Wittunga Botanic Gardens

Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

Late last year I had a brief visit to the Wittunga Botanic Gardens in the Adelaide Hills. I had a medical appointment nearby and when that was out of the way I drove the short distance to the gardens and found a shady spot to have lunch. This was in the spring last year, but it turned out to be quite a warm day.

These gardens used to be a part of a large private collection of plants, mainly exotic with a nice mix of Australian native trees and shrubs. In the spring time to exotics can put on quite a colourful show. After lunch I took the camera and strolled around the gardens trying to get a few bird shots. This is usually an excellent spot for birding but on this occasion the birdlife was a little quiet. Like me, the birds were probably feeling the first heat of the coming summer.

Little Pied Cormorant, Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

Little Pied Cormorant, Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

The gardens feature some dense plantings of both native and exotic species. It also boasts some beautiful sweeping grassed areas ideal for picnics as well as several water features. Somehow the usual ducks, coots and swamp hens weren’t to be seen during this visit – except for the two Australian Wood Ducks shown feeding in the photo below.

Australian Wood Duck, Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

Australian Wood Duck, Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

Wittunga Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Hills

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