Craving nature but can’t afford the overnight stay that can offer it to you? Heard about forest therapy but know you’ll never get to Japan to encounter it? Worried how you’re going to keep the kids entertained in the lead up to Christmas?
With its upcoming events, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, just an hour’s drive from Sydney, has you covered.
The Nature Therapy Walk invites participants (aged 13 years and over) to slow down and connect with nature as they are transported to a peaceful oasis. This walk originating from Japan is traditionally called Shinrin-yoku (or forest therapy), and it is used as a preventative health practice to improve general well-being, reduce stress levels, and lower blood pressure. The series of sensory experiences, mindfulness, quiet aware walking, and nature appreciation will leave you feeling more relaxed, connected and grounded with a final Japanese-inspired tea ceremony to conclude the sensory experience. (The next walk is on November 28, so book soon.)
Children can also have fun at the Seedlings Nature School program, held by Early Years Nature Educators who facilitate play-based nature activities and experiences for families to enjoy together. Nature becomes a playground in which people can climb, dig, and build and discover everything the Garden has to offer. Stories, adventures and discoveries will be shared on this nature-based play date.
You can dress up your little ones and join them in making beautiful presents the whole family should love at this year’s Santa’s Studio crafting workshop. Elfis and Elvin’s Dreaming of a Green Christmas is an event designed to get people excited for the big day while meandering through the Garden.
Summer 2022 events
Explore the Garden pathways at sundown on an exclusive Sunset Spotlight Tour. Witness the Garden’s fascinating night life and biodiversity hotspots, using your senses and science gadgets to get up close and personal with nocturnal creatures. This night-time adventure should help rekindle a love for plants, animals and adventure.
The Lover’s by Lakeside Valentines Day Event is set in the Garden and Lakeside lawn. Couples can enjoy a romantic classic film on a 10-metre screen while enjoying a hamper package that can be pre-booked their tickets.
Buy some plants to give as Christmas gifts …
Gift some restorative, fun and positive energy from the Garden’s Growing Friends Plant Sales store this Christmas, brimming with wonderful native plants destined to bring a smile those who receive them. The skilled ABG volunteers propagate these plants daily from the Garden’s living collection to ensure they continue to thrive in nature and people’s homes all year round.
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See https://www.australianbotanicgarden.com.au/what-s-on
