Chelsea Australian Garden at Olinda — Attraction in Melbourne

This Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden is quite nice but I came here on 19 April aimed for some beautiful Autumn leaves.

I saw the sign displayed in the garden advises that the landscape designer of this garden, Phillip Johnson, presented the original design of this garden in the Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show 2013 and won the "Gold and Best in Show". This was the first ever Australian entry to win at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show. The display was toured by the Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Harry and was unanimously voted ‘Best in Show’ by the judges.

This Chelsea Australian Garden at Olinda is a re-creation of the display but 20 times bigger in size.

There were very limited colourful leaves, and they were not nicely presented. Overall, it was not what I expected to see from a botanic garden situated in the hills during Autumn. After knowing this garden was re-recreation of the award-winning garden from the garden show, I believe I have come to a wrong place for Autumn...

This is a much larger replica of the award winning Australian entry in 2013 at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show in London by Wes Fleming (Fleming Nursery) in conjuction with Phillip Johnson - a Dandy Ranges local landscape designer. That garden was designed specifically for the late QE2 & Royal family - to showcase Australian landscape & this replica is much larger. Newly opened this year - this is still a work in progress but what has been completed is fabulous. Take some time to read info boards as it explains the design concept & Aust. natives chosen or scan QR code for detailed info (worth doing). It is the missing link for a dedicated area showcasing native flora which has been much much needed as part of Dandenong Ranges Botanical Gardens in Olinda - so entrance is the same. Well signposted. It is on a gradient slope downwards but an easy one to navigate. Can't wait to visit again when it is...

It's a big, beautiful, clean and very well maintained park. It's maintained by Parks Victoria and free to enter. An ideal place for a picnic and strolling among the trees and plants. It offers a wide range of flora that is native as well as exotic to Australia. They beautiful artificially made waterfall, ponds, tea gardens with breathtaking views of the Dandenong ranges.

Suggestions- They can set up a few trash bins, outside of the park. They insist on taking every trash back home, however there are few things can't be carried in a car or bags like partially used juice tetras that could not be closed again once opened, used baby diapers etc. Place more frequent boards indicating plant name, native place, age, properties etc. If possible, make areas geography wise for types of trees like Australian Natives, South East Asian, Indian, East Asian, Southern...