Spring is in full bloom in Melbourne, which reminded me of the radiant beauty of the Ballarat Begonia Festival, which David & I stumbled upon back in April of this year. Over the Easter long weekend, David & I spent the weekend in Hamilton in the Southern Grampians. A spontaneous stop in Ballarat on the long drive home delivered one of the most beautiful moments of the whole trip!
I had no idea that the festival was on, and was so charmed by this lucky discovery. In most parts of the world, there is beauty around every corner. Sometimes, it’s as simple as just making space for it, and time to find it.
“People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.” – Iris Murdoch
The Ballarat Begonia Festival
Ballarat is the largest town in Victoria’s Goldfields. I knew it for its beautiful 19th century architecture and the open air Gold Rush museum & village, Sovereign Hill. I didn’t realise that it was home to one of the world’s most prized begonia collections, including some 75 varieties originally imported from the UK more than a hundred years ago, which English horticulturists had long though lost.
The Ballarat Begonia Festival is a city wide event, with installations, displays and markets all over town in March this year. It’s returning in 2022, I would love to make a food & flower-filled weekend out of it in the Goldfields! We had lunch at my favourite Ballarat spot, Mitchell Harris Wine Bar, but I saw so many other tempting restaurants and bars when I was walking around town.
The Ballarat Begonia Festival is a beautiful example of nature, craft, culture & community coming together to make something really special with a true sense of place.
Scroll down for more photos from the flower display in the conservatory!
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Begonias at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens
Luckily for us, the begonia display in the Conservatory at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens was open throughout all of April. Entry was free, with an optional $4 Tap & Go donation station at the exit. I donated for both of us, because I was so inspired by the event. It’s a great idea, I hope more community events adopt this!
There was a huge variety in the begonias on display, of different sizes and shapes. Before this, I couldn’t have told you what a begonia looked like before this visit. I’ve always thought of them as a classic “garden variety” flower, but this display really let them shine in all of their unique, natural glory.
I learned that begonias only come in sunrise colours; ranges, yellows, pinks and reds. It made the conservatory so warm and glorious, especially with the backdrop of the bright blue sky overheard.
I’m looking forward to enjoying even more beautiful blooms during the full festival next March!
