Exclusive to Diggers Club Members: Diggers Club Gardens in Spring

Depart the Melbourne Marriott Hotel at 8.30am. Arrive at the Diggers Club, Garden of St Erth, set in the magnificent Macedon Ranges. Upon arrival, take a tour of the garden with Head Gardener Julian Blackhirst, before enjoying lunch in the garden. Afterwards, we visit Frogmore Garden set in the Wombat State Forest. The colour schemed perennial borders are a particular highlight of this garden. Explore the gardens before travelling back to Melbourne where we enjoy a Welcome Dinner this evening.

Stay: Three Nights: Melbourne, Marriott Hotel or similar

• Lunch
• Dinner

This morning, tour the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne with Manager of Horticulture John Arnott. The garden aims to capture the beauty of Australian plants, through abstract designs that mimic our spectacular landscapes. We then arrive at Heronswood, where Head Gardener Bill Bampton takes us on a tour of the wonderfully designed and diverse gardens here. While here, we also see the new Seed Preservation Garden. Next, enjoy lunch with Diggers Club Founders, Clive and Penny Blazey, admiring the property’s historic heritage home. We then head ‘behind the scenes’ at the Diggers Club to see the trial beds and packing area and to learn more about the Diggers Club operation.

• Breakfast
• Lunch

Travel through the wine growing region of the Yarra Valley to Alowyn Gardens. Take a tour to discover all the delights this garden has to offer. Travel to the Diggers Club Garden, Cloudehill, to enjoy lunch at Seasons Restaurant. Afterwards, take a tour of the garden with Jeremy Francis. Finally, we visit the Rhododendron Garden, where you can sit back and relax as we take an open-air bus tour. View the ornamental lakes, as well as the thousands of Rhododendrons, azaleas, daffodils, and jonquils that make up this stunning garden. Return to Melbourne for a Farewell Dinner this evening.

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Take a tour through the prestigious horticultural institution of Burnley Gardens with Professor John Rayner, senior lecturer in urban horticulture. Stroll through the nine-hectare gardens, which are home to almost 1000 different species of plants, including some of the oldest trees in Melbourne. The gardens have evolved since the 1860s to become a location for research and teaching. Take a glimpse of the classrooms and tour the Burnley rooftop garden. We then enjoy lunch at the Royal Botanic Gardens, while admiring its picturesque lake and surrounds. Landscape Architect Andrew Laidlaw joins us for a tour of the Cacti and Succulent Garden. Andrew is the garden’s principal designer, having worked here for more than 20 years. We then explore the grounds further, accompanied by a Botanic Gardens guide, during which we gain insight into the seasonal changes that take place within the gardens. At the conclusion of our tour, guests will be returned to the Melbourne Marriott Hotel at 5.00pm.

• Breakfast
• Lunch