Geelong Botanic Gardens

A pitstop on our drive back from Torquay one Wintry Sunday led us to the Geelong Botanic Gardens to stretch our legs before heading home to Melbourne.



We wandered through the cool shade of the fernery, where the leaves hung heavy with the morning rain...


...and the waterfall's cascade could be heard along the track.

Patches of rain fell as we wandered around, making the vibrant colours of the plants and foliage come alive.

The 1890's Traill Fountain was brought to the gardens in 1912, from its original site in Market Square.

The gazebo holds a range of Pelargoniums, grown by the Friends of the Gardens. Their nursery is open on Wednesday mornings for plant sales and at various times throughout the year. The pretty colours of the Geranium flowers brightened an otherwise grey day.

The Temperate Garden has a beautiful sculptural display of bronze cranes and a significant tree, a huge Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo Biloba) planted here in 1859.

A vegetable garden sits on a sloping section, overlooking the Pit Glass House, which was built around the 1860's and is a half basement design building.

The gardens feature plants and trees from all over the world, including  Giant Redwood, Black Walnut, Kauri Pine, Bunya Pine, Spotted Gum and Copper Beech.

 ...and this one, whose eyes seemed to follow me around the gardens.

We ended our walk at the 21st Century Garden, where the lush green of the previous gardens gave way to the dry soil of the desert area. Cacti, bottle trees, and other plants from arid zones in Australia, South America and Africa are no doubt looking forward to the warmer months ahead.
So am I.

What:Geelong Botanic Gardens
Where: Eastern Park Circuit
When: Daily 8am - 7pm Summer (closes at 5pm in Winter)
Why: gardens
How much: FREE