MELBOURNE

Stimulate your senses with a dose of botanical inspiration admiring new trends, world-class show gardens and an exhibition hall full of cut flowers. It’s the southern hemisphere’s biggest garden festival. We’ll sample a few

of Melbourne’s flowery and operatic treats on a four-day break.

29 MARCH - 1 APRIL 2019

FLOWER SHOW

+ OUR TOUR INCLUDES

° Return group economy airfare Brisbane /

Melbourne / Brisbane

° Air-conditioned motorcoach throughout

° Deluxe accommodation for 3 nights

° Breakfast daily, 1 lunch and 1 dinner

° Entrance fees to all gardens and

sightseeing including Royal Botanic

Gardens Melbourne, Melbourne

International Flower Show, Lubra Bend

Garden, Alowyn Gardens.

+ OUR TOUR COSTS

° Twin Share per person, land only $1,795

° Twin Share per person, incl. air $2,095

° Single Supplement $595

° All prices in Australian Dollars.

+ DISCOUNTS

° Previous Traveller $25

° Garden Clinic Member $25

Prices based on minimum 15 passengers. Price is based on departure from Brisbane. Please refer to Ross Garden Tours standard terms & conditions.

DAY 1 FRI 29 MAR HOME TO MELBOURNE

Group flight departs from Brisbane or meet up with your Ross Tour Leader, Claire Bickle at Melbourne Airport. We’re off to Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne with a guided tour. We’ll see the Children’s Garden, Perennial Border, Rose Garden, Arid Garden, Guilfoyle’s Volcano, the Lake System, Fern Gully and the Forest Walk. It’s a beautiful oasis in the heart of the city. This afternoon check into our hotel, the Marriott, which is perfectly placed to explore Melbourne’s great restaurant scene. We’ve planned a welcome dinner in the hotel tonight.

DAY 2 SAT 30 MAR MELBOURNE FLOWER SHOW

Spend a full day exploring the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, which is staged within the world heritage listed Royal Exhibition Building and surrounding Carlton Gardens. Wear comfortable shoes because there’s plenty to see and lots to buy. They’ll be colour, flowers, people, designers, new plants and a great buzz. Our hotel is just a few blocks away.

DAY 3 SUN 31 MARYARRA VALLEY GARDENS

We’re travelling through the Yarra Valley this morning to a property with a Guilford Bell house set amongst an old established garden of camellias, magnolias and oaks. The property occupies 4kms along the Yarra River frontage with native trees lining the banks. An exciting new dry garden has been designed and installed by Phillip Johnson. Rocks, waterfalls and an extensive cascade lead down to the river. It’s a wonderful blend of classic and modern; peaceful yet stimulating using an exciting palette of Australian plants.

We’ll be ready for lunch when we arrive at Alowyn Gardens then we’ll stroll through this remarkable garden that’s been developed over the last 19 years. A series of cleverly designed spaces each with its own theme. Superb plant selection makes these spaces sing. And there is more planned. We love the parterre, the perennial border, the birch bosques and the dry garden, but the edible garden won us over.

DAY 4 MON 1 APRMELBOURNE TO HOME

We’ve left the morning free for shopping or exploring the world-class galleries and museums of Melbourne. Afternoon flight to your home port.

HIGHLIGHTS TOUR DETAILS

TO BOOK PLEASE CONTACT ROSLYN OR MELISSA

Visit our website www.rosstours.com

travel@rosstours.com

1300 233 200

TOUR LEADER CLAIRE BICKLE

Claire Bickle is a qualified Brisbane based horticulturalist

with a Diploma in Horticulture and an Advanced Design Certificate in Permaculture Design.

ITINERARY

+ Full day at the Melbourne

International Flower Show

+ Stay in the heart of Melbourne

+ See some of Melbourne’s best

gardens

+ Travel in a small group and make

new friends

+ Relax – we’ll take care of

everything!

For a detailed itinerary, please visit :

www.rosstours.com/melbourne2

Visiting Australia’s biggest garden event, the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, is a must with hundreds of exhibits, show gardens, extravagant floristry displays and plant stalls. It’s garden

heaven on a huge scale. When you add the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens and Alowyn Gardens in the picturesque Yarra Valley, it’s a great escape. I’ve filmed these attractions and love each one, all very special.

Graham Ross, Founder