The Blue Lotus Water Garden opens December 27, 2014, for its annual Lotus Flower Season, which runs through April 7, 2015, at 2628 Warburton Highway, Yarra Junction, Victoria, Australia.

The water garden features thousands of lotus flower blooms of many different varieties spread over 14 acres of ponds and ornamental lakes set in a tropical garden. Some of the flowers stand six feet out of the water with flower heads the size of dinner plates.

A new feature in 2015 includes rare plants. Also on view: three giant waterlily species: Victoria cruziana, Victoria amazonica and Euryale ferox. In 2014 one leaf achieved a size of 160cm in diameter or big enough to support a child.

Road Trips Gardeners also can see one of the oldest flowers on earth. The 2000 year old Japanese Oga Lotus pond is now mature and producing hundreds of flowers each season.

(Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria)