Melbourne's best gardens to explore

Melbourne is known for its great coffee, hidden laneway bars and restaurants, and hipster suburbs, but did you know the busy city is also home to some of the best gardens to explore in the country? Victoria is known as the ‘Garden State’ for a reason, so whether you’re visiting from interstate or call the city home, it’s time to take advantage of these beautiful green spaces.

Royal Botanic Gardens

Already included on many tourists’ lists of places to see, the Royal Botanic Gardens is the perfect oasis within walking distance of the city centre. The expansive garden is full of fascinating treasures to explore and you are sure to find a new favourite space each time you visit.

Here you will find delights such as the ‘silver garden’ featuring plants with hues of silver and grey, the children’s garden, and Guilfoyle's Volcano showcasing water flowers and plants. It is also home to diverse plant life such as camellias, succulents, rainforest flora, roses, herbs, and species from California and Southern China. Entry is free or for a small charge you can enjoy an Aboriginal Heritage guided walk.

Queen Victoria Gardens

Part of the Domain Parklands and set opposite the Victorian Arts Centre, The Queen Victoria Gardens are an ideal escape from city life. The most well-known feature of the gardens is its large floral clock containing around 7000 flowers. The piece is redesigned twice a year and is not to be missed.

Soak in the bright colours of the many flower beds and view ornamental ponds and monuments to Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. We love this one for its emphasis on floral displays and manicured lawns!

Flagstaff Gardens

Melbourne’s first garden site (and the city’s first burial site) is less of a place to get away from the city and more of one to view it. The city skyscrapers loom over trees and you’ll hear trams as they pass, but the popular lawns offer a green area to relax in your lunch break or after an especially tiring shopping trip.

Flagstaff Gardens have been a social hub since 1840 with visitors enjoying eucalypt and fig trees, rose beds, sculptures, and a bowling lawn.

Carlton Gardens

North of the city you will find this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Originally built for the International Exhibition in 1880, these gardens are now protected as a remnant of the event. With avenues of trees lining green lawns and walkways, and symmetrical garden beds, Carlton Gardens embodies 19th-century Gardenesque style.

These gardens also feature two miniature lakes and majestic fountains to admire as you stroll through this peaceful area. Keep an eye out for wildlife as these gardens are called home by an array of creatures.

Fitzroy Gardens

Avenues of trees and ornamental lakes provide a relaxing escape from the city in Fitzroy Gardens. Full of attractions including Cook’s Cottage, model Tudor village, and the Fairies Tree – carved by a local author and donated to local children. This site is also home to wildlife including rainbow lorikeets, ducks, and possums.

Locals and tourists alike enjoy this beautiful, heritage listed area as a place to explore and unwind.

This Mother's Day why not make a day of it and head to the park with a picnic basket? Mum will love the creative Mother's Day lunch and you can skip the restaurant crowds!

Have you got a favourite garden in Melbourne to visit when its flowers are in bloom?