Adelaide Botanical Gardens

 Botanical Gardens are one of my favourite places to visit. I was determined to visit the Adelaide Gardens and managed to have two prowls around. Once with Johnny, and then by myself (because I felt like we had missed some good bits).

The gardens are very elegant, and are a combination of the old and the new. There are huge trees lining wide paths.

The wisteria walkway was simply stunning.

The fragrance was incredibly intense.

The garden is both exotic and familiar.

 This restored Palm House is very special.

I love the glamour and detail in the architecture.

In contrast, there is an enormous modern tropical glasshouse, which is also stunning.

It seems to be pushing its way out of the earth like the spine of some amazing creature.

There are walkways that curve up and down among the plants. 

The mist adds to the tropical atmosphere. The plants reach up high, and I guess they will grow to fill the space with a canopy of green.

These two photos captured the mist beautifully.

Another total contrast - the rose gardens. The roses were starting to come out. They are earlier than here at home. Mine are getting underway now (making me very happy indeed). 

I'd love to return when the roses are in full bloom.

I'm definitely returning to the Adelaide Botanical Gardens, because I'm sure there is more to see, plus we didn't have time to explore the garden museum and shop or the cafe. 

Another great place we visited was the State Library. There is a lending library, which we didn't enter, but we enjoyed a fascinating photographic display from World War One. We actually saw several very interesting displays of World War One items and images during our holiday. I didn't take photos. I did (try) to take some photos in the stunning historical library (The Mortlock Wing). The light was very dim, and I avoid using the flash in public areas or in museums. 

There was a gallery space on the bottom and two floors of really old book collections. I could have lurked among the shelves for days. I wanted to move in. 

There were students quietly studying. The top floor was a special science book collection, I believe.

I was also very fortunate to visit the Art Gallery of South Australia, which is a stunning building that makes you feel very special, and houses a collection well worth a visit, if you enjoy art. Sorry, no photo. Not sure if you are allowed to take photos, but I would feel rude taking photos in an art gallery.

Finally, for today's post, we visited the Migration Museum. This is located in a group of buildings that have a ghastly history. It was a "native school" where Aboriginal children were educated away from their families to "civilize" them. It was also a destitute asylum. I enjoyed seeing the displays, but I actually felt a big sick being there. Not sure if it was just because I knew it had been a place of utter misery, or whether my imagination was running wild. I didn't take any photos - it just didn't seem right somehow. Am I weird? (Yes, is the right answer to that question).

I'm enjoying revisiting Adelaide. What a wonderful place it is. If someone said I had to move to Australia, it would be top of my list currently. Next time, we're off to the beach.