Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria facts for kids

The Visitor Centre, where you can find information.

The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria are amazing botanic gardens found in two different places: Melbourne and Cranbourne.

The Melbourne Gardens started in 1846. Land was set aside on the south side of the Yarra River for this new garden. It covers about 38 hectares (that's like 94 football fields!). The land slopes down to the river and has lots of trees, garden beds, lakes, and grassy areas. You can see almost 50,000 individual plants here. These plants represent 8,500 different types of species. They are organized into 30 special plant collections.

Cranbourne Gardens was created in 1970. Land was bought on the edge of Melbourne for a garden just for Australian plants. This area is wild and important for protecting many different kinds of plants and animals. It opened to the public in 1989. The Cranbourne site is huge, covering 363 hectares. Visitors can explore native bushland, heathlands, wetlands, and woodlands. A special part of Cranbourne is the Australian Garden. It shows off Australian landscapes and plants. It has about 170,000 plants from 1,700 different plant types. This garden was finished in 2012.

The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria is also home to the State Botanical Collection. This collection is kept at the National Herbarium of Victoria. It has 1.5 million preserved plants, algae, and fungi. This is the biggest collection of its kind in Australia and Oceania. It also has Australia's best collection of plant books.

How the Gardens Are Managed and Their History

The Royal Botanic Gardens are managed by a special board. This board follows rules from the Royal Botanic Gardens Act 1991. They report to the government minister in charge of the environment.

In 1846, Charles La Trobe chose the spot for the Royal Botanic Gardens. It was once a marshland and swamp area.

In 1857, Ferdinand von Mueller became the first director. He created the National Herbarium of Victoria. He also brought in many new plants from around the world.

In 1873, William Guilfoyle took over as Director. He changed the gardens to look more like the beautiful, natural-style gardens popular at that time. He added many tropical and temperate plants.

In 1877, Sir Edmund Barton, who later became Australia's first Prime Minister, got married to Jane Ross at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

In June 2015, all parts of the organization came together. They are now known as Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. This includes the Melbourne Gardens, Cranbourne Gardens, the National Herbarium of Victoria, and a research center called ARCUE.

Plant Collections and Displays

The beautiful Ornamental Lake.

The wide Southern Lawn.

Autumn colors at the gardens.

The gardens have many different living plant collections for you to explore. These include:

• The Australian Forest Walk
• California Garden
• Cacti and Succulents
• Camellia Collection
• Cycad Collection
• Eucalypts
• Fern Gully
• Grey Garden
• Herb Garden
• Long Island
• New Caledonia Collection
• New Zealand Collection
• Oak Lawn
• Perennial Border
• Roses
• Southern Africa Collection
• Southern China Collection
• Tropical Display-Glasshouse
• Viburnum Collection
• Water Conservation Garden

Plants and Animals in the Gardens

The gardens have a mix of plants that are native to Australia and plants from other countries. This mix of plants attracts many different animals, both native and non-native. The gardens are home to over 10,000 types of plants. Most of these plants are not native to Australia. In the mid-1800s, early European plant scientists traded seeds. This is how many non-native plants spread throughout southeastern Australia from these gardens.

Native Plants in the Gardens

When the gardens started in 1846, many native plants were removed. Plant scientists like Baron Von Mueller planted many species from all over the world. At first, some native wetlands and swamps were left alone. But around the early 1900s, these areas were changed to create the Ornamental Lake.

However, some large native eucalyptus trees still remain. One famous tree is the Separation Tree. It was a 300-year-old River Red Gum. Under this tree, Victoria was declared a separate colony from New South Wales. Sadly, the Separation Tree was damaged by vandals in 2010 and again in 2013. By 2015, the tree had died. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne focuses only on Australian native plants.

Traditional Gardens with Non-Native Plants

The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne were first meant to be a beautiful display for everyone to enjoy. Many seeds were traded between early European plant scientists. They planted lots of non-native plants. Important people like the Queen, Dame Nellie Melba, and Paderewski even helped plant trees at different times in the gardens' history.

Plant Science and Research

Since its very beginning, the Royal Botanic Gardens has been involved in studying and identifying plants. This work is mainly done at the National Herbarium of Victoria, which is located in the gardens. The Herbarium also holds the State Botanical Collection. This collection has over 1.2 million dried plant samples. It also has a huge collection of books, journals, and plant artworks.

The research findings from the gardens are published in a science journal called Mulleria. This journal shares the scientific work done at the gardens each year. More recently, the Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology was created. This center specifically studies plants that grow in city environments.

Guilfoyle's Volcano, a cool spot to explore.

The Ian Potter Foundation Children's Garden

The Ian Potter Foundation Children's Garden is a special area. It is 5,000 square meters big. It is designed for children of all ages and abilities to explore and discover. The Children's Garden is in South Yarra, a bit separate from the main gardens. This area closes for two months each year. This happens after the Victorian July school holidays. It allows the garden to rest and be maintained.

The Ornamental Lake just before a thunderstorm.

Punting on the Lake at Dusk in early autumn.

Gallery

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  The wide Eastern Lawn.

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  The cool Fern Gully.

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  A peaceful section of the gardens in winter.

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  The beautiful Oak Lawn.

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  The fragrant Herb Garden.

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  The Terrace Restaurant.

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  The main entrance gate to the gardens.

Images for kids

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  An old plan of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.