Visit Beautiful Secret Gardens Hidden Away In Sydney, Australia

Sydney, the capital of New South Wales in Australia is renowned for the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Lavender Bay and Darling Harbour. Due to these and other attractions like Bondi Beach, the city is a popular tourist destination. However, while Sydney has a striking skyline full of looming skyscrapers, the city has many iconic green spaces to enjoy. The following are some of the best green spaces and parks to explore on a visit to the city.

Wendy’s Secret Garden, Sydney

Overlooking Sydney Harbour and the Harbour Bridge, Wendy’s Secret Garden is a wonderful escape from the bustling city. The garden started out after Wendy Whiteley’s husband died in 1992. While mourning, she realized she needed an outlet for her grief. To do so, she started clearing weeds and garbage from a patch of land overlooking a railway yard in the city. Since that time she has spent years transforming this piece of land into an incredibly beautiful and hidden garden.

Wendy kept going after the sad loss of her daughter and while she doesn’t own the land, the New South Wales Government gave a 30-year lease to North Sydney Council to allow the secret garden to continue growing and thriving.

Meanwhile, the garden is the perfect alternative to the busier parts of the city’s harbor. It is somewhere to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, exploring its lush green landscape. Moreover, the garden has winding pathways taking visitors through the beautiful greenery and flowers and several whimsical sculptures. Along the way, secluded benches offer a place to relax and breathe in the beauty.

However, besides the lovely greenery and floral views, the garden also offers some of the best views of Sydney Harbour, framed by trees. Find out more about Wendy’s Secret Garden from its official website.

The Lex and Ruby Graham Gardens, Cremorne Point

In a similar vein to Wendy’s Secret Garden, the Lex and Ruby Graham Gardens also have a moving history. Located near the Cremorne Point Foreshore Walk lies a beautiful garden, linked by a series of steps and paths, stretching down to a simple rock pool in Sydney Harbour.

It was back in 1959 that Lex Graham fished an elephant’s ear bulb out of the ocean during his morning swim. He decided to plant it between the roots of a coral tree close by. Meanwhile, Lex was surprised to see that the bulb had blossomed. Following this, he and his partner Ruby started to add other cuttings and plants to create a series of gorgeous gardens.

While the slopes were originally covered in rubbish, weeds and lantana, Lex and Ruby continued planting whatever they could find to develop the garden. These included tree ferns taken from among the rocks on the foreshore and cuttings donated by friends. The couple also planted agapanthus and clivias discarded by local gardeners.

Meet Ruby Graham and learn more about the beautiful garden in the video included here:

These days, Lex and Ruby’s labor of love has continued to grow as a living memorial to the importance of love and community. To visit the gardens, head up the northern side of the Cremorne Point Foreshore.