The Robert Clark Conservatory is in full bloom with a vibrant showcase of seasonal flowers, creative arrangements and vibrant colours that celebrate Summer.
The spectacular display showcases triangle garden bed displays in a geometric pattern with three water features.
The highlight of the showcase is three living collections of pelargoniums, fuchsias and hydrangeas.
Foliage plants complimenting the main display include hostas, heuchera, canna lilies, coleus and lamium plus an assortment of hanging baskets with ferns, ivy and chlorophytum.
A separate Christmas display, located out the front of the Conservatory, features a raised Christmas tree surrounded by an arrangement of conifers, silver dust and cheerful red and white petunias, with a small mailbox for children to post their letters to Santa.
The display compliments colourful floral displays across Ballarat to celebrate Christmas, including the Victoria Street display, the Intercultural Garden display and the Sturt Street display.
City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the magnificent displays bring the conservatory and Ballarat to life.
“Throughout the year, the City of Ballarat’s talented gardeners grow the spectacular floral centerpieces for the conservatory that never fail to delight residents and visitors,” she said.
“The collections are grown in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens’ Nursery, and records show they are some of our oldest collections dating back to the late 1880s.”
The conservatory, which first opened in 1995 at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, reopened its doors to visitors earlier this month after four weeks of maintenance, including a complete internal and external clean as well as repairs to roof vents.
The conservatory is renowned for hosting the sensational autumn display of beautiful and rare tuberous begonias for the annual Ballarat Begonia Festival.
It is also home to a year-round series of displays.
The conservatory display changes to the begonia display in March. In May, to coincide with Mothers’ Day celebrations, the conservatory showcases the chrysanthemum collection.
In winter, the conservatory features cyclamen, cineraria and primula and in spring it features schizanthus and spring bulbs.
The conservatory is open 9am-6pm daily and is closed Christmas Day. The Ballarat Botanical Gardens are open seven days, from 7.30am-9pm in Daylight Savings and 7.30am-6pm AEST.
The Christmas display will remain until the week after Christmas.
The Summer display is on show until Friday, 7 February 2025. Please check Ballarat Botanical Gardens’ Facebook page for updates on closures.
