AdBlock Detected

It looks like you're using an ad-blocker!

Our team work realy hard to produce quality content on this website and we noticed you have ad-blocking enabled.

Tag: Botanic Gardens

Posted on

The Calyx Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

The Calyx

The Calyx Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

Located in the Royal Botanic Garden the Calyx is a place of living art, with constantly changing displays. In botany, a calyx is the collective name for sepals of a flower, the usually green part that supports the petals. The Calyx in the Garden is a place where new displays are presented several times a year, making return trips worthwhile and interesting.

The last time we visited the display consisted of carnivorous plants, which was fascinating. We didn’t realise that there was so many varieties. Planted to produce a colourful display from leaves and flowers the green-wall had only recently been finished. Many plants were yet to reach their potential, but we intended to visit at a later date to see the final product. Unfortunately, Covid-19 has intervened and a lockdown means we are unable to travel to Sydney.

A small café located here is a great place to relax after looking at the displays.

  • The Calyx Calyx Royal Botanic Garden
    The Calyx
  • The Calyx Café Calyx Royal Botanic Garden
    Calyx Café
  • The Green Wall
    The Green Wall
  • The Green Wall
    Recently Replanted Green Wall
  • The Green Wall Calyx Royal Botanic Garden
    The Green Wall
  • The Green Wall Calyx Royal Botanic Garden
    The Green Wall

Some Carnivorous Plants From Our Last Visit

  • Pitcher Plants The Calyx
    Pitcher Plants The Calyx
  • Grevillea Hunter Region Botanic Gardens Newcastle NSW Australia
    Grevillea
  • Pitcher Plants The Calyx
    Pitcher Plants The Calyx

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

Our photos are available for purchase on

Posted on

Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden

Waterfall in the Japanese Gardens

Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden

Located next to the Orana Shopping Centre, the Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden is a green oasis in a sometimes hot dry central west. A large car park provides ample space to leave your car, with only a short walk to the entrance.

  • Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden
    Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden

Japanese Gardens

Wandering through the Japanese gardens on a hot day was refreshing because of the running water and quiet surroundings. Waterfalls, a lake with Koi, sculpted dry gardens and beautiful trees make this a beautiful place to visit.

We loved the lake and fish because they were very relaxing to watch from the shade of a willow tree.

  • Waterfall in the Japanese Gardens Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden
    Waterfall in the Japanese Gardens
  • Waterfall in the Japanese Gardens Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden
    Waterfall in the Japanese Gardens
  • Willow and Lake in the Japanese Gardens Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden
    Willow and Lake in the Japanese Gardens
  • Lake in the Japanese Gardens Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden
    Lake in the Japanese Gardens
  • Pond in the Japanese Gardens
    Pond in the Japanese Gardens
  • Japanese Gardens
    Japanese Gardens
  • Japanese Gardens
    Japanese Gardens

Sensory Garden Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden

You can enjoy this section of the gardens with all five senses because the design uses different plants for each. Colour, texture and smell are obvious, but sound comes from rustling leaves and running water, while taste comes from strawberries (or did during our visit).

This was an interesting section to visit, because it engaged all of the senses. With several areas to sit and relax, it’s a peaceful place to visit.

  • Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden
    Part of the Sensory Garden

Oasis Valley

Oasis Valley displays plants from dry rain forest environments. A board walk winds through and over the plants, allowing great views of them. A nice surprise was the sculptures located here. Made from sandstone and depicting Australian wildlife, they are a great addition to the area.

The board walk continues into the Biodiversity Garden, providing a continuation of the local plant life.

  • Boardwalk Through Oasis Valley
    Boardwalk Through Oasis Valley
  • Platypus Rock Sculpture
    Platypus Rock Sculpture
  • Wombat Rock Sculpture
    Wombat Rock Sculpture
  • Frog Rock Sculpture
    Frog Rock Sculpture
  • Lizard Rock Sculpture
    Lizard Rock Sculpture in the Biodiversity Garden

Biodiversity Garden

The Biodiversity Garden is a living model of the major vegetation communities that thrived in this region before European settlement. The trails take you through grassy white box woodlands, past wetlands and climbs up a rocky, volcanic slope via a boardwalk. This is great because it lets you see endangered local plant life without going to difficult to find places.

What Did We Think?

This was a relaxing places to visit, especially the wonderful Shoyoen Japanese Gardens, which were beautiful.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

Our photos are available for purchase on

Posted on

Dale Frank’s Botanic Gardens

Mature Palm Trees

Dale Frank’s Botanic Gardens

Situated just outside Singleton in the Hunter Valley, Dale Frank’s Botanic Gardens opened in November 2020. These gardens are an unexpected and fun place to visit because of the unusual and interesting plants on display. For opening times, check out their Facebook page.

These beautifully laid out gardens are the work of Dale Frank, an internationally renowned artist based in Singleton. With many of the trees being mature specimens, the area already has the look and feel of an established garden. This has been achieved by saving trees from developers in Sydney and transporting them to Singleton. They have survived the transition because of the attention given to them by Dale and his team.

Plants range from palm tree and boabs to cactus and succulents, with the settings varying as you walk around.

A great place to visit for a relaxing walk around if you are in the area.

Dale Franks Botanic Gardens
One of the Displays at the Gardens
Boab Tree
Boab Tree
Cactus Garden Dale Franks Botanic Gardens
Cactus Garden
Mature Palm Trees at Dale Frank's Botanic Gardens
Mature Palm Trees
Mature Palm Trees at Dale Franks Botanic Gardens
Mature Palm Trees

To see what else there is to do in the Hunter Valley, please see some of our other stories.

Our photos are available for purchase on