The Queen Victoria
Gardens, which are set out on 4.5 hectares opposite the Victorian
Arts Centre in St Kilda Road, are Melbourne's memorial to Queen
Victoria. The gardens feature trees, roses, flowering shrubs, ponds
and flower beds set in manicured lawns. There is a large emphasis
on floral displays. Located within the gardens are ornamental ponds
and monuments to Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. The Janet Lady
Clarke Rotunda is a bandstand erected in memory of a 19th century
philanthropist who worked for the welfare of women.
The main feature
of the gardens is a superb floral clock with 7000 flowering and
bedding plants located in front of the King's memorial. The plants
are changed twice yearly. The clock was given to the City of Melbourne
in 1966 as a decorative timepiece by a group of Swiss watchmakers.
The Queen Victoria Gardens are also known for their
artwork's, including Paul Montfords Water Nymph, which is
set in the smaller pond, and two marble busts by Theodore Fink.
A contemporary piece by The Genie , a sculpture designed for children
to touch and play on.
