A Spicy New Desert Garden Unveiled In Melbourne!

The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria opens a new arid landscape filled with 3,000 rare and unusual cacti and succulents.

Writer
Sasha Gattermayr
2nd of December 2020

Ever wondered what your succulents look like when they’re out in the wild rather than sitting on your window-sill? We’re talking the epic, IRL ancestors of that fuzzy golden barrel cactus in your bathroom. Well, now you can find out.

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria have made a VERY cool (or should we say hot?) addition to its extensive public plant collection – a desert garden featuring 3,000 cacti and succulents. The garden contains over 400 species of plants gathered from the donations of private collectors, including one 80-year-old cactus and one weighing 250kg!

The 174-year-old heritage listed institution unveiled its new addition in mid-November with new paved walkways and permanent signage to guide visitors through the spiky terrain. The design was completed by landscape architect, Andrew Laidlaw, who was influenced by the traditional desert vistas of North America; particularly Saguaro National Park in Arizona, from where many of the plants were originally sourced!

The Arid Garden is open to the public now, so you can see more of these rare and unusual flora in the flesh! Enter via Gate C off Anderson Street. Learn more here.

Supported by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria

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