arranged by calling (03) 9252 2429

The sealed capsule in Women’s Pioneer Garden, Royal Domain Gardens

Melbourne — Mon, 16 May 2011 06:16:09 +0000

The nice thing about doing this blog is that I keep learning more interesting information about Melbourne from the comments people leave on my posts. I have written about this beautiful and tranquil garden before in the The Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden Post. Julie has left a comment asking about the capsule that is underneath the sundial.

This is the result of a fund raiser for the establishment of the garden. In the 1930s women paid one shilling to put their name or the name of a pioneer woman ancestor on a list. I have read that thousands of names – the exact number doesn’t appear to be recorded anywhere- were collected and the capsule was buried under the sun dial with the supervision of the Unemployment Relief Programme. Thinking on that it suggests that one shilling was a lot of money for people to pay. There is a plaque.

Julie asks if there was a copy taken of the names and a record kept of them. From what I can understand that wasn’t done. I imagine that in the 1930s it wasn’t easy to copy documents.

Does anyone else have any further information? It is good to remember the women who helped to make this country great.

Getting there:-
The Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden

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 park lands from there catch the No 8.

There is metered parking along Birdwood Avenue and Linlithgow Avenue.

Melbourne Botanical Gardens and the Terrace Cafe on a wet day

Melbourne — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:30:20 +0000

I joined friends for lunch at the Terrace Cafe in the Melbourne Botanical Gardens on a wet weekday morning. It was a long standing date and we went despite the rain.

The easiest way to reach the Terrace Cafe that overlooks the ornamental lake is to enter the gardens from the corner of Anderson Street and Alexandra Parade. The paths are lined with trees which shelter them from too much rain.

The entrance on the corner of Anderson Street and Alexandra Parade

The gardens are different in the wet. The first sound we noticed was the pure ringing note from the bell birds. They appear to like warm, wet, still days.

As we walked moorhens scooted around us giving their high pitched squawk, the earth smelt of vegetation and the noise from cars in Anderson Street was deadened.

Friendly Moor Hens

We passed this notice.

I always look for turtles but I have never seen one even on a wet day like this one. I wonder if they are real and if any one has ever seen one.

It is quiet expect for the birds, the sound of rain on the leaves and the voices of visitors. Even voices seem to quieten on this moist day. It was peaceful and relaxing wandering along to the Terrace Cafe.

The cafe was restful too. We sat outside at the back completely protected from the rain and with glimpses of the lake. For a wet day the Terrace Cafe was busy, couples chatted over coffee, singles read, someone wrote and a group of mothers met there with very young and quiet babies. The voices came from the mothers in animated conversation.

The ornamental lake in the Melbourne Botanical Gardens as seen from the Terrace Cafe
The cafe is known for its scones, cream and jam. It is the one of the best places to have a Devonshire tea. The scones are so good you want to go home and try making them so you can keep indulging.

Scones cream and jam at the Terrace Cafe

Lunch is fairly simple.

Baguettes with a variety of fillings. These ones are smoked salmon and avocado.

Thai chicken pie.

The chips were excellent. If you like chips order a serve to have with your coffee if you just want a snack.

Presentation is tops. One of our group brings her own bread to have sandwiches made to order. This is what they created.

To cleanse your palate the fruit salad not only looks good but is refreshing. I like the way they write on their white plates

Rain or shine the Terrace Cafe is a relaxing place to be with good simple food. There is a garden shop next door with some interesting items including a very beautiful umbrella covered in pansies. Too beautiful to use – a beautiful present, perhaps.

Getting there:-
Tram No 8 get off at the corner of Domain Road and Park Street.
Enter the gardens from there and follow the signs.

Parking:-
There is 3 hour parking in Anderson Street and 2 hours on Domain Road.

Opening Hours:-
The Royal Botanical Gardens:-
Every day of the year from 7.30 to sunset.

The Terrace Cafe:-
9.45am to 4.00pm, May to September
9.00am to 5.00pm, October to April

Alister Clark Rose Garden St Kilda Botanical Gardens – they have names, now

Melbourne — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:25:22 +0000

Something wonderful has happened to the roses in the Alister Clarke Rose Garden in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens. Well, it is wonderful to me. Some lovely person has identified these roses and now they have name plaques.

There is something about looking at a rose and knowing its name. It adds an extra pleasure. With no names it’s like a never ending sea of flowers. There is no way to distinguish one from the other. I like to isolate the individual. I have mentioned the lack of names before see here. And see Ester’s comment. I hope it has been a labour of love and my thanks to Ester.

It is also fun to see the names the rose breeders have come up with; Dolly Parton for example. Would you have guessed the name by looking at the rose?

Then there is Apricot Passion – it sounds like a wallow in a mango.

Reading the names as I did the other morning, showed how many of the roses had been propagated by rose breeder David Austin.

Then there are those attributed to Alister Clark and of course it is his rose garden. This name of his is a puzzle.

I thank the ‘Rose Namer’. It is lovely to become acquainted with these roses – it’s a pity the prickles prevent a handshake.

Where:-
St Kilda Botanical Gardens
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.

St Kilda Botanical Gardens – the Magpie-larks make it time to stop and stare.

Melbourne — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 07:05:45 +0000

A pair of magpie-larks or mud-larks, as they are sometimes called, have honoured the Rainman statue in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens by making a nest on his arm.

They look very much at home and secure as they fly to the statue and settle on their nest to keep their eggs warm.

I haven’t seen many of these little magpie–larks in the gardens. You can hear the shrill, piping voice of one or two of them occasionally. So I think these must the ones I heard piping and shrilling away during the winter and I like to think they see the gardens as their home.

The Rainman is rather a forlorn figure these days. His pond is almost empty and his base is exposed so he no longer looks as if he is standing on water.

The Magpie-larks have chosen a secure and friendly place to bring their family into the world. No four legged-predators can get across the muddy pond and disturb them. When it rains the Rainman is there to shelter them.

The magpie-larks build round nests that are quite small. They make them of grass, plant material then plaster all this together with mud and then line the nest with feathers, soft grass and fur.

I like the thought of the three of them; the Rainman and prospective Mum and Dad settling down together every evening.

These two small black and white birds don’t appear nervous of being watched and photographed and they are happy to potter around in the muddy edge.

Magpie-lark or as it is sometimes called mud-lark at the St Kilda Botanical Garden

Getting there:-
96 Tram to the terminus at 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.
Opening Hours:-
Between sunrise and sunset seven days a week and the conservatory is open between 10.30am and 3.30pm week days and 1.00pm and 4.30pm Saturday to Sunday and public holidays.

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.

Guilfoyle’s Volcano overlooks Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens

Melbourne — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 04:09:09 +0000

Guilfoyle’s Volcano sits on top of the highest corner of the Royal Botanic Gardens and from here you can look over the rest of the gardens and to Melbourne’s CBD.

For years this strange wonder was hidden under an uncared for wilderness.
It was built in 1876 by William Guilfolye, who is quoted as saying, “ Combine the useful with the ornamental.” Originally it was a reservoirs and Guilfoyle’s folly. The restoration has made it into a reservoir again – combining the ornamental with the useful.

It has been restored with a path winding to the crater lake and a water resistant garden of cacti and succulents. The plantings are startling and it gives a weird effect of a planted moonscape.

The red areas represent the lava flows – they are planted too.

I found the cacti fascinating and felt impressed with the production of so many perfectly round bright green cacti that look almost as if they were on the move. They are called Golden Barrel Cacti ( Echinocactus grusonii)

The recent hail has damaged some of the succulents and the pole cacti. Some of the pole cacti are now staked and one is preparing to produce a couple of large flowers.

Numbers can be interesting and daunting for example; approximately 17,000 plants of 250 different species have been planted, of those species 97 are native to Australia. There must be hundreds of these round cacti and I managed to let go of my urge to count them.

The lake in the crater is full. The idea of looking into a crater lake creates an expectation of seeing steam rising or a few bubbles coming to the surface. It is a slight let down when nothing of the sort happens. Instead there are floating islands. These are to improve the water quality and in time this water will be used to help irrigate other areas the gardens.

The garden is new as are the floating islands and it will be interesting to see how the area looks when everything has become established. If all these pole cacti flower it will be a startling and beautiful sight.

Getting there:-
Tram 8 will take you almost to the Volcano. Get off at the Corner of Domain Road and Park Street and walk into the gardens. It is right there.
The Botanical Gardens can also be accessed from St Kilda Road – follow the signs to Guifoyle’s Volcano.
Parking:- 1 hour free in Domain Road. Paid parking in Birdwood Avenue.

Opening Hours:-
The gardens are open from 7.30am to sunset every day of the year.

Tours:- can be arranged by calling (03) 9252 2429

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

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.