Ballarat Botanical Gardens, Botanical garden by Lake Wendouree in Ballarat, Australia.
Ballarat Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden in the city of Ballarat, Victoria, made up of several sections with a mix of ornamental trees, open lawns, and planted beds. The central part follows a classic English pleasure garden layout, with curving paths that connect the different areas.
In 1857 the Ballarat management committee approved turning the police horse paddock on the west shore of Lake Wendouree into a botanical garden, and planting began in 1858. George Longley became the first gardener in 1859, drawing donations from wealthy residents including Thomas Stoddart, who gave 12 Italian marble statues in 1884. The gardens marked their 150th anniversary in 2007.
Prime Ministers Avenue runs along Horse Chestnut Avenue, where bronze busts of every Australian Prime Minister stand on polished granite plinths. The first six were donated by Richard Crouch, a friend of the second Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin, and the first bust honours Edmund Barton, a federation founder. Crouch left a bequest to fund further busts.
The gardens are open year-round and the paths are generally easy to walk, making the site accessible for most visitors. Going in the morning or early afternoon gives the best light for seeing the statues and planted areas.
A set of 12 white marble statues from Italy, donated by a private collector named Stoddart, depict figures from classical mythology and are rarely found in Australian public gardens. Among them are personifications of the four seasons and a figure of Hercules.
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