Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens

Bowral, Australia, Australia

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Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens is a 15-hectare (33-acre) regional botanic garden located at Bowral in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, established in 2010 and officially opened in 2013 as one of Australia's newest botanic gardens.

It is a cool-climate garden that displays both exotic and native flora, with the master plan developed by renowned landscape architecture firm Taylor Cullity Lethlean and the garden's theme being 'Seasons in a cool climate,' ensuring there is something to see in every season from vibrant spring and summer blooms to rich autumn colors and striking winter bark textures.

The gardens proudly showcase four nationally recognized plant collections officially recorded in the National Plant Collections Register: the silver birch collection with over 20 varieties in the extensive Birch Grove, the Tony Davis daffodil collection, a Buxus (boxwood) collection of 22 species and cultivars, and a dwarf dogwood collection of 12 species and cultivars.

The gardens are not-for-profit, community-funded, and operated entirely by volunteers without regular government funding, with development proceeding according to funds sourced through grants, donations, and fundraising efforts. Highlights include the Louisa Atkinson Walk, the growing grove of endangered Eucalyptus macarthurii (Southern Highlands shale woodland), a grass labyrinth, a John Olsen Leaping Frog sculpture, the Growing Friends Plant Nursery, a fully fenced adventure playground with soft fall material, covered picnic settings, garden benches, and a function room available for hire.