Melbourne's climate has got to be good for something, and indeed it's great for horticulture. Cool enough for temperates, warm enough for tropicals, and wet enough for anything else. Indeed the wide aray of plantlife and the plentiful birdlife is incredible.

What made these gardens most pleasent was the landscaping. Open enough to enjoy but at the same time being very full, as if divided into nice quiet and intricate sections to maximize enjoyment. Every corner of the gardens emaculate in design and landscape, and it's full of quiet corners ideal for small picnics or getting some quiet time alone to yourself. We were there on a winter afternoon and still found the gardens well used with several people enjoying the afternoon. But still not at all crowded.

Look out for the fern gully, particularly the flying foxes in the tree tops there. Over time they will destroy much of the wonderful tree canopy in this part of the gardens. Local authorites have instituted a removal program that if it works will be quite extraordinary. It involves no trapping or anything like that. What they've done is create a more ideal environment for the flying foxes nearby and are trying to get these bats to naturally migrate away from the gardens. Anyway it's quite interesting.

The herb and medicinal gardens are wonderful and worth a look. And if you want to, find your way to the large ornamental lake filled with ducks, black swans, and black eels if you get your eye in. The teahouse is also a special treat. To sit by the lake and enjoy a hot cup of tea, well few things are as pleasant.

There's several hothouses where you can see plant's like the venus flytrap, and cacti. And I probably missed half of the many attractions in the gardens. They are open daily; 7:30am - 5:30pm April-October, 7:30am - 8:30pm November-March. And it's free.

Guided walks are available Sun-Thurs 11am and 2pm, bookings (03)9252-2300 cost is $4.40. Rumor has it that during the summer they show classic movies in the gradens at the "moonlight cinema". Check out their website to find out all sorts of things happening in the gardens, as well as other useful information.

All in all if you're looking for a peaceful way to enjoy a few hours, you won't be disappointed if you make your way to the Royal Botanic Gardens.

The Royal Botanic Gardens spread over an expanse of 39 hectares of grassy lawns, flowerbeds, shrubs, trees and ornamental lakes. There were laid out in 1846, and are divided into a number of sections: the Flagstaff Gardens , the Treasury Gardens , the Alexandra Gardens (check out the lovely floral clock here!) and the Fitzroy Gardens among them. In all, there are about 13 hectares of lawn- cool, green and perfect for an afternoon nap or a picnic- through which bitumen-tarred paths meander, past stands of banksia, wattle, bottle-brush palms, willow, box and azalea trees- and flowers in every colour imaginable. The gardens boast of an almost unbelievable 12,000 species of plants, some of which are pretty rare. Many of them bloom in the flowerbeds along the paths, while some of the more delicate ones are in special shrubberies and in a special conservatory. The conservatory, in particular, has an excellent collection of cinerarias, cyclamens and hydrangeas.

Scattered across the gardens are some other important sights- Government House (the white tower-topped residence of the Victorian Premier) and the Shrine of Remembrance in the area known as King’s Domain; the Sidney Myer Music Bowl (a popular venue for summer concerts), and Captain Cook’s Cottage , which was actually dismantled brick-by-brick in England and brought to Melbourne. There’s plenty here to keep you occupied!

We visited the gardens on a wonderfully balmy spring day, beginning at the Shrine of Remembrance (where we parked the car and walked down through the gardens), past Myer Music Bowl and along the Yarra River. It took us all of half a day- from the morning till after lunch- to do our tour of the gardens, but those hours were amongst the most rewarding I spent in Melbourne!

Entry to the gardens is free.

The Royal Botanic Gardens feature over 12,000 species of flora, plus a few interesting native animals as well. There are brownish-black flying foxes (basically fruit bats) hanging upside-down from treetops. It is a rather creepy sight, as these winged creatures stay gripped to their branches at rest during the daytime. Gigantic, beaky black swans waddle about the edges of the lakes when they are not floating in them.

The Old Melbourne Observatory marks the location of the Visitors Centre at the Observatory Gate (Gate "O"), not far from the grandiose Shrine of Remembrance. This is a good spot to gather your bearings, as there is a cafe and shop as well. The free green brochure has a handy site map in case you get lost, though the signposts are a great help. The brochure estimates that a complete walk around the gardens should take 2 or 3 hours, while a diagonal stroll from Gate "O" to Gate "A" at the northeastern corner should take about 45 minutes. Of course, you can just wander about and let your instincts guide you to what you want to see. Significant features include the Australian Rainforest Walk, Rose Pavilion, National Herbarium, Glasshouses, and the Ornamental Lake.

Entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens is free. There are long opening hours starting at the early time of 7:30AM. Closing time is later during the summer season than in winter to take advantage of the longer daylight hours.

Fitzroy Gardens is home to Captain Cook's Cottage, brought here piece by piece from England to honor the man who "discovered" this part of the world. Guided tours are available for a fee; ring (03)9419 4677 for details.

Our early-spring visit meant that daffodils and tulips were just beginning to poke out of the ground. Inside the Conservatory, the shades of purples and blues were amazing. Plenty of benches afford the opportunity to just sit and relax as you listen to the gentle sound of water flowing under the tiny bridge. Though we didn't stop by to look, Fitzroy is also supposed to be a good place to watch native possums in the evening. Melburnians encourage feeding the animals, but feeding wildlife anywhere I think just makes problems for the animals and the people.

Nearby Treasury Gardens offered us an interesting surprise. Seeing a memorial of some sort over in the distance, we walked over to see what great Australian person or event was being honored. Who was it? None other than John Fitzgerald Kennedy! It seems the Aussies, too, hold him in high regard, not only for his service to the world as President, but also for his role in Australia during World War II.

Carlton Gardens, Flagstaff Gardens and even private gardens at homes and churches visible through fences and hedges were all equally beautiful. I especially loved the way the Italian cypress trees mirrored the spires of St. Patrick's Cathedral on the church grounds.

Perhaps the nicest thing about these gardens is that they can be the destination, or just a part of the journey as you walk from place to place around the city.