Blue Mountains Botanic Garden

The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden lies on Mount Tomah and is the highest cool climate botanic garden in Australia.

Only 90 minutes from Sydney, the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden is worth visiting when you’re in the Blue Mountains for a getaway.

How long do I need?

An hour or two hours will be enough time to explore the area. Going during the warmer days between spring and summer is the best time to go. The sun is up, and the flowers are blooming!

What gardens can I see?

There are many different gardens to see at the Botanic Garden from the Ornamental Gardens to the Rock Garden and the Woodlands. These gardens also have smaller gardens that you can check out.

Ornamental Gardens

The Ornamental Gardens showcases native and international ornamental plants that are used for displays. One of the first gardens you come across is the Formal Garden which is a great place to start.

The Formal Garden has three terraces displaying formal gardening. The lower terrace has ornamental plants and bright colours. The middle terrace is a gorgeous lawn that is used for events. The upper terrace is a tribute to the gardeners Gertrude Jekyll and Edna Walling.
The Residence Garden is beautiful all year round with different trees and plants blooming in different seasons. In autumn you’ll find the Japanese maples looking like a sunset. Winter has camellias that add to the overall landscape and vibrancy. Then in spring, there are the beautiful and famous cherry blossoms.
Perfect for families or somewhere to relax for a picnic is the Brunet Meadow and Garden. The garden has rare cultivars of woodland perennials and garden favourites like camellias and hydrangeas. Around mid August the garden brightens up and is covered in daffodils and jonquils.

Rock Garden

This is the largest Rock Garden in the southern hemisphere which has a great selection of southern hemisphere plants. The garden is on a hillside and is zigzagged by pathways and steps and has flora from Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and South and North America. Check out the base of the Rock Garden to see the eye catching South American puyas.

The Cascades and the Beach is a range of ponds and pools that are filled with waterlilies. Here is where you’ll see the aquatic plants thrive and it is also a peaceful area to listen to the water.
The Bog Garden has a selection of ferns, mosses, and sedges. If you have kids, this garden is perfect for them to check out to see the Venus fly traps and pitcher plants. So get up close and check out the unique plants!

Woodlands

Walk through the Woodlands to see tall trees and ancient plants. You can go on the Plant Explorer Walk to discover 14 plant hunters and see over 400 plant species.

A fascinating walk to go on in this garden is the Gondwana Walk. The walk takes you back in time through the rainforest where the plants and trees date to the Jurassic period. A highlight of this walk is the Wollemi pines which is one of the oldest and rarest tree species in the world!

Araucaris Lawn is a sloping lawn with different pine species like hoop pines, Wollemi pine, bunya pines, and Norfolk Island pines. You may see the large Wollemi pine in the centre of the lawn which was one of the first to be planted at the Botanic Garden.
Explore what’s almost exactly like a North American conifer forest and see the different conifer species. You’ll see the coast redwoods to giant sequoias and other rare international species.
Eurasian Woodland is an area to visit during autumn when the oak, ash, and birch trees form sunset leaves. Within the trees, there is the De Ferranti Shelter which was donated by a family who has a long history with the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
See the vibrant colours of red, pink, and magenta in the Rhododendrons Here is the ideal location for the East Asian evergreen to thrive! This section is most popular to visit during spring.

What else can I do?

During your walk around the Botanic Garden, you can stop and enjoy a hot drink and food at Tomah Cafe. You can eat anything from the classic bacon and eggs to a burger or salad. There is also the Garden Shop where you can buy gifts for family and friends or some homeware products.

Some days during the week, there are guided walks, or you can do your own self guided tree walking trail!

Throughout the year there are different workshops that take place to help you build your own garden at home.