Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens
5 Comments »3rd July, 2006; Category: Adelaide Hills, Botanic Gardens, Parks and Gardens, South Australia
Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens
The parks and gardens of Adelaide are a delight to visit. We have, over the years, visited quite a number of them. One of our favourites would have to be the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens. These gardens are under the care of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens which are right next to the CBD in Adelaide. The Mt Lofty section is in the wonderful Adelaide Hills, about a half hour very pleasant drive from the CBD.
Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens
Steep Climb
The gardens have been established on the sides of Mt Lofty, the highest mountain near our state capital, Adelaide. There are two car parks, one at the top and another at the bottom. So the less fit will arrange to go with friends, leave one car at the lower level, drive to the top in the other car and walk down to the lower level. One then only has to walk downhill before repeating the process with the car shuffle in the reverse order.
Photos
Over coming days I plan to post more photos taken in these beautiful gardens.
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Pangarinda Arboretum – more photos
Red Capped Robin
One of favourite picnic spots is the Pangarinda Arboretum at Wellington, South Australia. Not only do we enjoy wandering around admiring the vast range of flowering Australian native plants, the bird life is also quite wonderful. Birds like the stunning Red Capped Robin shown above and the noisy New Holland Honeyeaters zipping around everywhere from flower to flower. I have seen beautiful Superb Blue Wrens, dainty and quite cheeky Zebra Finches and a male Golden Whistler lighting up the green-grey foliage of the bushes with his bright golden breast feathers.
Eucalyptus flowers
The arboretum is a very peaceful place to wander around, have a picnic or just sit quietly listening to and watching the passing parade of birds. The River Murray is only a few hundred metres away, complete with a new marina and housing estate, and there are many dairy farms in the nearby vacinity. Pelicans and Ibis are sometimes seen flying overhead, adding to the beauty of this special place.
Eucalyptus macrocarpa
Pangarinda Arboretum – more flower photos
Banksia
Yesterday I posted some photos of flowers I have taken at the Pangarinda Arboretum at Wellington, South Australia. Today I add several more. The above photo of a banksia flower is one of many stunning banksias that have been planted in this arboretum. When in flower they attract dozens of birds, particularly honeyeaters.
Anigozantos flavidus hybrid (Kangaroo Paw)
The plant pictured above is a hybrid form of one of the Kangaroo Paw species native to Western Australia. They are resplendent in the natural habitat, but in recent times they have been grown by a growing number of gardeners in the other states. They get their name from the claw-like appendage on each flower.
Bark on a tree
Some of the larger trees are beginning to develop significantly sized trunks, despite their young age. The tree above was starting to shed the last season’s bark, making way for the new growth. The amazing contrasting coloursand textures in the last rays of sunlight for the day has produced a beautiful effect.
Pangarinda Arboretum
Flowers of a Eucalyptus Tree
One of my enduring passions is birding, or birdwatching. My wife’s passion is Australian plants. So our interests are complementary; I walk through the bush with eyes glancing ever upwards, my wife always looking down looking for plants and their flowers. We both love the Australian outdoors and exploring the wonders of nature that abounds in this wonderful land.
Banksia flower
Sometimes I find myself torn between looking at, identifying and attempting to photograph the birds I see, and the wonderful challenge of taking shots of the wonderful flowers all around. Over the next few days I plan to post a few of the flower photos I have taken at one of our favourite picnic spots, the Pangarinda Arboretum at Wellington, a small town about half an hour drive from our home in Murray Bridge.
Eucalyptus flowers
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Hakea multilineata