FEATURE INTERVIEW
A true believer in the power of plants, partnerships and doing what’s right Rebecca Harcourt interviews Peter Symes, Curator at Cooktown Botanic Gardens
After moving over 3000 km to Cooktown last year Peter Symes is learning to adapt to his new environment, like the plants he so admires. I caught up with him recently to find out what inspired this move, and hear about his love for, and life in, botanic gardens.
Peter Symes
When did your passion for horticulture begin? How did it develop? My interest in gardens, plants and horticulture probably started in my early teens, being influenced by my parents, grandparents and an unusual great-aunt − a plantswoman before her time. She would say ‘I’d rather have a sack of cow manure than a sack of gold!’ I started an apprenticeship in horticulture in the City of Knox in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne in 1982. In May 1989 I accepted a position at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV) Melbourne as a horticulturist, which is where my real passion began. My first job there was at Government House, whose beautifully Guilfoyle-designed gardens were managed by the RBGV at the time. My six years or so there really shaped my interest, with so much plant diversity, and people to work with, reflect off and learn from. I’m probably more interested in plants and their adaptations than in specific ornamental plants alone. I am fascinated by plants that surprise you by their tenacity or toughness.
My first job there was at Government House, whose beautifully Guilfoyle-designed gardens were managed by the RBGV at the time.
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THE BOTANIC GARDENer | ISS 58 Winter 2022
