This picturesque garden in the heart of Melbourne covers over 36 hectares and contains over 50,000 plants. 

There are wonderful, sweeping lawns, huge trees and flower beds and borders brimming with so many different plants drawn for all corners of the world.

From many places within the garden you can see the Melbourne city skyline, but for those who wish to escape the city, there are plenty of secluded spots where you could be in the depths of the countryside.

And then there's the incredibly varied plant collections - and this is the aspect where this gardens exells.

The Cactii and Succulent gardens are a case in point with concentrated collections at the Cape Triangle lawn, Guilfoyle's Volcano and the Arid Garden.

The Perennial Border pays homage to the English Cottage style with rambling mixed borders planted boldly with swathes of colour.

The Orchid collection contains some of the most beautiful blooms you'll find anywhere.  Some commonly found, others quite rare and Melbourne botanic gardens are doing their part to protect them.

While the Cycad beds hold a large array of these ancient and slow growing plants, once the most common, now becoming more rare.

Probably the most important locally is the Australian Rare and Threatened Species collection that are scattered throughout the gardens.

Camellias - there's a very large collection here from species through to cultivars including many planted and still blooming after 75 years and of course they provide welcome colour in winter.

As per Sydney's Botanic Gardens - these are places to stroll and enjoy restful park scenery while also providing plenty of stimulation and satisfaction for gardeners and plant nerds.