Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens

Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens

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Posted 2014-05-28 by Susan J Bowesfollow
Mt Tamborine is just under the hour's drive from Brisbane or 69.1 kms although a portion of the road is extremely windy and careful driving is required. As you drive up the mountain, massive trees, giants to the sky, line each side of the road with their branches meeting in the middle to form a green tunnel of foliage high above you. And if you do not like the heat, Mt Tamborine always seems to be that degree or two lower than the city beneath it.

Although tourists flock to Gallery Walk, Wineries and B&B's there is also another charm the mountain holds dear – "The ". Created mainly by volunteers the gardens were formed in 1982 by the Tamborine Mountain Garden Club Inc. and are open 7 days a week from 7am to 5pm. The gardens are located in Forsythia Drive Eagle Heights, approximately 500 metres from Gallery Walk.



In the beginning, most of the land was covered by lantana with the Tamborine Creek flowing through. After this was cleared the stone bridge was built. Most of the garden's funding comes from "Springtime on the Mountain Open Gardens Trial" which is an annual event held in late September /early October. There are donation boxes within the gardens although more information can be found on their website if you are wishing to donate or to become a volunteer.



Stretching over 11 hectares of rich mountain soil, are unique in the way they have been developed as the visitor can easily walk from one style of garden to another. We started our walk through the Tropical Palm Grove and wondered why we hadn't thought of bringing a flask and morning tea as the many picnic tables positioned around the walkways beckoned the thought of such a relaxing idea. There are also eight "contemplative sites" where one can sit and take in the beauty of the landscape below as it stretches as far as the eye can see. You really do not feel like getting up from those seats to move along as you feel this is your own little bit of paradise.



Sign posts, like street signs pointed the way to the next garden and at times it was hard to decide where to go first – to the rainforest walk or past the Orchid and Bromeliad gardens. This time of year displayed a magnificent autumn bloom of colours in the Bromeliad garden bed and although I am not a fan of Bromeliads, I was certainly captured by the earthly tones. We passed the Japanese, Rose, Magnolia, Camellia, Maple, Native, Hydrangea, Perennial, Azalea and Rhododendron Gardens. The Rhododendrons were in full bloom and the colours were amazing. Although the Wisteria was not in bloom, the walk through the pergolas was tranquil with the lake beside. Glistening in the morning's sun was a large metal dragonfly positioned in the middle of the lake and ducks happily swam around it.





You, too, can take a small part of the garden home as a diverse range of plants can be purchased on Wednesday and Thursday mornings between 8.30 and 11.30am. The gardens are not open for weddings or private functions, although small non-intrusive events are accepted at participant's personal risk. It's very easy to spend a few hours in the gardens without realising it and so much pleasure is gained from the beauty within.



#gardens
#gold_coast_hinterland
#picnic_spots
#queensland
#things_to_see
#walks
%wnbrisbane
217460 - 2023-06-16 07:35:09

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