One minute I was slogging away painting a house (hence my lengthy silence on this blog) and the next minute I was throwing some clothes into a suitcase for an impromptu long weekend in Melbourne. I took little convincing to rinse out the brush and the roller, and bolt to the Big Smoke…even if it was only a short reprieve.
So, what to do with all this leisure time? Just watch me fill it with walks, history and beautiful sights. And what better place to combine all three than at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne?
I realise that gardens – even large and glorious ones like the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne (RBGM) – are not everyone’s cup of tea. Like many other people, I am a very reluctant gardener That may be due more to a lack of time and incredibly hard gardening conditions (read = lack of water, high winds, marauding kangaroos and wallabies, and more rocks than soil in the ground). Despite that, I can appreciate the work of others and the beauty they create through their plantings, design and damn hard work.
The RBGM runs a number of themed tours and walks, and they also have a little Explorer bus that tootles around the Gardens, delivering pleasant views and live commentary as you relax onboard. We chose the free guided walk and met the welcoming, and knowledgeable, Georgina at the Gardens’ Visitor Centre. Only one other lady joined our tour group, so we were an intimate group of four. Just perfect for an easy stroll and free-flowing conversation.
What I wasn’t expecting from my visit to RBGM was a very large dose of history – both people and plants – with its roots deep in the early colony of Melbourne.
The RBGM was established in 1846 – only 11 years after the settlement of Melbourne. Situated on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong people, these gardens have very different origins and purposes to the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens. In Sydney, it was a matter of dire necessity to establish gardens to grow food for the convicts and military. In Melbourne, it was all about developing a place of pleasure for Melbournites, as well as serious scientific endeavour.
The Gardens’ key characters or protagonists were equally dissimilar. The first Director of the Gardens, Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, was all about the science of plants. He collected a vast array of plant species, displaying them in ordered and linear ways to maximise research opportunities. This was all turned on its head when the second Director, William Guilfoyle, arrived on the scene. His focus was on the aesthetics of the Gardens, creating a place of pleasure and relaxation, adjacent to the booming metropolis of Melbourne. Rumour has it that he designed the paths to be ‘three crinoline skirts wide’ so ladies could stroll unimpeded by their attire. What a thoughtful chap.
To be honest, it wasn’t the best time or day to be checking out public gardens. It was a grey, overcast morning and the Gardens were well into their Autumn shutdown. This was no deterrent for the many joggers and walkers pounding the pavement or young families tumbling playfully on the lawns. It’s great to see these public spaces so well supported and utilised – all honouring Guilfoyle’s vision.
We strolled past towering Bunya pines and widow-maker eucalypts that had been fenced off for our safety. At times it was hard to believe we were surrounded by a city of 5.1million people, such was the sense of calm and peacefulness. It was only when the odd plane flew over or the city’s skyscrapers peeked over the tallest treetops that you were reminded that the heart of Melbourne was only a short walk away.
Georgina struck a nice balance between being a botany lover and a historian. She guided us past a number of water features and plantings following the original water courses, springs and swamps (now ornamental lakes) of the area. The RBGM also has some attractive buildings such as the Rose Pavilion and the William Tell Rest house, constructed in memory of Governor La Trobe’s Swiss wife, Sophie.
Unfortunately, it is not all sunshine and roses in the RBGM and we saw a fair bit of evidence of graffiti and vandalism. Georgina told us that replacing plants from theft and wilful damage is a constant task. Apparently, when the ultra-rare Wollemi Pines were first planted in the Gardens a few years ago, every single one was stolen. The William Tell Rest House has been burnt down and rebuilt three times! What is it with some people? Small brains and a clear lack of respect and appreciation.
After being mesmerised by the tiniest honeyeater bird feasting on blooms and accompanied by the beautiful birdsong of magpies, bellbirds and raucous cockatoos, we made our way back to the Visitor Centre. It had been a really pleasant 90minutes with scenic views, interesting facts and enjoyable company.
While there is plenty to love about the city of Melbourne, a stroll in the RBGM is a wonderful reprieve from city’s concrete and cars. Even if only for a short while, enjoy the beauty of Australian flora and fauna before plunging back into the urban sprawl.
Happy gardens and gardening to you. It’s back to the paintbrush for me…
Where do you escape to in a city?
The Basics
What: If you have more time to spare, you can also visit the Observatory and the Shrine of Remembrance adjacent to the Gardens.
Where: Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne. There are ten entrance gates to the Gardens allowing access from every point of the compass.
When: The Gardens are open every day from 730am-530pm during Autumn and Winter.
Why: For a dose of green therapy and a chance to stretch your legs in beautiful surroundings.
How: The Gardens are an easy walk from the Melbourne CBD (1.4km from Flinders Street Station) or catch a St Kilda Road tram.
Who: The Gardens are accessible for people with mobility issues, strollers etc although there are a few steepish paths.
Related Posts: Yes, I am a bit of a fan of Botanic Gardens and you can check out the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney here.
Related Blogs: Jo really can pick her gardens whether she is in Portugal or France.
Read About it: Not really about Botanic Gardens per se, The Land Where Lemons Grow by Helena Attlee is an interesting read about the development of the citrus industry in Italy. Who knew it led to the establishment of the mafia?
#destinationvictoria #melbourne #travelinspo #royalbotanicgardensvic #freethingstodo #freetours #historytours #greenthumbs #colonialhistory #greenspaces #touristattraction #historicbuildings #architecture #urbanwalks #gardenstrolls #greenoasis #birdlife #walkingtour #floraandfauna #AustralianPlants
Life...one big adventure 
I really enjoy visiting Botanic Gardens, probably because we don’t have too many exotic plants growing naturally in the UK, and this one looks well worth a visit.
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I’m like you. I like visiting gardens in other countries too as, to me, it reveals a completely different side/aspect of a county. And sometimes a nice change of pace from manmade attractions. Have a good day.
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You too!
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What a treat, Mel! We visit botanic gardens wherever we find them and are seldom disappointed. Awful to hear that people vandalise such a lovely public space.
Poor you! Are you painting the whole house or the whole street? Many thanks for your kind link.
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Painting a whole house, but it was as painful as a whole street! Never again!! 🙂
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Thanks for the terrific post, Mel. We Melburnites are pretty pleased with our garden city.
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I look forward to a return visit one day. Have a good weekend, Coral.
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I wish Mr. Guilfoyle could return and design airplane seats. One crinoline skirt width should be sufficient.
I don’t doubt that this was a grand day out. We enjoyed Sydney’s botanical garden, and absolutely loved Perth’s. You folks know how to do a botanical garden (thought I don’t think it would have occurred to me to take a tour of a garden – good thinking).
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🙂 Your plane seat suggestion definitely has merit! And I wonder what is going to happen to the internal design of planes as we get larger and larger. Aussies are unfortunately almost leading the obesity stakes!
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It’s because of your Creative Native caramel corn. If I lived in Australia, that’s all I’d eat. 😉
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😁 It sounds like we created some tasty culinary memories for you. I feel a travel-related cooking challenge coming on!🙃
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I’m not much of a gardener either. But, like you, I appreciate beautiful gardens such as the one you write about in this article. It’s s winner.
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Thanks. I reckon they would be well worth a return visit in Spring to see everything in bloom. Hope you are enjoying your Summer blooms too.
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it sounds like a lovely oasis in the middle of a busy city, but I can’t believe it is frequently vandalized and plants are stolen! It sounded like it is free to enter, maybe thats the problem.
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It is free to enter, but the gates are locked overnight. I guess it is so large that they just can’t keep an eye on every corner and maybe it is just a ‘cost of doing business’ running a public space. Disappointing though…
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Hi Mel, I visited your site as per Jo’s comment. I posted about my walk in the Sydney Botanic Gardens. The Melbourne one is great but the Sydney Botanic is bigger (I think).
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They are both really beautiful spots, aren’t they. I love how the old trees really frame the space. Happy gardening to you.
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Not a gardening person here too. I just love to wander through them.
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We can all appreciate beauty if we just look.
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Oh yes, I agree 100% – we love to walk through botanical gardens! Many of the plants look similar to the ones we have here in South Africa and I especially like the dense ferns in your photos. It’s a shame to read that the garden suffered from vandalism – it really annoys me that some people just simply don’t have respect for public places (something I often see in our own country). Good luck with the paint job – we did it ourselves a few times, but the last time we paid someone to do it instead!
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I think because we live on a very similar latitude, there are tonnes of plants that look like they could come from either of our countries. I particular love your agapanthus. The only thing that kangaroos don’t eat! 🙂
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I absolutely love Botanic Gardens, they are just my favourite places to visit in any city 🙂
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and here I was thinking you were the Restaurant and Dining Queen, when in reality you are the Gardening Queen!? 🙂
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Totally, you’ll find me in my garden as soon as I’m free for 5 minutes 😂
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Ta, now I will know where to look! 🙂
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I would quite happily give up tending to my own garden if I could have a few marauding kangaroos and wallabies 😊 I always enjoy a wander round a botanical garden, a shame some people have to vandalise and destroy things in this one.
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Be careful what you wish for, especially when they hop onto the verandah and eat all the plants in pots! 🙂
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