Hike between the wild Forget me not flowers

During my initial days in Melbourne, I was on a hike with a group of locals and that is where I found the Forget me not flowers. They were so pretty and beautiful and what was more interesting and intriguing was the story and legend behind those flowers. I first heard the story from one of my fellow hikers and it was such a nice and beautiful story to hear. That made me interested and dig for more information about these pretty purple flowers.

Are you in Melbourne only for a few days? If yes, then for other wonderful attractions to do in Melbourne city itself, read Things to do in Melbourne.

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What is Forget me not plant and flower?

The scientific name for the Forget me not plant is Myosotis Scorpion grasses. They are the flowering plants whose name come from the Ancient Greek name which means “mouse’s ear” as the petal resembles exactly that. The stems are hairy and reach up to 25 centimetres tall. They have pretty blue flowers that bloom during the spring and summer seasons. The flowers die during the winter season.

Forget me not flower are represent true love and relationships. They are a symbol of being truthful and loyal to someone. It is believed that if these flowers are given to someone, it means that that person is truly loved and respected by the person who gave the flowers.

Legend behind the name “Forget me not”

There are many legends associated to the “Forget me not” plant. One of the legend states that one day God was naming all the various plants and he forgot the little blue flowered plant that was standing in a corner. The plant stepped forward and squealed “Forget me not, my Lord!

The other legend states that God was walking in the Garden of Eden where he saw a blue flower and asked it its name. The flower was a shy and whispered that he had forgotten its name. God renamed the plant and the flowers to Forget me not saying that he will now never forget the name.

The third legend states that there was a French knight who was walking by the river with his lady. He saw a beautiful blue flower and bent to pick it up. But due to his heavy armour he lost his balance and fell into the current in the river. Before sinking forever, he tossed the blue flower to his lady screaming forget me not in French.

Where to find the wild Forget me not flowers in Melbourne?

Even though Forget me not plants are native to Africa, they still can be spotted in the wild in Melbourne. Also, Forget me not plants are indoor plants too so many keep them as house plants and grow them at home. However as I mentioned earlier, I found these beautiful plants when I was on a hike near Melbourne.

Hike from Lake Daylesford to Hepburn Mineral Springs

It was my initial days in Melbourne and I was trying to make new friends. Hence, I went on many meetups that were into hiking and walking organised by someone experienced hikers. One of the groups had organised a walk from Lake Daylesford to Hepburn Mineral Springs. It is a medium to hard walk. Lake Daylesford is located in the Goldfields region of Victoria state in Australia. The walk passes through streams of water where it is refreshing and one can soak their feet or swim in the water.

Ensure to carry a swimmer so you can take a dip in the water, especially during the summer season. Note: As far as I remember there is no changing room as such.

Statistics of the hike

Below are the statistics of the hike:

• Starting point: Lake Daylesford, Boat House Café.
• Finishing point: Hepburn Mineral Springs.
• Distance: 17 kilometres.
• Time taken: 6 hours.
• Grade: Medium to Hard. Hard only because of the distance and not because of the path.
• The walk passes through streams of water.

How to get to Lake Daylesford?

Lake Daylesford can be reached by public transport. There are trains that go between Southern Cross train station in Melbourne and Woodend (The Bendigo line). And then change at Woodend to reach CFA/Bridport train station. The total journey takes up to 2 hours. Up-to-date information on public transport can be found on Public Transport Victoria (PVT) website.

The fastest way to get to Lake Daylesford is by driving. The distance between Melbourne Central Business District (CBD) and Lake Daylesford is around 112 kilometres and takes 1 hour 50 minutes to drive. Note the route has toll roads.

Hepburn Mineral Springs is just 4 kilometres from Lake Daylesford by car. And there are buses that run between the Main road near Hepburn Springs and CFA/Bridport station near Lake Daylesford. Note this hike is a one way hike which means that the starting and ending points are different and hence one needs to either walk or take a taxi back to the car park.

Closing Notes

It is pretty cool to watch these amazing blue and purple flowers and hike between them. Even otherwise, the hike from Lake Daylesford to Hepburn Mineral Springs is a beautiful hike and the path and views are very rewarding. The hike in between the Forget me not plants was truly my favourite walk in Victoria.

Did you enjoy reading this post? If yes, then you will love the other hikes around Melbourne too.

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