Feature Articles
Celebrating Autumn in Perth with a new workshop series Amanda Shade, Collections and Development manager, Kings Park and Botanic Garden
At Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth we have a long history of developing horticulturally and botanically themed workshops and related activities in September to coincide with our spring festival. Traditionally, this is the best time of year to showcase the incredibly diverse Western Australian flora, and when we usually see an influx of tourists to the state and the botanic garden – at least in pre-COVID times! We realised, however, that autumn was
Amanda Shade. Credit: C. Sprogoe
perhaps an equally important time of year to be developing a program of events. Autumn in Perth – or Djeran in local south-west Noongar culture – generally signals a welcome relief to the end of summer, with many people redirecting their gardening focus from ‘survival’ mode to more considered enjoyment and involvement in their gardens. This year Perth sweltered through its hottest summer on record, and autumn was eagerly anticipated by many people. We decided to celebrate the end of this challenging summer by developing a new and exciting autumn series of events. These included workshops, guided walks and other activities designed to celebrate the botanic garden, promote Western Australian native flora, and encourage people to connect with their gardens and green spaces. We deliberately selected two botanically significant days to bookend the series, with the launch on National Eucalypt Day (23 March) and the series culminating on Botanic Gardens Day (29 May). Events on National Eucalypt Day included specially curated walks showcasing lesser‑known small eucalypts suitable for use in managed landscapes, followed by a special presentation by renowned ‘eucalyptologist’ Malcolm French. Malcolm was awarded the 2022 Dahl Medal by Eucalypt Australia
28
THE BOTANIC GARDENer | ISS 58 Winter 2022
Kings Park Arboriculture Curator Chelsea Payne describes the ornamental features of the threatened Rose Mallee Eucalyptus rhodantha on National Eucalypt Day. Credit: David Blumer
