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Dreams of Sydney

by Cliff Sharples (chief cultivator)

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Amazingly red canas were in full bloom, with the famous Sydney Opera House in the background
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Inspired by our first Australian member, I pulled out some photos from our trip to Sydney, where we toured some great gardens and garden centers.

The stereotypes are true! Australians really do seem to be more laid back, more fun-loving... and ever so friendly. My wife Lisa and I spent a week in Sydney in 2008 for the launch of AllRecipes Australia. We ate fantastic food. Met wonderful foodies. Drank some delicious wine... And, of course, got to see a wonderfully foriegn (and some not so foriegn) palette of great plants.

While Lisa went to various press events, I wandered the Royal Botanic Garden in the heart of Sydney. Wrapped around Farm Cove at the edge of Sydney Harbour, the Royal Botanic Gardens occupy one of Sydney's most spectacular positions. It's the Central Park of the city, where roller bladers, bikers, runners, kids, botanists and young couples all merge, keenly aware of how lucky they are to be able to enjoy such a beautiful resource.

Attached are some of my favoriet images and plants from the few days I spent wandering the gardens.

Tags

australia, sydney, royal botanic garden, Garden Tours

comments

This does look awesome- you always talk about Australia and now I know why- I think I gotta go now!
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FigTree commented on 11/01/09
Love the photos of Australia! Ferns are favorites of mine--how awesome to have seen a king fern in person! I've never seen a papyrus bloom either. It is so unusual..reminds me of a bottlebrush or powderpuff. Thanks for sharing! Love the brugs as well. It's a reminder that I need to get one. How shameful that I don't have one yet! I've grown datura, but the brugs are hard to find and expensive when you do find them. Tried planting kangaroo paws here, but they didn't survive the summer...don't know if it was too wet or too hot or too dry or what. This is a very uncommon plant here. Anyway, this post really makes me want to go plant shopping! And, seriously, those fruit bats hanging over your head are totally creepy!
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Daylilyjoy commented on 10/31/09
WOW! Wonderful photos! It's funny how familiar most of these plants are, yet completely on the opposite side of the world from us! Sydney is beautiful! I LOVE the ferns, and the prehistoric frond! I must have a fern tree...so Jurassic Park!
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Lily commented on 10/31/09

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