Dog-Friendly Melbourne: Spring Flowers Tour with Insta Cuties itswoofs

Shell & Katy Pretty Fluffy Editors

Katy and Shell are two style-savvy dog mums who celebrate the best in pet-friendly living. A professional pet photographer and dog lifestyle writer, together they bring dog-friendly inspiration, pet product recommendations, dog treat recipes, pet expert advice and the best in emerging and designer dog brands into the homes of discerning pet parents around the world.

Cherry blossoms, wisteria, peonies…and puppies!

Are you like us and *just a tad* obsessed with finding the best Instagrammable locations to snap cute photos of your pup? (okay okay, it’s basically a sport!)

If you answered HECK YES, then you’re going to love this list of the best places to take your dog to see the spring flowers in Melbourne.

For this list, we went straight to the experts in the field: the trio behind the hugely popular Instagram account @itswoofs – fellow Melbourne dog mum Iromi, and her gorgeous cavoodles Ollie and Winky (this trio wow us daily with their beautiful dog-friendly adventures and clever reels series featuring easy-to-learn tricks!)

So if you’re looking for fun dog-friendly things to do in Melbourne, our special dog mum guest Iromi is here to reveal all the must-see gardens and flower fields in Melbourne this spring and summer.

Best Dog-Friendly Places to See the Spring Flowers in Melbourne

Puppies and flowers, what could be cuter? You don’t have to choose! We have the best places around Melbourne to take your pups, smell the best flowers, and take the cutest Instagram photos. 

We curated this list after taking our pup Ollie (and now Winks too) on walking adventures during Melbourne’s many extended lockdowns. 

Flowers made us happy, so we couldn’t help but stop and take a picture! 

We hope you’ll enjoy these beautiful flower finds as much as we do. 

Cherry Blossoms

Where: Banksia Park Cherry Grove, Cherry Hill Orchards, all around Melbourne

When: Early spring (late September to October)

Tips: Dogs must be on a leash at the Cherry Blossom Festival

You know it’s spring when you see little pups lifted in the air against a backdrop of beautiful cherry blossoms! It is easy to spot cherry blossoms in Melbourne, as ornamental cherry trees are a common feature of nature strips around the city. 

Banksia Park Cherry Grove has some of the most beautiful cherry blossoms the Japanese government donated in the 1980’s. It’s the perfect place to take your dog for photos as the trees are still low to the ground. 

Another great pet-friendly place to see cherry blossoms in Melbourne is the Cherry Hill Orchard’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival in the Dandenong Ranges around early spring. Around one hour’s drive, is the perfect dog-friendly day trip from Melbourne. 

And if you miss the cherry blossoms, you can always go there for cherry picking through the cherry season!

Wisteria 

Where: Footscray Park, 40 Maribyrnong Blvd, Footscray

When: Early spring / October

Tips: Wisteria flowers don’t last long, so visit early!

Our purple flower dreams feature endless arches of wisteria. Wisteria is not only beautiful, but it smells incredible too. 

However, they only last for a few weeks once they flower. Unless you spot a wisteria plant in front of your neighbour’s yard, these flowers are hard to track down.

Sadly the renowned Alowyn Gardens isn’t pet-friendly, but luckily we came across a beautiful wisteria arch across town in Footscray Park. It’s the most beautiful pet-friendly wisteria arch we’ve found in Melbourne! 

The best part? There’s a large off-leash area right beside it, so your pup can run around ‘til their heart’s content. 

Peonies

Where: Spring Hill Peony Farm, 1385 Kyneton-Springhill Blvd, Spring Hill

When: Late November

Tips: Dogs must be on leash. Bring secateurs, water and comfortable shoes.  

Peonies are my absolute favourite flowers. There are few Peony farms in Victoria, but our favourite is the Little Church at Spring HilI. Only an hour’s drive from Melbourne, you can even make it a dog-friendly day trip to the surrounding Daylesford area. 

We first visited this pet-friendly flower farm in 2020, and fell in love with the charming little church at the entrance (and the beautiful peonies of course!) 

Peony season lasts 2-3 weeks only, so tickets are limited and they sell out fast. Tickets are around $50 and include 15 stems of peonies, which is really a bargain!

Wild Flowers 

Where: Fitzroy Gardens, Tesselaar Kabloom

When: Spring/summer

Tips: Tesselaar Kabloom is ticketed. Dogs must be on a lead.

When it comes to spring flowers in Melbourne, many dog-friendly parks and gardens around the city are great places to take your dog for some sweet Instagrammable snaps! 

But our favourite is definitely Fitzroy Gardens, which is perfect if you want to see a bright and beautiful variety of wildflowers all in one place. 

Looking for a fun dog-friendly day trip from Melbourne? Check out Tesselaar Kabloom, an annual flower festival in March/April. It’s kid and pet-friendly, with plenty of food trucks and fun activities for the whole family.

Lavender 

Where: Red Hill Lavender, Warratina Lavender Farm

When: Late December – January 

Tips: Bring water, and visit early morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat.

While both lavender farms are dog-friendly, our favourite is Red Hill Lavender – the largest commercial lavender field on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula. The 27-hectare field opens to the public around late December or January, and stays open until all the crop is picked. 

We visited in mid-January this year when the lavender fields were in full bloom. The smell was divine, and Ollie loved running between the fields! You don’t need to buy a ticket, though you can support the farm by purchasing a few lavender products from the little pop-up stall.

The lavender field is a beautiful place to take your dog for a pet-friendly picnic, but there are also excellent dog-friendly wineries and restaurants nearby too. 

While you’re there, check out Tassells Cove – a great dog-friendly beach where your pup can cool down after a fun day in the sun! 

Sunflowers

Where: Pick Your Own Sunflowers, 420 Navigator-Dunnstown Rd, Dunnstown 

When: Late summer – February to March

Tips: Bring secateurs and good walking shoes. Dogs must be on a leash. 

This endless sunflower field in Dunnstown, close to Ballarat, is a 1.5hr drive from the city and is one of the most popular dog-friendly things to do near Melbourne in the summer. The wonderful owners put a lot of effort into making this an experience to remember for everyone – pups included!

The sunflowers are the largest we’ve seen, and there are plenty of little photo spots arranged throughout the field. Think old tractors, colourful chairs and hay stacks.

On site are small vendors, food trucks, and plenty of parking. You can also walk through the endless flower field and pick up favourite sunflowers to take home. 

There’s a $5 entry fee per adult, and stems are $2 each.