We went for a lovely walk around Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens last week. I had hoped to take lots of photos of plants for inspiration for our own garden, but unfortunately the gardens are quite sparse during winter. I guess all efforts are saved for peak tourist season. None the less, even with most of the flower and herb beds empty, the gardens are a lovely site and the location is stunning. Therefore, rather than taking photos of plants, I ended up mostly with photos of landscapes and landscaping.
![Sydney Botanical Gardens visit during Winter 2014](http://edithouse.com.au/web/ohg/wp-content/uploads/sydbotgardn02-jul14-600x400.jpg)
A nice retaining wall.
Probably a little excessive for our own garden, but I might try something similar on a smaller scale.
![Sydney Botanical Gardens visit during Winter 2014](http://edithouse.com.au/web/ohg/wp-content/uploads/sydbotgardn07-jul14-600x400.jpg)
As it was winter, the plants were all a bit off, but it gave me a chance to focus on the impressive structural elements of the gardens, such as this edging, drainage and pathway.
![Sydney Botanical Gardens visit during Winter 2014](http://edithouse.com.au/web/ohg/wp-content/uploads/sydbotgardn05-jul14-600x400.jpg)
Another view of historic Government House.
Great inspiration for paving, but we’ll need to move to a bigger block!
All in all, a very nice place to walk around on a winter’s day, free from the usual crowds and humidity, but I’m also looking forward to taking my camera back when the plants are at their best.