It’s easy to call the Adelaide Botanic Garden an oasis in the middle of the city, but that’s really what it is. These impressive gardens span over 50 hectares and with a swathe of beautifully landscaped zones, you’ll be able to explore one of the country’s finest plant collections.
You’ve probably heard of the Palm House. This exquisitely restored Victorian glasshouse was imported to Adelaide from Bremen, Germany back in 1875 and it’s the pride of Adelaide Botanic Garden. And how could it not be? Step inside this greenhouse and you’ll be greeted by a collection of Madagascan plants, many of which are endangered in their native habitat because of environmental degradation.
Then there’s the Rose Garden and the Bicentennial Conservatory. Explore the rows of roses, which are planted in groups (the noisette roses, the bourbon roses, perpetual roses and others) and observe the UFO-looking, 1989-built conservatory which is the largest single-span glasshouse in the southern hemisphere.
The gardens are open every day of the year and entry is free. If you’d like to know a little more of the history of the gardens, hop on a free guided tour which starts at the Schomburgk Pavilion at 10.30am daily.