EASY TRIPS
Entry to the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria in Melbourne is
free. Find out more visitor information at rbg.vic.gov.au.
After a gallivant through the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria,
rest at the Royce Hotel, a designer boutique hotel known for its
stylish rooms and suites, and award-winning Dish restaurant and
bar that is situated just next to the gardens and along the St
Kilda boulevard (roycehotels.com.au).Access to Kokyo Higashi Gyoen Garden is free to the public. For best flower
viewings, check the flower calendar that shows the different species in bloom over
various months (kunaicho.go.jp).
Stay at The Tokyo Station Hotel for easy convenience to the garden. The iconic
redbrick building exudes timeless elegance befitting of its deep-rooted heritage.
Most of its 150 appointed rooms also offer panoramic views of Kokyo Hagashi
Gyoen Garden (thetokyostationhotel.jp).MAKE IT HAPPENMAKE IT HAPPENTokyo
When one thinks of Japanese gardens, the word ‘immaculate’ comes to
mind, and the Kokyo Higashi Gyoen Garden might be the most
immaculate of them all. Known also as the Imperial Palace East Garden,
the expansive landscapes are part of the inner palace area at the former
site of the Edo Castle’s innermost circles of defence. This secondary
circle of defence is known as ninomaru, and situated at the foot of the
hill is a beautifully landscaped Japanese-style garden. There are a
variety of flowers that bloom in springtime, including roses, orchids and
irises, all over the landscape, creating a garden of zen that only brings
peace and serenity to those who visit. Kokyo Higashi Gyoen Garden is
also one of the top spots in Japan to view the fleeting pale pink cherry
blossoms that the country is famous for. If not in Tokyo for spring,
Kokyo Higashi Gyoen Garden is also a great place to visit in autumn.
Catch the Japanese maple trees glow fiery and burning reds and oranges
just before snow envelops the city in winter.Melbourne
In the concrete jungle of Melbourne, the Royal Botanic
Gardens Victoria are almost oases with its 38 hectares of
landscaped gardens consisting of native and exotic
plants numbering more than 10,000 individual species
from around the world, including rainforest flora, cacti
and succulents, roses, herbs, and other plants from
Southern China and even rare and threatened species
from southeastern Australia. On a visit here, be sure to
check out Guifoyle’s Volcano, which was built in 1876
to store water for the botanic gardens, and now
commands breathtaking views of the city. Another place
to visit within the gardens is the Canna Bed Rain
Garden, which takes polluted storm water run-off to
irrigate the Cannas. The water is filtered and then
drained into the gardens’ lake system, which also helps
to improve the water quality of the lake.PHOTOGRAPHS: FLICKR / JUSTIN LAW; FLICKR / GUILHEM VELLUT; FLICKR / JOCELYN KINGHORN