2016 April Saturday Bus Trip

On a balmy April autumn day,  a group of bonsai enthusiasts joined bus driver Robert for a pleasant and informative visit to the Victorian Native Bonsai Show, a guided walk in the Melbourne Royal Botanical Gardens and a visit to the Baloc Nursery.Victorian Native Bonsai ShowThe show was held at Domain House, adjacent to the Botanical Gardens, and included over 50 trees on display.  There was a great range of Australian Natives and photos of a selection are included below.  Visitors to the Show could also participate in a Workshop or watch a Demonstration.  If you missed it, make sure you mark it in your diary for next year.

Red Flowering Iron Bark

Sticky Wattle

Mountain Ash

Bottle Brush "Captain Cook"

Bottle Brush Kunzea

Swamp Melaleuca

Tea Tree

Banksia "Pygmy Possum"

Tea Tree

Melbourne Royal Botanical Gardens

After appreciating the great trees at the Native Bonsai Show, the bus group enjoyed a brief tour of the Botanic Gardens courtesy of our volunteer guide Sue.  We meandered around the gardens to visit notable trees in the Gardens including "Snow in Summer" - a Melaleuca on the National Trust Register, several magnificent paperbarks, a walk down Fern Gully to see the tallest tree in the Gardens - a Taxodium mucronatum, a visit to the sad and sorry remains of the Separation Tree and then lunch at the Terrace cafe.  See photos from the walk below.

Group and the Melaleuca linariifolia

Mexican Pine foliage

Sue telling the group about the big paperbark

Paperbark

Fern detail

Montezuma Baldcypress - Taxodium mucronatum

Leaf detail

Maybe a punt ride next time?

Andre dwarfed by a Fig!

Fig

Visit to Baloc Nursery

The bus then headed out west to the many temptations in the Baloc Nursery.  After a good look around at the nursery trees, we headed back to East Kew with junipers filling any vacant spots on the bus.  Many thanks to Robert for a safe and enjoyable day.