My family and I just spent this last weekend at the Royal Botanical Gardens. It was a beautiful day with the sun shining, a few cumulus clouds here and there and a slight breeze that cut down on the heat of the day. The flowers just added to the enjoyment and with the long pathways, wide open spaces and hidden forest gardens, my boys were able to enjoy it as well.

This isn’t to say that they were thrilled when I suggested the trip. “Ewww, flowers. That’s for girls,” they groaned and I saw two chins jutting out in defiance when I said, “Tough, we’re going to do something that I want to do for a change.”

When they got there, both were amazed. First, they were able to see a little informative clip on a tree that was found that can be traced back to the age of the dinosaurs. This tree is only found in one remote area in Australia, which is such a closely guarded secret that everyone who goes to the valley is blindfolded to protect it. Second, there was so much to see, so many places to run, and the rock garden provide so many paths to scramble up that it quickly became a favorite garden.

I was able to enjoy a more feminine outing, trust me, those are few and far between, while we hiked, yep couldn’t avoid that, and I gathered ideas for my own garden.

We packed a picnic lunch and ate it in a garden terrace filled with tons of greenery. That is one thing that I always stress for keeping costs down, don’t buy your food at the tourist spot. Pack a lunch or pick up a meal when you leave. The price of food can often drive up the cost of any trip when you buy it at the location.

At one point, my three year old shouted, “Look mamma, (my children call me mamma, despite the fact that I never use the word) this garden has a hibiscus.” To my surprise, he was right and we laughed at how well he could point out many of the plants around us.

When it comes to the overall expense of a trip, gardens rarely cost the exorbitant fees that other tourist attractions charge. For a day trip, with access to 4 gardens and a free shuttle between each one, we spent a total of 25 dollars for 4 people. So if you are looking for a nice way to spend a family outing, I would strongly suggest visiting a garden center.

You might be surprised at how many memories you can gain from the trip and as my husband, who used to make a yearly trip to the Royal Botanical Gardens as a kid, said, “This brings back some great memories.”

Sirena Van Schaik

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