Strap yourself in for a picture heavy post, which shouldn't be too bad given you haven't much to catch up on. Much of my time between my last visit to Australia and this one has been sitting in a chair either in front of a computer or a microscope. This venture outward into the sun and greenery was a much needed and appreciated divergence. So past the stone wall and through the ornate metal gate I strolled into one of the most beautiful man made displays of plant life I have ever seen.
Right from the get go, there was a wonderful jumble of floral and fauna. Rainbow lorikeets chattered in the canopy above, bees buzzing from each tiny flower, and Australian wood ducks were waddling through the undergrowth.
For those Magic card fans, I have found the goblin's greatest treasure; the sausage tree. I did not see any sausages growing from the limbs but there were a number of large flowers.
Past the sausage tree, there was one tree in full bloom with great plumes of red flowers. As I approached the great lone tree, it was alive with the chatter of rainbow lorikeets chasing each other and feeding on the nectar of the blossoms. I must have spent a good twenty minutes just following one bird around trying to get a good picture and it did not disappoint.
Realizing I had spent close to three quarters of an hour at this tree and had much left to see, I left the cacophony behind me and headed onward. Compared to the botanical garden in Cairns which was largely an arrangement of various forms of plants exhibiting diversity, this gardens was not only full of diversity, although not the main focus, but was also an exhibit of gardening and types of gardens. From a walk through the bush to contemporary arid gardens.
Between particular gardens, there were wide open fields, making it both a garden and a park. So early in the morning though, the only occupants of the fields were parrots and crested pigeons. Textures and shades of green were splayed across the canvass of my field of vision but instead of small shrubs and flowers these were trees.
The path wandered from the field to a small stoned garden of palms, succulents, and dianthus, surrounding a pond which was abound with water lilies. I would have stayed longer but the heat and the flies compelled me to move onward.
Along a mostly dried river bed, I moved hastily with flies still in pursuit. The only bad part about gardens containing water is that they desperately need a lot of larval control. I moved quickly by more succulent species and into a rock garden of marble.
On the other side of the rock garden was more water, but provided an interesting contrast between the natural pond bordered by reeds to the structured cascading water garden located adjacent the pond
Of my own volition and not chasing a white rabbit with a pocket watch, I ended up in an exquisite rose garden. Thankfully, no one was wandering around painting them red, as these roses were of numerous forms and nearly of every colour under the rainbow.
I wandered in and around the bushes and under enormous archways, some of which were still in a state of preparation. It was a great example of the importance of patience in gardening. Things can't be rushed and these pieces of art must be grown over time.
The unique architectural building in the background of the last few gardens was finally the next exhibit; standing tall in the sunlight and resembling some space-age building of the future. Entering through the electronic doors the heat didn't change much but the humidity hit me like a wall. The tropical rainforest contained within was much like the natural jungle we wandered through in Cairns. Although there was not much different to see here, it was fascinating to see the way it was displayed, in a very unique way that let you take a walk through the canopy and then down through the underbrush. Beware of course of the misting that keeps the humidity up.
After moving back out of the tropical paradise, I started a stroll through a more classical English garden. Stoned walkways sectioned off areas with traditional English plants mixed with Australian species. As nice as it was, my day was starting to draw to a close and there were other things I really wanted to see. Marigolds and asters were very familiar to me. So off past the fountain I went to the succulents garden and palm house.
The palm house was an antique and extravagant greenhouse which in it's restored glory was by far one of the most exciting parts of the whole Botanical Gardens. The building was far more than just a simple greenhouse, it was in itself a piece of art, looking very classical in design, appearing more as a glass building rather than a structure designed to house plants. The combination of clear and stain glass further enhanced the character of the magnificent building. Wrapping part way around the glass structure was the succulent gardens; a wide assortment of sedum, cacti, and the likes, many of which were quite familiar from my travels through Arizona and others from here in New Zealand. There were a few unfamiliar forms and it made for a wonderful chance to get some macro picture taking practice in as I enjoyed some of the blooms popping out of the waxy bodies of these plants.
Inside the Palm House, the simple assortment of palms, crown of thorns, and a few other unfamiliar yet equally beautiful plants rounded out the gorgeous feel of this wondrous building. The large palm in the centre was the focal point of the house and rose up into the central dome. There air was a touch warmer than outside, and yet the canopy of the plants shaded the occupants enough that they were not roasting. The crown of thorns was a perfect mirror of this entire setup. The strong needles and trunk protected and maintained the structure of the plant, much as the metal frame and stone pillars maintain the integrity the house. The numerous, beautiful, and waxy leaves, in all their intricacies, were nestled between the spines much as the numerous glass planes in the ceiling and walls around. And crowned upon the top were small flowers of either pink, red, or white and like these little jewels crowned the plant structure, this exhibit was by far the shining star of the Botanical Gardens, a wondrous piece of art blending nature and architecture.
I lingered far too long at this point and was starting to run out of time. I was by no means going to miss the plane back so I said goodbye to the crowning exhibit of the park and carried on down the green paths two my last two stops. The first was the Amazon waterlily pavilion. From 70's space age and Victorian style to modern contemporary, the pavilion was a state of the art greenhouse and designed to ensure the survival of its two main plant species: The amazonian waterlily and the blue lotus of Egypt. The building was certainly nice but I have always been more of a fan of more classical architecture, but the small pond located at the centre was the focal point of the building. Although the lily pads were not the typical enormous size, possibly still growing as it was only spring here, they were of considerable size, being at least sixty centimetres across. The blooming blue lotus however were at this time the main event of this exhibit, in their pale pastel blue blossoms, delicately suspended above the water.
Checking my pocket watch and starting to feel like the Alice's white rabbit, I rushed over to the final exhibit; the museum of economic botany. Now this, unfortunately, was a place I could have spent a lot more time. The classic motif of the room with the fine molding, wood and glass display cases and the busts of prominent plant taxonomists felt as though you had stepped back in time; a time when collecting and identifying new and sometimes even familiar things was less a hobby and more an occupation. The displays on the outside mostly showed plants being used for different purposes such as dyes and tools, where as the centre displays were plants from all different familial groups and showed the numerous uses people have for these plants, both modern and historically for both the European culture I am very familiar with and the traditional indigenous uses as well. I also got the answer to why they call it a sausage tree!
But sadly, my flight was coming up and I still had to bus back to the airport. I headed back to the main gate I had entered from, stopping briefly to observe some inquisitive turtles and waterfowl in a pond following the path. I watched as a family tried to point out the turtles to a young child which of course made me smile thinking that soon enough, that would be Mary-Ellen and I.
I arrived at the airport with plenty of time, thought to myself that I was such a worry-wart, and settled into my seat on the plane. I then began my journey back across the Tasman to the land of the kiwis, waving goodbye to Adelaide and to Australia once again.
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