DIFFERENT STROKES
Autumn leaves at the Botanic Garden
Although it foreshadows colder weather, autumn is one of the loveliest seasons of the year and Van Gogh’s favourite. A short walk from the NGV is the Royal Botanic Gardens, where autumn foliage produces the best layers of yellow, orange and red in the city. As night falls, take a tour of the starry southern skies at the Observatory. ● rbg.vic.gov.au.
Hot springs in a Victorian winter
International visitors often overlook regional Victoria for the big-city charms of Melbourne but they shouldn’t. Van Gogh would have found plenty to paint in Daylesford, 80-minutes from Melbourne and set in the thermal spa region. Head to Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, on an ancient volcano, in winter to witness or paint the woodland gardens and winter blooms such as hellebores. ● wombathill.org.au.
In Bloom: Springtime in Victoria
After a drive through the quaint villages and lush landscapes of the Dandenong Ranges (under an hour’s drive from the NGV), arrive at the National Rhododendron Gardens in spring for a walk through cherry blossoms. With views across endless mountains, grab a paintbrush and canvas and spend the day in the fragrant surroundings. With 41ha to explore and the prettiest pinks in bloom, your ideas are sure to flow. ● visitdandenongranges.com.au
Summer Days in the heart of Melbourne
Escape the heat of the city streets at Fitzroy Gardens in the heart of the CBD. It’s here you’ll find Captain Cooks’ cottage with its fragrant kitchen garden filled with forget-me-nots and horseradish, as well as a “fairy tree” with sculpted fairies and a miniature Tudor village donated to Melbourne in gratitude of food parcels sent during World War II to Lambeth in London. The cottage, which belonged to the explorer’s parents, was moved from England in 1933. There’s also the beautiful 1930s Spanish mission-style conservatory, where Van Gogh would have soaked up the colourful clouds of hydrangeas and fuschia every November to February. ● fitzroygardens.com.