Maybe you've got a thing for boldly coloured blooms and outdoor architecture. Or perhaps your indoor plant addiction has inspired a green thumb that just won't quit. Either way, your horticultural side is about to get a big ol' dopamine boost when the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show returns this autumn. Taking over Carlton Gardens and the Royal Exhibition Building from Wednesday, March 26 to Sunday, March 30, the long-running festival will once again serve up a jam-packed program of workshops, talks, product showcases, landscape installations and, of course, gardens galore. In fact, it's set to be the largest horticultural festival in the southern hemisphere. Browse the stunning Show Gardens to see plant-filled oases from Australia's top landscape designers, and hit the Boutique Gardens and Balcony Gardens to admire horticulturalists battling it out to see who can design the best wonderland in the tiniest of spaces. Step inside the Great Hall of Flowers to get lost among countless floral displays, and sip bubbly while enjoying a high tea within the Royal Exhibition Building. Forming part of the Show Gardens, the 2025 Indigenous Garden offers visitors the chance to connect with Country through the story of the iuk (eel). Holding a special place in Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung culture, this stunning installation is ideal for honouring traditions, forging a deeper bond with the landscape and understanding the enduring custodianship of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people. Another Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show first is the Garden Grill. Conceived as a pop-up social dining experience in the lush Carlton Gardens, this blossoming precinct will feature gourmet BBQ delights served in immaculate surroundings. Head along for a bite between exhibits or linger longer with friends as you feast on 18-hour O'Connor beef short ribs or a sweet dessert like summer berries with Chantilly cream. You can also swap your usual knock-offs for a visit to Gardens by Twilight, where you can wander through the garden installations while enjoying botanically charged sips, devouring gourmet snacks and soaking up live tunes. Running until 9pm on Thursday, March 27 and Saturday, March 29, epicurean cuisine and botanical beverages pair with roving circus performers and life-sized sculptures created by hundreds of Australian artists. The after-dark experience is one of our favourite parts of the whole five-day flower fest.
