Like many people, autumn is my favorite time of year, not only for the cooler weather and the spectacular colors, but because it represents a new beginning. And who can resist stepping on crunchy leaves?! I love this quote from one of my favorite books, Where the Crawdads Sing:
“Autumn leaves don’t fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar.”
In 2011, by visiting Australia in the April, I was fortunate to have experienced autumn twice in one year. My husband, theTravelersketcher, went there many times on business and always came home with interesting art, collectables, and fun stories. He had wanted me to join him on many occasions, so I finally succumbed and tagged along on his final trip down under. His business obligations took him all over the country. He had been in Perth and Darwin before I met up with him in Cairns. From there we visited Hobart, Sydney and Melbourne.
This trip had many highlights including several days of sightseeing with a friend in Melbourne. She took me to the William Rickets Sanctuary, Yering Station Winery, the lovely town of Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula, and we wrapped up one of the days with a delicious dinner at her home in Melbourne.
The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens in Hobart on the island of Tasmania, was another highlight of my trip. This 14 hectare garden is the second oldest botanical garden in Australia. It is a beautiful place to wander and take photos. It contains a wide variety of flowers, trees, herbs, succulents and a Subantarctic Plant House, the only one in the world.
The Lily Pond was formed in 1840. The water lilies bloom in the spring and have grown here for over 100 years.
The Conservatory, built in 1939 is a lovely place to sit and relax.
The Gatekeeper’s Cottage was built in 1845 as a residence for the superintendent.
The gardens are open daily beginning at 8:00 AM. Closing time varies depending on the season. Maps and tour information are available at the Hub. I took a Red Decker Bus to get to the gardens, which offers additional information on the gardens and other points of interest in Hobart.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post; as always, please leave a comment, I love to hear from you.
Wishing you grand adventures, when it is safe to do so,
Tricia
Travels Through My Lens 
A beautiful place to visit.
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Beautiful colors and such a variety of plants! Reminds me a little of Balboa Park.
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It is very similar to Balboa Park, both are beautiful places.
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