Needing a Little Sunshine? Let's Go! Australia, Part I - The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
It's time. Break out the Australia pictures.
Last winter, we were fortunate enough to go to Australia on holiday. My friend Loree of Danger Garden fame blogged about it here before the Chickadee Gardens blog began, but I think I need some sun and so think it is a fine idea to allow these sunny pics to resurface. Let's go on an Australian adventure! This post features photos from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. Next week we'll look at the Chinese Gardens, also in Sydney, and also Queensland in the north and some of its tropical gems.
Sit back, grab a tinnie, slip on the flip-flops and dream a little dream of sunnier climes....
Not an hour off the plane, I insisted we get some fresh air and please, yes, just drop me off at the Botanic Garden. Free and fabulous, I could have spent a week here (especially as pricey as Sydney is).
I knew it would be fab, just look at this entrance!
Now what's what I call a welcome. Besides being incredibly jet lagged, I was incredibly giddy.
The RBC is situated in downtown Sydney on the SW corner of the harbor so the views are incredible.
That greenery in the background is the garden, the path runs along the parameter of the park. If you turned around, you'd see this:
So now that we are situated, let's look at some plants. Lots of plants.
I have to admit I did not have the mindset to take note of names of plants, so many of these are unknown to me. Please feel free to help me fill in the blanks. Agave gypsophila, I think here.
Agapanthus in the foreground, fully in bloom and reminding me of my former life in California.
What a Dracaena! In the background you can just see Farm Cove, Sydney Harbour.
Spiky loveliness everywhere.
Just this one photo alone makes me feel so much sunnier. Aloe, I believe.
I believe this is Megaskepasma erythrochlamys or Brazilian Red Cloak?? - a forest of it, whatever it is. Justicia carnea - thank you anonymous!
Grass trees I do believe.
Araucaria cunninghamii or Hoop Pine.
Agave ferdinandi-regis? and I think Senecio mandraliscae.
The Tropical Centre; it was closed when we visited. In the sky is the daily skywriting that one sees over Sydney. Most of it is advertising. We need flowers not words!
Bismarkia nobilis.
The herb gardens.
A fun shopping experience, although a bit on the souvenir-ish side of things. But great use of the wheel barrow!
Acacia? Anyone? Gorgeous, whatever it is...I remember seeing a lot of these.
Begonia and Barrel cactus. Spiky and soft! Nice.
Dyckia - not sure which variety.
Leaves and fruit of the Ficus dammaropsis, New Guinea or Dinner Plate Fig.
These are the famous Woolemi Pines, one of the world's oldest and rarest trees.
Well, the next trip to Sydney will definitely include a long visit to the gardens while I note plant names. I must admit my jetlagged frame of mind and the bright orb in the sky rendered me incapable of focusing much this visit. I also admit that my camera battery died while I entered the succulent garden. D'Oh! That alone is worth another visit. At any rate, we got to see a bit of blue sky, sunshine and some plants, Australian and otherwise. What's not to love?
Well that was just lovely and reminds me how happy I was to get that email from you, but not as happy as I am that you've started your own blog. I do hope I get to visit Australia someday!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Danger! You are the best and yes, I hope you get to go too!
DeleteWhat a fun trip that must have been! I don't travel anywhere near as often or as far as I'd like, so traveling through your blog and others lately has been just the ticket for me.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so glad that they are of some value for you! That makes me feel it's all worthwhile :)
DeleteWow, I never tire of seeing that tipped-over dracaena. That place is amazing!
ReplyDeleteI KNOW! You must go someday and see it in person.
DeleteThe pink flowered plant that you thought was a Megakespasma is a Justicia carnea
ReplyDelete