City 'lungs' add to colour

They are hidden gems and secret sanctuaries.

And at the weekend, the people who love and tend to them will be on hand to divulge the history and horticulture of Perth's public gardens.

Perth Heritage Days will hold Meet the Gardener tours on Sunday for people to explore the city's botanical hotspots in more depth.

Starting at the site of the first government garden at Government House, there will also be tours of Stirling Gardens, Queens Gardens and Harold Boas Gardens.

"Lots of people don't really know what parks we have in the city and what they have to offer," City of Perth arboriculture and horticulture parks and landscape services officer Alan Dolphin said. "They are so important. Parks are the lungs of a city and without them it would be pretty boring."

Gardener Evan Banazis, who gave up a 10-year career in advertising and design to retrain in horticulture, said he could not imagine a better job than tending the city's green spaces.

"It's is really nice to see the different ways people use the gardens," he said. "Some have lunch, some exercise, some walk their dogs. You get all sorts of people."