Wittunga Botanic Garden

The Wittunga Botanic Garden is in Adelaide, South Australia, and is one of three botanic gardens that comprise the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide. It is located on Shepherds Hill Road, Blackwood, in the foothills. Beginning as a formal English garden at the home of Edwin Ashby in 1901, it changed over the years assisted by the efforts of Edwin's son, Arthur Keith Ashby to include South African and native Australian plants. Wittunga’s displays of these plants are especially spectacular in spring and include rich collections of Erica, Leucadendron, and Protea, complemented by displays of exotic and unusual bulbs and colourful annuals. The majority of the South African plants in the garden come from the Cape Province district which has a climate similar to that of Adelaide.

The Australian collection features plants from the Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island, southern Western Australia and includes a fine collection of eucalypts. Meandering pathways through the Terrace and Sandplain Gardens give visitors the opportunity to see these distinctive and colourful collections. Many different birds can be seen attracted by the good supplies of nectar produced by the flowers of plants in the collection.

In 1965 Edwin Ashby's son Keith donated the Garden to the State. It was opened to the public in 1975 and is managed by the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide.

External links

* [http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/botanicgardens/wittunga.html Wittunga Botanic Garden]

* [http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/botanicgardens Botanic Gardens of Adelaide]