More Botanics than expected

 For our walk on 15 July we headed towards the Botanic Gardens. 

As we went across Fawkner Park Frances noticed this magnificent fig tree with a branch dipping to the ground

There are Figs on the branch after it touches down.  It will be interesting to keep and eye on this and see if it puts roots down from where it touches.  (Although I am unsure how to check that!)

Walking up Park St I marvelled again that Robin Boyd was the architect behind this (Domain Park Flats) - which caused an uproar amongst the Citizens of South Yarra in 1962.   He wrote  The Australian Ugliness (1960) with a condemnation of visual pollution and vulgar 'featurism'. 

This map from Google Earth shows the route we followed.  At point 1 we decided from looking at map extracts posted in the gardens, to go North to Long Island rather than East to Guilfoyles Volcano.  I was very surprised where we ended up, which I initially thought added a km to the walk.  I have had a go at measuring the options om Google Earth and it only adds about 600m (and either way has a fair bit of climb from Lake level back to the Volcano).

We began walking along a path featuring Australian Rainforest plants including these berries which Google Lens identifies as Cordyline petiolaris, commonly known as the broad-leaved palm lily.

We intended to check out the glasshouse but that appears to be, for unexplained reasons, a former exhibit.

The Camellia exhibit was not quite up to speed yet.

One of the few bushes with a lot of flowers,

The perils of AI: an ongoing series.  Google lens advises "This sculpture is the "Pigeon" by artist Paul Sloan, a mirrored stainless-steel piece located in Rundle Mall, Adelaide."  It is nothing like a pigeon  and is located 664 straight line km away from Rundle Mall.  (Other than that the outcome is quite sound.)  I am pretty confident it is a couple of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos but have no idea of the sculptor.

This is a hybrid oak which seems to be deciduous, but slow in dropping its leaves,  Some other large trees labeled as Quercus species seem to be evergreen.

Definitely a cockie!

A couple of elements of the lightscape exhibition.  This must cost a huge amount to set up: no wonder they charge $40+ a ticket.

There are some big trees in the Gardens.  This one is a Bunya Pine.  I think I heard the leader of the tour group (visible on the road) say it was more than 100 years old.

Duck (and Moorhen) tracks in the water weed.

A seat with a view.

This is on the lower slopes of the volcano.  It would have been spectacular when all the flowers were out.  One of many thinks that led us to think we should make monthly visits.