There is a hidden treasure tucked away in Brisbane's bustling Central Business Distrect. Amongst the modern towers of downtown Brisbane, just a short walk from the Queens Street Mall and nestled behind the Roma Street Train Station lies a true urban eden. The Roma Street Parkway and Botanical Gardens. Quite easily one of the most beautiful urban parks in the world.
As an avid gardener, I am a firm believer in the therapeutic power of plants. Gardens and plants have always been a large part of my life. As a child, I spent days playing in the vast family gardens that surrounded a beautiful turn of the century spanish style home in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. The gardens offered me hospitality and respite during a painful, difficult childhood. Hiding behind the bushes to escape the wrath of my abusive father, I began to become intimately connected to nature, often finding beauty in the smallest of things. The delicate little carollas of the flowering weeds, the tight robust clusters of the camilla flowers, even the graceful sweep of the branches on the bare plum trees in the winter. To my young eyes all were marvels and each offered comfort in unique ways.
As an adult, I continued to turn to gardens to emotionally support and comfort me. Building a spectacular tropical patio garden in my tiny studio apartment. The ebony bamboo and red banana fronds framing lush plumeria blooms not only offered myself decompression at the end of hard days but served the community as a point of interest, a island of beauty in a concrete wasteland.
Science has proven that plants and gardens do indeed calm the mind, ease depression and offer comfort to just about everyone, even pets. They are a crucial element that should be incorporated into every cityscape for the sake of everybody's wellbeing.
In 2001 Brisbane's city planners took an aging railyard and produce market in the centre of the city and envisioned a spectacular garden for people to enjoy. Designers skillfully crafted a superb blend of exotic gardens, rainforest, lakes and waterways, open lawns and connected them to Albert Park, a small garden created in 1870 and further developed in 1960 by the well known architect Harry Oakman and created whats now known as the Roma Street Parkland and Botanical Gardens. The gardens are one of the largest subtropical city parks in the world. Its lake houses native species of fish including the rare prehistoric era Lung Fish. Its gardens are self sufficient thanks to a 400,000 litre water tank built in 2007 for the parks water needs.
I personally believe that one would be hard pressed to find a more well thought out and perfected city park than the Roma Street Parklands. At any time of day you will find families and friends enjoying barbecue lakeside. Locals gathering for soccer games along her Celebration Lawn. Horticulturists wandering the paths examining the gardens and children playing in the well appointed childrens play area. The park even has an outdoor amphitheatre where movies are played weekly.
I'd like to take the readers along for a few minutes on a little adventure through this wonderful park and its gardens.
Here you see the front gates of the park. There are many ways to enter the park. This is from the main parking area.
Once beyond the gate you find yourself drawn into the park through this rainforest. Colourful cordyline, gingers and other tropical plants greet you.
Once inside, you have the options of either traveling the low road through the rainforest briefly or taking the long Fern Gully Bridge that takes you through the rainforest's canopy.
The rainforest path.
Or, the bridge as seen in the photos below. Both offer a fantastic way to view the rainforest from multiple perspectives.
The park its self has many picturesque paths one can meander and enjoy at your leisure. Each takes you through a different theme or garden type.
A few shots of the paths.
Roma Street also has gorgeous waterworks comprised of lakes, fountains and streams. Where ever you are in the park you will find water featured heavily nearby.
A almost fairy tale like garden exists in the centre of the park known as the Spectacular Garden. here annual flowers are featured pertaining to the seasons.
Friends and family gather at the Barbecue area alongside various water works, fountains, ake and the Celebration Lawn.
The Lawn its self
Roma Street Parkway and Botanical Gardens also have a fabulous tropical themed childrens playground. Making the park excellent for family to take their kids for a quick outing to enjoy nature. Makes me wish i was a kid again and able to have fun frolicking in the playground.
Along side the sprawling childrens play area is a whimsical veggie garden.
Marigold planted amongst the veggies to ward off pests.
Wildlife abound the park. You will find a vibrant population of Ibis, Mynors, Magpie, Bush Turkey and even docile iguana sized Water Dragons. The dragons are so common there that i actually had to take note of them in order to not accidentally step on a few while distracted by the beauty of the gardens.
Heres a collection of some shots i took showcasing the diversity of the flora in the park. There really are some breathtaking species here to enjoy.
Bromiliads galore
Croton
Torch and Flame Ginger
Plumeria Obtusa
And Plumeria Rubra
Canna
An assortment of other exotic flowers
Even more colour!
And finally Rona Streets phenomenal Heliconia collection. Heliconia is one of my absolute favourite flowers of all time. They scream exotic and tropical. Forgive me for the overkill with the following collection of photos.
Can you tell I'm obsessed with Heliconia?
For anybody looking to get away from their daily woes, seeking the best beauty nature has to offer or simply looking for a fantastic place to enjoy the afternoon or take a date I highly recommend the Roma Street Parklands in the centre of Brisbane.
Hopefully you enjoyed my showcase of these gardens and that the photos didnt break your computer uploading them.
I'd love to hear from other Steem members about their recommendations and experiences with other exceptional city parks.
feel free to upload your own photos in the comments. I'd love to see em!
Best,
Steemydave
All photos supplied by the author Steemydave from his latest visit yo the Roma Street Parkway