The Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney

Oriental Garden

Guarded by a pair of bronze Thai lions known as 'Temple Dogs,' this part of the garden has been home to Asiatic plants since the early 1900s.

HSBC Oriental Garden

Garden Director, Joseph Maiden planted a collection of Japanese garden plants which included bamboos, iris, conifers and acers here in 1917.  

By the 1920s the planting had become known as the Japanese Garden and a pergola, stone lanterns made by Domain Stonemason, Mr FJ Read and two trellises to enable the display of the Garden’s growing collection of wisteria had been added. 

The garden as we know it today opened in 1997 and was made possible with generous support from HSBC. It was designed by Ian Innes and constructed by the Garden’s team of landscape gardeners.

The HSBC Oriental Garden features more than 2,400 examples of wild and cultivated plants from East Asia, including China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Taiwan and Bhutan. One of its most delightful features is the wisteria arbour, designed to highlight a range of rare wisteria collected and donated to the Garden by plant pathologist Peter Valder.

This part of the garden has been home to Asiatic plants since the early 1900s.

 

Stone lantern in the HSBC Oriental Garden

In 1921, the collection of plants now known as the Japanese Garden was embellished with three stone lanterns. The lanterns were made by the Outer Domain Stonemason, Mr. F.J. Read.

Create your own Asiatic display in your home garden

Many of the plants on display in the Oriental Garden have never been seen in Australia before – it’s a great place to gain inspiration for your home garden. Visit the Growing Friends page to see the Asiatic plants they have available for sale.

Close up of one of the Thai temple lions that guard the HSBC Oriental Garden
A stone lantern sits beside a winding path in the HSBC Oriental Garden
Two Thai temple lions guard the HSBC Oriental Garden
Steps in the HSBC Oriental Garden

Discover a special part of the Garden that features more than 2,400 wild and cultivated plants from East Asia.