Melbourne’s picturesque Royal Botanic Gardens stretch out over 36 hectares right in the heart of Melbourne. With more than 50,000 plants on display, regular events and exciting tours, Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens are widely-regarded as the finest botanical gardens in Australia, and among the best in the world.
Open every day of the year from 7.30am until dusk, the Royal Botanic Gardens is one of Melbourne’s most popular tourist attractions. Each year, thousands of visitors wander across its sprawling grounds to soak up the scenery and the serenity.
The site for the gardens was selected more than 160 years ago by Charles La Trobe from marshland and swamp; today, living collections at the Botanic Gardens include Australian Forest Walk, California Garden, Cacti and Succulents, Camellia Collection, Cycad Collection, Eucalypts, Fern Gully, New Caledonia Collection, New Zealand Collection, Oak Lawn, Roses, Southern China Collection, Tropical Display-Glasshouse, Viburnum Collection and Water Conservation Garden.
But it’s not just gardens; other attractions within the grounds include the 5,000 square metre Ian Potter Foundation discovery area for children, The Terrace restaurant and kiosk on the lake and – in summer – the popular outdoor Moonlight Cinema screen.
At certain times of the year, the Botanic Gardens also plays host to “Shakespeare Under the Stars” – outdoor performances of favourite Shakespeare plays that take advantage of the stunning natural surroundings and are designed to be fun and accessible for all ages.
Situated only a few kilometres down the Yarra, Clarion Suites Gateway is the perfect base from which to explore the Royal Botanic Gardens and all the rest that Melbourne has to offer.
