Mount Lofty Botanic Garden overlooking the picturesque Piccadilly Valley, features displays of cool-climate plants, which thrive on the eastern slopes of Mount Lofty. The Adelaide Hills Garden spans 97 hectares and is famous for its sprawling gullies, offering surprises during every season. Spring is popular when the Garden sees stunning mass displays of magnolias, rhododendrons and camellias, while autumn transforms the Garden's leaves into a panorama of scarlets, yellows and bronzes. Winter transports visitors to the Northern Hemisphere with the Garden often shrouded in mist and fog, while in summer the place to be is Fern Gully - one of the richest fern collections in Australia and the spot to find respite from the heat. The Garden is home to a range of walking trails of varying difficulty. The Nature Trail offers a glimpse of the native flora that would've dominated the region prior to European settlement. The iconic Heysen Trail also passes through this section. The Lakeside Trail is a more tranquil affair, displaying a range of exquisite sculptures featuring important environmental messages. A picnic lunch by the lake after an invigorating walk is just the thing for an enjoyable outing with family and friends.