Canberra’s Floriade, New South Wales Tulips & Private Gardens

Travel during spring on this short tour, featuring Canberra’s Floriade. Intended as a one-off celebration of Australia’s bicentennial, Floriade has become a highlight on the country’s garden calendar, with hundreds of thousands of bulbs planted each year. Elsewhere, the private gardens we visit benefit from a cool climate and are complemented by their historic homes.

This journey departs:

• 22 September 2026

Itinerary

Day 1: Sydney, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, Glenmore House and Bowral

Depart your Sydney hotel at 8.30am and travel to Bowral in the Southern Highlands. On the way, visit the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan. Next, visit the private garden of Mickey Robertson, Glenmore House. After Mickey and her husband, Larry, purchased the original farmhouse, they gradually restored and extended it, with the various outbuildings being repurposed to fit in with the gardens. Enjoy lunch at the garden before travelling on to Bowral. Enjoy a Welcome Dinner this evening.

Day 2: Bowral Private Garden, Retford Park and Bowral Tulip Festival

Today we visit a beautiful private garden and meet the owner. Explore Retford Park, owned by the Fairfax family for over 50 years. The family played host to notable visitors here, including members of the British and European royal families. This afternoon, enjoy Bowral’s Tulip Festival, an annual event of spring blooms.

Day 3: Private Gardens and Fedra Olive Grove

Depart Bowral for a visit to a private garden. Continue to Fedra Olive Grove, strolling across its expansive plantation and learning about the art of producing premium olive oil. Conclude with a guided tour of Helen and Paul Stevens’ Merryway. This uniquely shaped, gently sloping garden blends formal hedged areas, a diverse range of flowering plants, and heritage trees and fruit trees.

Day 4: Floriade and Canberra Sightseeing

Today visit Floriade, the annual flower and entertainment festival. We then enjoy a sightseeing tour of Canberra, culminating in spectacular views as we approach the peak of Mt Ainslie. This afternoon, we visit the National Gallery of Australia.

Day 5: Tulip Top Gardens, National Arboretum and Australian National Botanic Gardens

This morning, visit the private Tulip Top Gardens, which has one of the best bulb displays in Australia. Afterwards, take a tour of the National Arboretum, one of the world’s largest living collections of rare trees. This afternoon, visit the Australian National Botanic Gardens, featuring a scientific collection of native plants from all parts of Australia.

Day 6: Red Cow Farm, Harper’s Mansion and Sydney

Depart Canberra and return to Sydney. Along the way, we stop at Red Cow Farm, a cool-climate garden in Sutton Forest. Its historic 1820s cottage is surrounded by 20 distinctive garden ‘rooms’, featuring rare plants, woodlands, and themed spaces. Continue to the elegant Harpers Mansion, where a guided tour reveals the history and stories housed within. Afterwards, enjoy a relaxed lunch in a charming setting. Savour the flavours and the atmosphere of your surroundings before arriving back at the post-tour hotel at around 5:00 pm.