Last Saturday, we went to Auburn to see the Cherry Blossom festival. I’ve been in Sydney for more than 2 years now but it is only this year that we found out about this festival. We went to Cowra Japanese Gardens believing that’s the only place we can see cherry blossoms and almost authentic Japanese garden.
Thanks to Weekend Notes that was forwarded to me by my aunt. So much things to see and do in Sydney! Now we can plan our weekend getaways.
Anyway, here’s a run down of our sunny and warm Saturday.
We arrived in Auburn station around 11.30am and went to the South Parade exit for the free shuttle bus to the Botanic Gardens. It is a very long queue and we’re getting hungry already.
We decided to eat first before going to the gardens because everyone is getting grumpy already. Hahaha! It’s warm 26degrees last Saturday and the heat is making us very tired.
Since Auburn is known to have good Lebanese food, we had our kebab and gozleme on one of the food places near the station.
After lunch, we came to terms that we will just take the normal bus to go to the gardens since the queue is still long. It’s a good thing that our Opal cards are free already for the weekend so we can take all the bus and trains we want.
From the bus stop, there’s still a 5-minute walk to reach the gardens. When we finally arrived, there’s again a long queue for the entrance fee. There’s a $5 for non-Auburn residents so we need to purchase one for each. We split the group so half is in the line and half bought some milkshake for refreshments.
After we got our milkshakes, we went inside the gardens and started to see the blossoms. There’s bunch of people everywhere. Some had a picnic under a tree, there are cosplayers doing their photo ops, a number of girls wearing traditional kimono, all sorts of stuff.
The Japanese Garden looks great. It’s almost as if you’re in Japan especially with all the flowers surrounding you. Just check out the pictures below:
We visited the mini zoo beside the gardens as well as the Aviary nearby. However, I wasn’t able to take some photos inside the Aviary but have some from the zoo.
We took the free shuttle bus back to the station. Good thing the queue is not too bad from the gardens.
I did have fun and it was really a fantastic day! No need to go to Japan to see one, eh? A day well spent!
The next day, we found out that the flowers in the garden are mostly plum blossoms and not cherry blossoms. The difference between the two is driving me mad. There’s a slight difference but the main thing to identify is the flower petals and the trunk.
Basically, the cherry blossoms have a slight slit on the petals and the plum blossom have a rounded one. After a number of research, I therefore conclude that most of the blossoms in the garden are plum blossoms. The cherry blossoms are at the sides of the garden. I believe that those flowers near the red arc are plum blossoms and not cherry blossoms.
Nevertheless, both blossoms are still gorgeous so I’m moving on. At least now I know how to distinguish one from another. Although it’ll still be a struggle, I think.
The Festival Program runs from 22-23 August and 29-30 August from 11am-4pm (weekends only) – Auburn Botanic Gardens, Chiswick Road, Auburn. Admission is free for Auburn Residents and Children under 16. Entry for non-residents (during the Festival period): $5
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