Gardens can be so relaxing and beautiful. With this in mind, here is a list of some of the best gardens that are in Melbourne and surrounds. Of course, Melbourne is known as the Garden State due to the prolific number of incredible gardens throughout the state.
Even if you are not a keen gardener, you will probably appreciate much of what this list has to offer. Be enticed, make a move, and go to some of these - you never know - it could turn you into a keen gardener if you are not already!
PUBLIC GARDENS
Some of the public gardens around Melbourne include:
Fitzroy Gardens - 230 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne
Carlton Gardens - 1 -111 Carlton Street, Carlton
Royal Botanic Gardens - Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra
Alexandra Gardens - 3 Boathouse Drive, Melbourne
Flagstaff Gardens - corner William and Latrobe Streets, West Melbourne
Queen Victoria Gardens - part of the Domain Parklands, at St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Como House and Gardens - corner Williams Road and Lechlade Avenue, South Yarra
Rippon Lea - 192 Hotham Street, Elsternwick
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens - Corner Ballarto Road and Botanic Drive, Cranbourne
Image: Their facebook pages
Werribee Park - K Road, Werribee
Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens - 1a Sherbrooke Road, Sherbrooke
Images: Their Facebook pages
National Rhododendron Garden - The Georgian Road, Olinda
Forrest Glade Gardens - 816 Mount Macedon Road, Mount Macedon
Most of the following gardens are open from 10 am to 4.30 pm, however before you go, check the times for the particular ones you are visiting.
Tropical Paradise Open Garden - Cheltenham
This is at 2 Allnut Court, Cheltenham, and will be open from Saturday 29th to Sunday 30th September.
This tropical paradise was in Australian House and Garden magazine a few months ago. The owner has planted in many different areas with a great use of pathways, decking and paved areas, as well as some pond areas. There are also water features, large potted plants, and star jasmines over a fence.
More information:
here
The Rain Garden, William Angliss InstituteThis will be on at 550 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne, on 15th September.
This one is slightly different to the other Open Gardens as it is a food garden in the heart of the city. It was actually built to teach students how to grow, harvest and use a variety of plants in their catering. It was recently in the magazine,
Gardening Australia and at this event, you can visit the Rain Garden and attend a series of talks all through the day.
More information:
here
Tugurium Open Garden - MacedonThis will be on at 8-10 Centenary Ave, Macedon, on 22nd and 23rd September.
This garden has a fabulous variety of rare and unusual plants, including some which are on the Plant Trust National Plant Collections Register. These include the Acanthus, Sambucus and Osmanthus.
The owner is a compulsive plant collector and at his home, you can wander through the vast plantings, across the circular lawn and orchard and see the vegetable garden. Also, there is a delightful pond with wildlife on it.
More information:
here
Bolwarrah Garden - Open Garden
This open garden is at 213 S Conroy Rd, Bolwarrah, on 10th and 11th November.
Bolwarrah Gardens is just over 2 kms from the Ballan-Daylesford Road just near Bunding. The open garden is on 8 acres in a 50 acre property with a large ornamental lake. The owners are avid plant collectors and have worked hard to get this garden into a most delightful area.
Some of the plants there include Alister Clark roses, rhododendrons, perennials and grasses, an avenue of quinces, yellow and white rose gardens, and vegetables.
More information:
here
Eurambeen Open Garden
This will be held on 10th and 11th November, at 232 Eurambeen-Streatham Road, Beaufort.
Here there will be garden tours, music and you can even buy plants. You can have local food and wine from the Pyrenees region.
More information:
here
Bev Fox's Garden - The Basin
This garden is at 6 Camelia Cres, The Basin, and will be open on 29th and 30th September.
This organic garden has low plants, with taller shrubs forming a middle layer, and trees to give height. They have a small pond, bird baths and much more.
There are also some hard to grow plants in this delightful garden setting.
More information:
here
Glenrannoch Open Garden - Mount Macedon
This one is held on 6th and 7th October, at 84 Devonshire Lane, Mount Macedon.
Glenrannoch is the third oldest property in Mt Macedon, and it was originally based on an Indian hillside garden. This has been a work of love for many years and results in the creation of a beautifully maintained, old-fashioned, garden.
This is a fascinating garden with all sorts of varying trees and shrubs, many of which are flowering. In spring they have flowering daffodils, bluebells, lilly of the valley and more.
More information:
here
Cloverdale Open Garden - Werribee
This garden will be open on 20th and 21st October, at 85 Browns Road, Werribee.
There are many plants and trees including roses, wisteria, sedums, frangipanis and irises. They also have some weeping willows lined around their creek.
More information:
here
Brim Brim Open Garden-Buninyong
Brim Brim Open Garden will be on 27th and 28th October, at Buninyong, in the city of Ballarat.
This is an old property which has been given a lot of love and care! The garden is described as an arts and crafts style garden. It has many roses, and spring flowering bulbs, which give delightful colour to the garden.
While you are in this area, visit the Buninyong Botanical Gardens, as they are beautiful.
More information:
here
Warratina Lavender Farm
This will be on 17th and 18th November, at 105 Quayle, Wandin Yallock.
Here you can walk among the spring flowering lavender which are the first of the season. Other flowers here include roses, rhododendrons, azaleas, and much more.
More information:
here
The Witches
This is at 608 Dartmouth Rd, Mitta Mitta, and the open garden will be from 3rd to 5th November.
The Witches is a two-hectare garden with trees and assortments of perennials and roses. They also have a bridge covered wisteria which is over a lake.
More information:
here
Dalblair Rose Gardens and Japanese Ornamental Garden
This garden will be open on 7th October, at 65 Ducks Lane, Seville.
This acreage property has roses, plants and an orchard, as well as some nice walks.
More information:
here
Ziebell's Farmhouse Garden
This garden will be open on 17th and 18th November, at German Lane, Lalor.
This garden is within the historic Westgarthtown Pioneer Precinct in Whittlesea. It is a large garden with flowers, roses, shrubs, vegetables and fruit trees amongst other things.
More information:
here
