Melbourne is thought to be the garden city of Australia, with Victoria being the garden state. With a large group of parks centralized mainly in the CBD (Central Business District), Melbourne's parks and gardens host a variety of both common and rare species. This combination of plants and open area promote a enjoyable walk at any time of the day. It is especially easy to take a walk because the city has developed many trails that wind through the landscape, offering the best views and contact with nature that these locations can offer.

The Inner City

Flagstaff Gardens, one of the cities oldest, is often used by the city's office workers around lunch, offering the perfect break to any jobs challenges. Located within the park is a memorial for the citizens who died and were buried when Melbourne was still a colony.

Just a short jump across the Yarra river from the CBD, is the well-known Royal Botanical and Kings Domain gardens. Both of these gardens were originally swamps, which were aggressively developed into something far more appealing, now they both contain an amazing variety of plants for even the most critical enthusiast.

How The Gardens Began

The Botanical Gardens were established in 1846, but it took until 1873, 27 years of curators, when a proper curator was located, William Guilfoyle, who re-landscaped the garden to its current form. Shortly into her reign, Queen Elizabeth bestowed upon it the title of 'Royal' after taking a walk through its paths. While walking through the park, views of the Government house and it's belvedere tower often come into sight.

Kings domain is a group of smaller gardens comprising of an assorted blend of rare tree specimens. The Kings domain is a larger garden surrounding the Government House and Shrine of Remembrance, one of the largest war memorials in Australia, and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

Queen Victoria Gardens, Alexandra Gardens continue the park zone leading all the way up to the edge of the Yarra River.

So Many Gardens!

Just north of the Central Business District is the Carlton Gardens and the Royal Exhibition Building, both located in the small suburb of Carlton. Both of these sites are listed as a World Heritage Site, a program created by UNESCO to bring attention to locations that stand for a particularly large cultural or natural importance. During the Month of April, in the South end of the Garden, the Melbourne International Flower and Garden how is held, showcasing the talent of local and international gardeners. To the north of the Exhibition building you can find the Melbourne Museum and IMAX theater.

There Are Never Too Many Parks!

As you have probably noticed, Melbourne does indeed possess an incredible amount of parks and gardens, this number is the reason why it has been given such high marks by every single travel median possible. But, although there are a lot, it is advisable to make time to visit as many as possible, as park each has its own personality and usually possesses a historic monument or building within its grounds. All of these surround the CBD so it isn't incredibly challenging to get to them if your staying within the CBD's boundaries.

Two Parks You Can't Miss

Although there are many, many parks you really should see, there are two that you absolutely cannot miss: Albert Park and Yarra Park, here's why:

Yarra Park

Yarra Park is the home of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). As mentioned before, some of the most popular sports are held at this location, as well as many international competitions. During the early 19th century, the area was used for police horse training, but by 1860, 5 recreational ovals were marked out including the MCG oval.

Albert Park

Albert park is a massive state park that is the playing grounds for the Formula One Australian Grand Prix. Within the park lyes St. Vincent Gardens, it is a place of national importance because it gives the perfect example of residential development during the 19th century in a large landscaped area.