Melbourne Flower Show & Gardens Tour – MFG

Itinerary

Day 1 – Monday: Mornington Peninsula, Heronswood & Cruden Farm

Our garden adventure begins after breakfast as we depart our accommodation for the lovely Mornington Peninsula.

At Heronswood in Dromana, home of the Diggers Club, discover a garden where beautiful planting and productive growing come together. Visit the heirloom vegetable trial and production gardens, and see fresh ideas for your vegetable patch back home.

This afternoon, visit Cruden Farm, the much-loved home of the late Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. Explore the expansive gardens she lovingly nurtured, appreciating the mature trees, sweeping lawns and inviting garden views.

Return to Melbourne and enjoy an included Welcome Dinner with your fellow travellers.

Accommodation: Melbourne Marriott Hotel or similar for 5 nights
Meals: D

Day 2 – Tuesday: Garden of St Erth, Trentham Village

Today we head into Victoria’s picturesque countryside to discover gardens with quite different personalities. Our first stop is the Garden of St Erth, a beautiful cool-climate garden featuring rare and unusual plants. Enjoy discovering its varied plantings and gathering ideas that may suit your own garden in New Zealand.

Then to Trentham village. An attractive country town with craft shops, cafés and dining options, including the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Annie Smithers’ du Fermier restaurant.

RedBeard Historic Bakery, Trentham is known for its artisan woodfired sourdough — a tempting refreshment stop or opportunity to pick up something delicious. We then return to our Melbourne hotel.

Meals: B

Day 3 – Wednesday: Kinglake, Edible Forest & Dame Nellie Melba’s Garden

Travel to Kinglake this morning to visit Antique Perennials nursery and display garden.

Browse an intriguing collection of hard-to-find perennials, bulbs, ornamental grasses and alpines, discovering plants that bring colour, movement and character to a garden.

We then continue to the Yarra Valley’s Edible Forest. Within this one-acre forest garden, more than 300 plants are grown for edible or medicinal purposes.

This afternoon, visit Coombe for a guided tour of Dame Nellie Melba’s beautiful seven-acre garden, designed by William Guilfoyle. Its magnificent cypress hedge, planted in 1909, provides an impressive backdrop to this historic estate.

Over dinner tonight, enjoy a special Melbourne Flower Show lecture by regular judge Teena Crawford, adding another dimension to tomorrow’s visit.

Meals: B

Day 4 – Thursday: Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show

Spend a wonderful day surrounded by colour, fragrance and imaginative design at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

Admire the show gardens, explore the floral displays and discover planting combinations that might inspire a fresh corner of your own garden.

With a full day devoted to the show, you can focus on the exhibits that interest you most and take a break for refreshments whenever you wish.

Meals: B

Day 5 – Friday: Cloudehill, Dandenong Ranges

Our final day takes us into the leafy Dandenong Ranges to visit acclaimed Cloudehill Garden.

Discover its extensive herbaceous borders, roses and azalea walks, enjoying the changing colours and textures throughout this thoughtfully designed garden.

Afterwards, visit the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden to admire the Australian Garden, inspired by Phillip Johnson’s award-winning display at the 2013 Chelsea Flower Show.

It is a fitting finale to our Victorian garden escape. Return to Melbourne for overnight and our included Farewell Dinner.

Meals: B, D

Day 6 – Saturday: Melbourne

Our final day is for you to decide. The tour concludes after breakfast.

We recommend the Queen Victoria Market which is open today.

Meals: B

THIS ITINERARY IS THE PROPERTY OF THE TOUR COMPANY AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

Available dates: On application
Pricing: Available on application. Email info@travlink.net or within NZ call 0800 99 77 88 for more about this unique tour.