THE BOTANIC GARDENer: Summer 2023 - Issue 61

THE BOTANIC GARDENer The magazine for botanic garden professionals

Theme: Then and now – change and evolution within our botanic gardens ISSN 1446-2044 | www.bganz.org.au

I SSU E

61 SUMMER 2023

Editorial Committee

CONTENTS

REBECCA HARCOURT Managing Editor DALE ARVIDSSON Curator, Brisbane Botanic Gardens and High Profile Parks ALAN MATCHETT Botanic Garden Manager, Dunedin Botanic Garden TOM McCARTER Head of NHM Gardens, The Natural History Museum, London JANET O’HEHIR Secretary, Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum Trust Inc. CASSANDRA NICHOLS Chief Executive Officer, BGANZ SIOBHAN DUFFY Graphic Designer DISCLAIMER: Please note the views expressed in articles are not necessarily the views of BGANZ Ltd. We aim to encourage a broad range of articles.

2 Editorial insights Rebecca Harcourt, Managing Editor

Feature Interview 4 John Hawker, an important part of the heritage of Victorian gardens

Feature Garden 14 Then and now: celebrating 20 years of the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens Lisa Kermode, Curator Botanic Areas, Mackay Regional Council

Feature Articles 20 He piko, he taniwha: around every bend is something special Derek (Gus) Flower, Operations Manager, Hamilton Gardens, New Zealand

Feedback and comments on the newsletter and articles are welcome.

Please email: secretariat@bganz.org.au

31 Camperdown then and now

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY: BGANZ acknowledges the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders past, present and emerging.

Pollinating Great Ideas

COVER: Late afternoon view west to Lake Gnotuk, Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum.

Credit: Janet O’Hehir

Janet O’Hehir, Secretary, Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum Trust Inc

35 Pollinating young minds: developing a Plant Science Learning Hub Sally Ingham and Ellen Cheney, Digital content, Interpretation and Tourism Marketing, Australian National Botanic Gardens

39 Trans-Tasman teamwork Kate Roud, Team Leader Main Gardens, Wellington Botanic Garden, Aotearoa New Zealand

Specialist Groups 43 Update from BCARM Sheree Parker, Chair BCARM, and Supervisor, Geelong Botanic Gardens

44 News from BGEN: seniors are ‘blooming’ in a new garden therapy program at Botanic Gardens of Sydney Colleen Fitzgerald, Learning Manager and Tess Jones, Learning Officer, Botanic Gardens of Sydney

46 News from BGEN: a million reasons to visit – Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park celebrates its millionth visitor Jill Murray, Senior Partnerships Officer, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority

48 Introducing BARB (BGANZ Arboriculture Specialist Group) Ian Allan, Chair, BARB and Supervisor Natural Areas & Arboriculture, Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah

What’s New? 50 Botanic news: from home and abroad Cassandra Nichols, CEO, BGANZ Ltd

The theme of the next edition of The BOTANIC GARDENer is Fighting the extinction battle – the crucial role of botanic gardens in threatened species conservation. The deadline for contributions is 1 April 2024. Please contact the Managing Editor (managing.editor@bganz.org.au) if you are intending to submit an article or have a contribution to other sections.

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Editorial insights Rebecca Harcourt, Managing Editor

Welcome to Issue 61 of THE BOTANIC GARDENer. I’d like to acknowledge that I live and work in Copacabana, NSW, on the land of the Garigal Clan of the Wannanginni Guringai people, who are the ancestral custodians of Bulbararing, Allagai and Tdjudibaring, and pay my respects to their Elders past, present

Rebecca Harcourt

and emerging.

The theme of this issue is Then and now – change and evolution within our botanic gardens.

In researching this theme, I came across an article by Susan K Martin, published in April 2023 in The Conversation, entitled The public history, climate change present, and possible future of Australia’s botanic gardens. She says, ‘Can we justify maintaining water-hungry botanic gardens in an age of climate change and rising water prices? Perhaps such gardens are no longer suited to Australia’s changing climate – if they ever were. It is easy to argue Australian botanic gardens are imperial remnants full of European plants, an increasingly uncomfortable reminder of British colonisation. But gardens, and their gardeners, aren’t static. They are intrinsically changing entities.’

The latter two statements are certainly true, as the articles in this issue clearly demonstrate.

One could even argue that botanic gardens are now essential in our fight against climate change, because of their evolving focus towards plant conservation and threatened species protection.

Even our newer gardens have changed over their short life spans. Our feature garden, Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens, recently celebrated its twentieth anniversary in May. Curator Lisa Kermode describes how the initial plantings have grown and matured, with some self‑seeding and some searching for light as shade increases, and how the hard infrastructure has been softened by the presence of plants. I love the fact that she acknowledges two aspects that have not changed, the importance, passion and commitment of both volunteers and staff.

I think this would be true of most if not all botanic gardens across Australia and New Zealand.

It’s not just the plants that change in gardens over time. The way we use gardens is also changing.

Even Victoria’s many heritage gardens, created with European ideas of beauty, reflected in their exotic plantings, are being used as refuges for local flora. As John Hawker, former Heritage Officer (Horticulture) with Heritage Victoria, says in this issue’s feature interview, ‘If your local garden isn’t growing your local flora, nobody else will.’

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The articles from BGEN, BGANZ’s Botanic Gardens Engagement Network, also describe other ways in which gardens are now used. The first, from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, reports on a nature‑based program, the Full Bloom Garden Therapy program, for people living with dementia and their carers. The second celebrates the millionth visitor to Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park, the first children’s play space of its kind; an urban wilderness in Perth’s Kings Park.

Botanic gardens have evolved from being simply teaching gardens for medical students to being institutions that have a multidimensional role and are, in many cases, test sites for the effects of climate change — but that’s a topic for another issue.

Until then, enjoy your ever-changing garden.

P.S. I’d be very interested to hear any

The world’s oldest university botanical garden in Padua, created in 1545 for the growth of medicinal plants. Source: Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

feedback on this issue or suggestions for future themes. Please feel free to email me at managing.editor@bganz.org.au.

Where’s the Hort Section?

If you’re wondering why the Hort Section is missing, it’s because we’re in search of a volunteer editor! The Hort Section is an opportunity for horticulturalists to highlight their work in curating and developing living collections throughout botanic gardens in Australia and New Zealand.

If you have a passion for plants and publishing, then we invite you to contact us at the email above indicating your interest in editing the Hort Section.

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FEATURE INTERVIEW

John Hawker, an important part of the heritage of Victorian gardens Rebecca Harcourt interviews John Hawker, former Heritage Officer (Horticulture) with Heritage Victoria

John ‘retired’ in 2019 after 40 years in horticulture, including 24 years at Heritage John Hawker Victoria, working with botanic gardens and historic landscapes. Since 1982 he has also been involved in the National Trust’s Register of Significant Trees and contributed to the Trust’s publications on Cemeteries: Our Heritage and Conserving Cemeteries. John is a former committee member of the Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. He is currently Patron for the Ballarat Botanical Gardens Foundation, member of the Port Arthur Conservation Advisory Committee, Williamstown Botanic Gardens Advisory Committee, President of the Friends of Victoria Gardens Prahran and is a garden volunteer and guide at the heritage‑listed Bishopscourt, East Melbourne. We chatted online about his time at Heritage Victoria, and the changes he’s witnessed over the last 40 years.

How did you become involved in Heritage Victoria and what was your role?

I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

The new Heritage Act 1995 meant that Heritage Victoria started looking at more than buildings and structures for inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register. It now included land, particularly gardens, cemeteries and trees and they were looking for somebody with expertise in trees, cultural landscapes and gardens.

I’d been a Horticultural Project Officer at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV) Melbourne for eight years, managing a project with the National Trust on the Significant Tree Register.

Then I moved to the Department of Planning, Urban Design, as a horticulturalist in 1990.

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I’d gained relevant expertise at the RBGV, including working on a rejuvenation project involving 15 regional botanic gardens. This project was initiated in 1983 by the late Tom Garnett (then gardening editor for The Age newspaper, the owner of the Garden of St Erth and a passionate gardener) and received funding as part of Victoria’s 150th anniversary celebrations. This was the first time an inventory of plants in Victorian regional botanic gardens had been undertaken. This survey resulted in a tree management program, tree planting and plant labelling.

I also gained expertise overseas. In 1989 I was awarded a Churchill Fellowship that enabled me to go to Italy to look at the oldest botanic gardens in Padua (1545), Pisa and Florence. This gave me insight into the types of designed landscapes of the 16th century.

Then I went to the UK and worked at the Kew and Edinburgh botanic gardens, and with the National

The first page of the report by Tom Garnett on the rejuvenation project, published in Heritage Australia, spring 1986.

Trust. I also worked in several National Trust Gardens, which enabled me to look at how they manage those landscapes. I met the late John Sales, the former Head of Gardens for the National Trust, who would be well known to people in heritage garden circles. It was very important that I had the chance to work with the National Trust, as they’re seen as leaders in historic garden conservation.

It was very important that I had the chance to work with the National Trust, as they’re seen as leaders in historic garden conservation.

These experiences led me to Heritage Victoria, where my role was to assess and advise on the protection and conservation of designed landscapes. These landscapes can be cemeteries, avenues of honour, other important tree plantings and historic gardens like Bishopscourt, Rippon Lea, Como, Bickleigh Vale, and botanic gardens. Victoria has a significant collection of 19th century botanic gardens and most are now listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Cemeteries were much more ‘gardened’ 100 years or so ago, like Boroondara, Melbourne General Cemetery and Ballarat. My favourite would be Beechworth Cemetery, which has a significant layout, Chinese graves and two funeral towers, 1888 entrance gates, fountain and rotunda, large conifers and rare trees (for photos see https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/112040)

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Date of reservation/ establishment

Development commenced

Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne

1846

1846

Public Parks and Gardens

Geelong

Botanic Gardens (Eastern Park), Geelong

1851

1853

Botanic Garden and Recreation reserve

Hamilton

Hamilton Botanic Gardens

1851

1870

Botanical gardens

Portland

Portland Botanic Gardens (Henty Park)

1851

1860s

Botanic gardens

Ararat

Alexander Gardens, Ararat

1855

1855

Botanical gardens

Williamstown

Williamstown Botanic Gardens

1856

1858

Public recreation

Bendigo

White Hills Botanic Garden, Bendigo

1857

1857*

Public gardens

Malmsbury

Malmsbury Botanic Gardens

1857

1863

Botanic gardens and recreation

Koroit

Koroit Botanic Gardens (Victoria Park)

1857

1865

Public park and garden

Ballarat

Ballarat Botanic Gardens

1857

1860

Botanic gardens

Kyneton

Kyneton Gardens & Camping Reserve (Botanic Garden)

1858

1858*

Camping and recreation

St Kilda

St Kilda Botanic Gardens

1858

1860

Public gardens

Benalla

Benalla Botanic Gardens

1859

1859*

Public gardens

Port Fairy

Port Fairy Botanic Gardens

1859

1859*

Public park and recreation

Castlemaine

Castlemaine Botanic Gardens

1860

1863

Botanical gardens

Sale

Sale Gardens

1860

1860*

Public park and recreation

Buninyong

Buninyong Botanic Gardens

1860

1861*

Botanical Gardens

Daylesford

Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, Daylesford

1861

1863

Public gardens

Beechworth

Beechworth Botanic Gardens (Queen Victoria Park)

1862

1860s*

Public park and recreation

Colac

Colac Botanic Gardens

1865

1868

Botanical and recreational purposes

Camperdown

Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum

1869

1871

Public park

Warrnambool

Warrnambool Botanic Gardens

1866

1867

Botanic Garden

Maryborough

Phillips Gardens, Maryborough

1872

1872*

Public park and public gardens

Horsham

Horsham Botanic Gardens

1878

1880

Botanical gardens

Location

Full name

Melbourne

Crown Reserve purpose

* Date of development needs to be confirmed.

Table showing botanic gardens in Victoria: dates of establishment. Information from Recreation Inventory held by Historic Places Group, Department of Sustainability and Environment (Janette Hodgson, May 2006) 6

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Feature interview You can’t but not be absorbed by the history of these places and what they contain, both buildings and structures, and obviously magnificent trees.

The foundation plantings that reflected the fashion of the time were conifers and this is the group of plants that I’m most interested in; Araucaria, Pinus, Cedrus, Sequoia and Sequoiadendron. They grow very well in Ballarat and Beechworth for example.

As a group, the conifers are the foundation planting in our historic landscapes in Victoria.

The very first landscape that was included on the Heritage Register was Footscray Park. It’s a garden that was created from about 1916, so it’s quite early and includes ponds, wisteria arbour, shelter, War memorial and a very interesting design with both a formal and informal layout. We added a lot of the regional botanic gardens on the state register, beginning with St Kilda and Williamstown and stretching out to places like Geelong, Colac,

Pinus montezumae at Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum. This was planted in 1996 by James Guilfoyle (grandson of William Guilfoyle) who lived in England and was a special guest at the RBGV Melbourne’s 150th celebrations. Credit: John Hawker, 2005

Warrnambool, Camperdown, Koroit, Portland and Hamilton, to Benalla and Beechworth in the northeast. Many of these gardens were influenced

by Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, the first Director of the Melbourne Botanic Garden, who provided many plants. A few also involved William Guilfoyle, probably Australia’s greatest garden designer.

Victoria has been very fortunate to have had the involvement of Guilfoyle, von Mueller and later in the 1920s Hugh Linaker and Edna Walling, the creator of Bickleigh Vale village, associated with its garden history. Walling was a landscape gardener and designer and one of the first women to establish a successful garden design practice.

The identification of these regional botanic gardens and their ongoing protection, conservation and development was a highlight of my time with Heritage Victoria.

Part of the list of ‘umbrageous and useful timber trees’, a gift from von Mueller, growing in the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens in 1871.

Source: National Library of Australia THE BOTANIC GARDENer | ISS 61 Summer 2023

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What is the definition of a heritage garden in Victoria?

It’s mainly related to its age, but also to its significance to the history and development of Victoria.

We consider landscapes from the 1830s onwards to be of immense cultural heritage value.

These heritage gardens have evolved over 150 years or so and it’s important to conserve these aspects of horticulture, landscape design and the trees.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that people started realising how important these places are. Victoria had the first piece of heritage legislation in Australia back in 1984, and that slowly evolved to include land, consisting of designed landscapes, gardens and trees.

One of my great disappointments was that the Horsham Botanic Gardens didn’t get listed as a Heritage Garden. William Guilfoyle was involved in its earliest design in 1880 and then it was altered by another prominent horticulturalist, Ernest Lord, in 1936. Unfortunately, in the 1950s several of our regional gardens were subject to the development of caravan parks and some still allow caravans and camping. About half of the Horsham Gardens includes a caravan park, tennis courts and croquet lawns. The Heritage Council, who makes the final decision about places that are included on the register, decided that it was not to be included. This was disappointing to me because the gardens have an important history of involvement of prominent horticulturalists and designers, and it’s the only garden in northwest Victoria that includes arid-type plants. This is an example of the fact that not all places that are nominated get registered — there’s a very high threshold for State registration.

The advantage of being on the register is that you get advice and eligibility for grant funding through the Heritage Fund.

There’s also a high degree of protection for your garden. Being on the register provides an opportunity for Councils to discuss with Heritage Victoria their ongoing management, conservation and development.

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The Gardens, Malmsbury, Vic. (1939). Place of publication not identified: [publisher not identified].

Source: State Library of Victoria

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Lombardy Poplar avenue, Malmsbury Botanic Gardens.

Credit: John Hawker, 2016

Feature interview Do you think there’s a clash between maintaining the heritage aspect of a garden and the introduction of native species?

There can be if it’s not properly understood. We’re currently doing some project work at the Williamstown Botanic Gardens. Some of the western volcanic plains flora is rare and threatened.

Four beds have been set aside for local flora and it’s very important to conserve the flora that currently exists, or to reintroduce the original flora, because it’s valuable for education and conservation. But more importantly, it’s important for biodiversity. If your local garden isn’t growing your local flora, nobody else will. It’s a very important and an increasing role for these gardens in terms of conservation.

In the RBGV Melbourne Gardens there are River Red Gums on the edge of the Yarra River that existed well before anybody started the gardens. These gums are a dominant tree in that landscape. We’ve also got remnant Coastal Manna Gums in the Warrnambool Gardens, Bursaria

spinosa at Castlemaine Gardens, which provides habitat for the rare Eltham Copper Butterfly and the remnant vegetation at Beechworth Botanic Gardens (Queen Victoria Park) includes three Dodonaea boroniifolia plants, listed as Rare in Victoria. Over the past 10 years many new plants have been grown from the original plants. We look upon those remnant trees and plants as being very significant in those gardens. We’re encouraging their conservation, protection and replanting.

Many of the gardens have been doing that over the last 20 years or so.

If your local garden isn’t growing your local flora, nobody else will.

What are some of the challenges facing heritage gardens today?

One is the ongoing need for renewal or reconstruction and care of ageing infrastructure, and appropriate funding. For example, the fernery that we restored in the mid-1980s at Warrnambool is closed because it’s become unsafe and the timbers rotten. It needs restoring for a second time.

Many other heritage-listed gardens also have decaying infrastructure that is expensive to restore, as well as very large trees that are dying or dangerous and are very expensive to manage or remove.

Decaying infrastructure is one of the reasons why early photographs, historic research and ideally the preparation of conservation management plans is recommended when managing heritage gardens. Many regional gardens included ferneries but they’ve disappeared over a long period of time. Currently, we’re rebuilding the fernery at the Ballarat Botanic Gardens.

Ferneries were a fashion in the 1880s. People still enjoy tree ferns and collections, like the fern gully at the RBGV Melbourne Gardens. It’s one of the gardens’ premier destinations, but it was facing a challenge from fruit bats about 20 years ago and a campaign was arranged to relocate the bats. We’ve got fruit bats in Rosalind Park Bendigo, Geelong, Colac and Warrnambool Gardens.

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The Fernery at Ballarat Botanic Gardens in 1886.

Source: State Library of Victoria

Fortunately the numbers are not great and the impact is not severe, but there are certainly ongoing management issues with fruit bats in these historic

The gothic entrance to the Fernery in 2021.

Credit: John Hawker

gardens. It’s partly a result of climate change, milder winters and loss of habitat. When I started at the botanic gardens in Melbourne in the early 1980s, we produced a brochure about the fruit bats.

Back then, every winter they would disappear. Suddenly, we started getting mild winters and they stayed — and bred. Not only does climate change potentially influence plants, but it also has other associated impacts.

In terms of the challenge of climate change, I think some of the heritage gardens and their plants might do well in the future. The predictions are for a warmer and dryer environment. When these gardens were being created in the 1860s to 1900s, they didn’t have ready access to water.

Everything that was planted was hand-watered. I think the Californian, Mediterranean and similar warmer climate plants will do well, but there’ll be a group of plants that won’t do as well. This will include ferns, for example, and some of the European trees like beech and linden. One of the advantages of botanic gardens is their huge diversity of plants. If you look at what RBGV Melbourne has been doing with their Landscape Succession Strategy, they’ve been slowly adapting to a mix of plants that will be more tolerant of a warmer environment. We’ve been doing that for 100 years in Victoria, to some extent, but there is a need for plant collections policies and information about which species to select, especially for trees that are long lived.

Another major challenge to these gardens is funding and resourcing, especially the availability of qualified and experienced staff, and the development and maintenance of a plant records system.

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Feature interview Do you see a role for BGANZ in the heritage garden space?

BGANZ specialist groups like BCARM have been hugely helpful in terms of plant records. One of the frustrating things back in the 1980s was that we had no system at all and had to slowly build up a recording system. Associating that with a map so that you knew where the plant was within the landscape wasn’t simple and it often came to a bit of a dead end in terms of record keeping.

The recent plant record management project from BGANZ, funded by the Victorian government, is an amazing opportunity. Many of our gardens had no record-keeping system in place, even though they had a list of plants from 1984. Now there’s a real opportunity for them to record their plants in a better way. They can then exchange that with other gardens or individuals, which is hugely advantageous.

A huge benefit of BGANZ is that it brings people together from within and across states.

Back in the 1980s when we were working on the regional gardens, there was nothing like it.

What are some of the changes you’ve seen during your 40-year career?

An important development was the commencement of Friends groups. This wouldn’t have happened without the involvement of Tom Garnett in the early 1980s. He was insistent that each garden have a Friends group. These groups involve enthusiastic plant lovers that assist with the care and development of botanic gardens and historic landscapes. COVID-19 has seen their numbers drop off and it’s become harder to recruit and retain volunteers. Friends groups have become increasingly involved in botanical art and plant propagation, which I hope may attract more volunteers.

Another significant change has been the development of the internet. There is now an enormous opportunity for exchange and accessibility to information, compared to the 1980s. Online resources such as Trove, a collection of Australian digital material, are a valuable tool for research into gardens and plants. For example, we didn’t know when the historic Thomson Fountain was opened in the Hamilton Botanic Gardens.

We thought it was around 1919 or the 1920s. Research using Trove showed us that the Premier of Victoria, Harry Lawson, unveiled the fountain on 4 April 1919.

The Thomson Fountain in Hamilton Botanic Gardens.

Credit: John Hawker, 2021

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Do you have a favourite garden?

One of the botanic gardens that I’ve been most impressed with outside Australia and New Zealand is the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. It has similarities in terms of topography with Melbourne and has great plant collections, like the rockery and alpine collection, conifers and deciduous trees.

I’m especially interested in elms, and they’ve got an important collection, even in the face of Dutch Elm disease.

Hemiptelea davidii, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh.

Credit: Tom Elm. CC-BY-SA-4.0

What is your favourite plant?

One of my favourite plants is the Wollemi Pine. It is one the most important botanical discoveries in my lifetime and I like to compare it with the discovery of pines and redwoods from the west coast of America from the 1830s and Metasequoia in the 1940s.

Editor’s note: von Mueller, who also exchanged seeds and plants with botanists overseas, would be delighted to know that more than 210 young Wollemi Pines have recently been shipped by the Botanic Gardens of Sydney to botanic gardens across Europe, the UK and North America in a meta‑collection project designed to safeguard the species’ survival.

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Wollemi Pine at the Australian Botanic Garden Mt Annan. Credit: Glenn Smith

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FEATURE GARDEN

Then and now: celebrating 20 years of the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens Lisa Kermode, Curator Botanic Areas, Mackay Regional Council

Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens celebrated its 20th anniversary in May 2023. Reaching this milestone was a great opportunity to reflect on how the gardens has developed and changed since it was officially opened. As part of the birthday celebrations, we were fortunate to host the designer of the gardens, landscape architect Lawrence Smith. While he was here, we took every opportunity to hear firsthand about Lawrie’s vision for the site and his design intent. Lawrie was very generous with his time, leading guided walks for the public, staff and councillors, giving presentations and workshops and being a special guest at many of the birthday events. Learning about the significance and reasons behind key design elements, and the practicalities and challenges of bringing them to life, was a fascinating and enlightening experience. Plans are under way to share Lawrie’s stories with a wider audience through a digital sound trail experience across the gardens.

Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens was established to showcase the plants of the Central Queensland Coast Bioregion, a diverse area featuring lush tropical rainforests, wide sweeping beaches, mangrove-lined waterways and open eucalypt forests. Looking back at photos of the individual gardens as they were being constructed and planted and comparing them to what we see today highlights the fact that a garden is constantly changing and never static. Plant collections develop and mature, plants grow and age and are impacted by changing weather conditions such as cyclones and floods. Plants self-seed, spread themselves around and search for light as shade increases. Some plants grow and thrive, while others struggle and need to be replaced. Views across a landscape change as plants grow and mature, hard infrastructure such as garden bed edging becomes softened by plants and weathering, and the microclimatic conditions change as plants mature. An example of this is the Malta Garden, established in consultation with the local Maltese community. Significantly, Mackay is home to the largest population of Maltese people in an Australian regional centre and this garden recognises their historic and continuing involvement with the sugar industry and their contribution to the development of Mackay.

Features of this garden include a stylised aqueduct colonnade, bocce court, open lawn area, a kitchen garden and culturally important plantings. A relatively sunny site when first established, it has become progressively more shaded over time as surrounding collections, including a large fig

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tree, have matured. It features plants traditionally associated with Malta such as olives, citrus, figs, bay and thyme. Some have been relocated to sunnier sections of the garden beds and more shadetolerant plants have recently been added to reflect the changing conditions.

Construction of the Malta Garden aqueduct colonnade and bocce court in 2003. Credit: Lawrie Smith

The Malta Garden 20 years on with established trees, hedges and colourful flowering plants.

Credit: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

The Tropical Shade Garden and Fernery contain specialised collections of plants that require shade and shelter. Built on the south side of the visitor information and administration building these gardens have changed significantly over the last 20 years. Shade was initially provided by established exotic trees, however, as native shade trees have matured, exotic trees have been progressively removed and others have been lost in cyclones, creating opportunities for additional native plantings. A distinctive feature of these collections is the recycled wharf logs salvaged from the Pier Wharf at Mackay Harbour that provide an important vertical element. Many of the wharf logs still retain barnacles and evidence of seawater exposure, while others feature markings from marine worms and borers. These logs now provide a home for epiphytic plants, ferns, orchids and vines, while the adjacent buildings are barely visible through the dense growth of lush tropical plants. The Tropical Shade Garden and Fernery are two of the most visited areas in the gardens offering tranquil and cool places of respite in the heat of the day. They feature some unique and fascinating plants such as Flowering Fern Helmithostachys zeylanica, king ferns, gingers, fan palms, orchids, aroids and bromeliads. With many interesting stories to tell these collections are a highlight for visitors on our guided walks.

The Tropical Shade Garden and Fernery are two of the most visited areas in the gardens offering tranquil and cool places of respite in the heat of the day.

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The newly constructed Tropical Shade Garden with wharf logs and the administration building in the background. Credit: Lawrie Smith

Today the shade garden is dense, lush and full of interesting plants. Credit: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

Another collection that has changed significantly over the last 20 years is the Heritage Garden, which commemorates the plants and cultural characteristics of some of the historic homestead gardens established by the European settlers of Mackay. Early photos of this garden show the infrastructure including paths, garden edging and arbours, which today are softened by a range of flowering exotics and native plants. The ‘Heritage Gardeners’ (a group within the Garden Friends) assist staff with the maintenance of this garden, which is a popular location for photos, weddings and other events.

Early photos of this garden show the infrastructure including paths, garden edging and arbours, which today are softened by a range of flowering exotics and native plants.

In 2003 the infrastructure in the Heritage Garden was stark and new. Credit: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

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The infrastructure in the Heritage Garden is now softened by a range of exotic and native plants.

Credit: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

Feature garden The Finch Hatton Waterway is a key feature of the gardens, which represents the plants, habitats, waterfalls and creeks found in Finch Hatton Gorge, located around 80 km west of Mackay. When initially constructed, this dramatic waterway was a stark landscape feature. Fast forward 20 years and it is now a lush tropical environment, where the rocks are covered with lichen and moss, and an abundance of ferns, palms and other plants make a tranquil and relaxing setting. Leaf litter has built up, creating nutrient-rich soil in which the understorey plants thrive and insectivorous birds abound.

The newly constructed Finch Hatton Waterway was a stark landscape feature. Credit: Lawrie Smith

The plantings have now softened the rocks of the waterway creating a cool inviting place reminiscent of Finch Hatton Gorge. Credit: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

The gardens features a cafe, gallery space and observation deck that are popular with visitors, offering great views of the adjacent lagoons. Together with the administration building, these structures were inspired by the shape of an orchid flower, with the cafe and administration building representing two orchid petals and the deck representing the dorsal sepal. In 2003, when the buildings were being constructed, the palms of the Finch Hatton collection were newly planted, and the rocks and mulch of the garden bed were evident. Twenty years later, the buildings are no longer visible from the pathway below the collection and the palms, trees and ferns of the understory soften the rocks and landscape elements, creating a lush forest atmosphere.

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The cafe and lagoon deck during construction, with newly planted palms. Credit: Lawrie Smith

The cafe is now barely visible through the vegetation and the rocks are surrounded by ferns.

Credit: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

The Eulamere Boardwalk zig zags across the lagoons, providing a range of opportunities for visitors to view aquatic vegetation, and is a great spot for watching waterbirds. Over the last 20 years the plants in the regional flora terraces collection have been maturing and the view to the boardwalk and shelter has changed dramatically. Trees provide shade along the pathway, and understorey plantings are thriving. The rectangular concrete structures, also salvaged from Mackay Harbour, are now surrounded by lilies and other plants, and the trees provide convenient perches for kingfishers and other birds, watching for insects and fish.

The 20th birthday celebrations provided an opportunity to assemble a display of ‘Then and Now’ photos highlighting how much the gardens have changed. This included the production of a brochure and a collection of photos displayed both on our website and in our visitor information centre. Visitors have enjoyed seeing the changes to the collections over time.

The Eulamere Boardwalk and Shelter when newly constructed. Credit: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

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Plants now provide a green screen to the boardwalk and shelter area and habitat for wildlife.

Credit: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

Feature garden Another important part of our birthday celebrations was providing the opportunity for people to share stories and their memories of the gardens. Through social media, we heard about people’s favourite plants, their special spots in the garden, and memories of time spent catching up with friends and family, meditating, walking, picnicking, playing bocce, celebrating weddings and other special occasions. It was great to hear all these special memories and reflect on the role the gardens have played in people’s lives over the last 20 years.

The way people use the gardens has changed as the plantings have grown and matured.

There are now lots of shady spots to sit and relax as well as open sunny areas to enjoy. The gardens has hosted weddings, engagements, open days, concerts, movie screenings, strolling stories, school holiday activities, events and lots more. It is a popular place for fitness groups, yoga, parkrun, walking the dog, catching up with friends and just enjoying the atmosphere and connecting with nature.

While we celebrate and reflect on the first 20 years of Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens, we are also looking forwards. Future stages of development have been designed and are ready to be implemented when funding allows. These include bridges across the lagoons linking the existing garden features to future development areas, a bioregional shelter for community use and events, a wetland centre piece, additional pathways, barbeques and shelters, a waterfall cascade, viewing platforms, boardwalks, and a multifunctional conference, entertainment, education, retail and administration centre. Upgrades to the existing amphitheatre area and repurposing the existing administration building are also proposed.

Future stages of development have been designed and are ready to be implemented when funding allows.

Our mission has always been to manage and operate the gardens to display, preserve, research and interpret the botanical and horticultural values of the regional flora in a facility that enhances public enjoyment, while increasing knowledge of and cultural links to the plant kingdom. The gardens will continue to grow, flourish and change with the central aim of showcasing our bioregional flora, connecting plants to people and sharing stories about our special collections.

There have been many changes over the last 20 years, but two key aspects remain the same.

First, volunteers have always been a key part of the gardens’ development, maintenance and promotion. The Society for Growing Australian Plants Mackay Branch and the Garden Friends are key volunteer stakeholder groups that have been central to the growth of the gardens. Second, the staff, including the gardeners, visitor experience officers and curators, have all played an important part in the development of the gardens. Their hard work, determination, passion and enthusiasm have contributed to the special place we all enjoy today, creating a long-lasting legacy for the community to enjoy and a unique and significant botanical collection.

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FEATURE ARTICLES

He piko, he taniwha: around every bend is something special Derek (Gus) Flower, Operations Manager, Hamilton Gardens, New Zealand

Introduction Hamilton’s greatest asset, the jewel in the crown, unique, the

Gus Flower

place transformed from a dump site to paradise gardens — the accolades go on and on. Without doubt Hamilton Gardens has firmly put Hamilton on the map, giving Hamiltonians something to be very proud of — not just nationally but also on an international scale. Its growing reputation lures people from far and wide, particularly the enclosed gardens, which last year saw 505,000 visitors pass through. Summer weekends see the greatest activity. Between the COVID-19 lockdowns there were 37 days each receiving over 3,000 customers, four days with over 6,000 and one day saw a staggering 7,681 people visiting the enclosed gardens.

The land the gardens sits on has an interesting history.

For Ngaati Wairere, it was home, particularly the area close to the Waikato River. Here they used the river for communication and transportation purposes, and the fertile soil on its banks for growing crops, making it a centre for horticulture. Following European settlement, the site was used for various activities, such as a dog dosing strip, a go-cart track, rifle range, sand

An aerial shot of the enclosed gardens of Hamilton Gardens by the Waikato River. Credit: Peter Dury

quarry — and as the city’s main rubbish dump during the 1960s.

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Early years In 1960, 4 acres of Hamilton East Town Belt was handed over to Hamilton City Council for use as a public garden. This area became the Victorian Flower Garden. The Rogers Rose Garden opened in 1971 and was the first substantial garden. Over the years a magical transformation has taken place across a total of 42.3 hectares with the development and creation of something truly special.

During its time the gardens has witnessed numerous turning points, been subjected to the usual local politics and benefited from great support and external sponsorship. Locally, The Friends of Hamilton Gardens have been a huge supporter and benefactor. Formed in 1988, The Friends is a registered charity with around 450 members. Besides acting as volunteers in the information centre/ shop daily, they host numerous annual events, propagate and sell plants, sponsor gardens and a range of assets and have initiated an annual scholarship for staff development.

Key staff and management have contributed many years of professional dedication and love to make the gardens what it is today. However, its status and world recognition can be attributed to the vision and expertise of one person, Dr Peter Sergel. From 1979 to his retirement in 2020, Peter created and guided these gardens with incredible attention to detail and accuracy. For everyone involved the journey has been inspiring, with all of us wanting to be part of it, giving us an immense sense of pride.

Taking shape The gardens divide into two distinct areas. The first is an outer area with landscaped grounds including camellia, rhododendron and rose collections, formal bedding and native areas. It also affords large lawn areas with mature trees, picnic areas and a good network of footpaths traversing the site, providing views of the city, local mountains and the Waikato River as one of its boundaries.

However, it’s the enclosed gardens that make the gardens special and what all the fuss is about.

They currently cover around 3.7 hectares and contain 18 separate gardens. The recent development program has been breathtaking at times, with the seven most recent gardens created within the last nine years. The pace is set to continue with plans to add three new gardens, increasing this area to 4.2 hectares. These will be a Baroque, Medieval and Pasifika Garden. Let’s talk a little about their development and how those maintaining them have also developed, learning new skills and adapting to new roles.

The pace is set to continue with plans to add three new gardens, increasing this area to 4.2 hectares.

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A point of difference At this point I’d like to mention that Hamilton Gardens is not a botanic garden.

From the outset a conscious decision was made to do something different with the gardens, akin to a museum. The ‘living museum’ idea evolved, where these gardens would tell stories to educate visitors about our relationship with plants and gardens over time.

Focusing on key times throughout history and incorporating some of the more

Opened in 2022, the Ancient Egyptian Garden takes us back to gardening 2,000 years ago. Credit: Hamilton Gardens Library

influential global gardening styles and designs, the storytelling spans the centuries, pausing at pivotal magical moments when gardens had something to teach, enriching our lives. The 18 current gardens allow visitors not to just step back in time appreciating the skills and knowledge of their creators — it allows them to immerse themselves in an experience in one day. This is, I believe, unique.

Back to the future Last year saw the opening of the Ancient Egyptian Garden, allowing the gardens to boast a garden history timeline of 4,000 years, stretching from the stunning Egyptian Temple Garden to a Concept Garden. Concept gardens are at the vanguard of landscaping and like conceptual art, their intention is to make you think, as well as providing messages.

Formally laid out with a grid of eight gardens, one central water feature and carefully positioned titoki trees, the Concept Garden invites you to pause, think and question. The central concept that this garden presents is that although we might like to think we are in charge of the land, in the end, nature will show us otherwise.

Covering around 600 square metres, the grid is accessed on all four sides by a perimeter footpath with native planting. The garden communicates with us through two Maaori whakatauki (proverbs), and map legends.

An inscription on a white wall tells us ‘He peke tangata, apa he peke titoki’ — ‘the human family lives on while the branch of the titoki falls and decays.’ As a mark of respect, Maaori customarily smeared the dead with red ochre, giving them high status. The trunks on the 16 titokis are painted with ochre-coloured paint, giving them their own mark of distinction. As one interpretation of

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Feature articles the whakataukii implies, as the population grows, the land uses depicted grow, at the expense of special trees, environments and waterways.

The second whakataukii can be seen on a large steel pipe in the garden’s corner, with plants growing from its top. It reads ‘Whatungarongaro te tangata toituu te whenua’; ‘as man disappears from sight, the land remains.’ The message here is that in the end, nature will win.

The third communication is inspired by land use maps that incorporated square boxes denoting various land uses. The connection here is shown by the nine garden areas linking plantings of Muehlenbeckia with native bushland, carpet roses with urban areas, lemon citrus with horticulture, Carex with tussock grassland, dwarf pines with coniferous forest, Manuka with scrubland, Oioi with wetland and the central pool representing water bodies.

Like concept art, this garden has messages to tell us.

Credit: Hamilton Gardens Library

A consistent height of vegetation across the eight gardens was required to achieve the map legend effect. Staff prepared the beds incorporating appropriate soil mixtures for the different plants and focused all their skills and techniques to reach the centres of these mass-planted areas for maintenance purposes. For colouring the tree trunks, a special diluted paint mixture is used that does not harm the trees.

The Egyptian Garden, believed to be first and only recreation of its type, displays extreme attention to detail and accuracy. It is modelled on a temple garden and visits to Egypt and the British Museum formed part of the research. These temple gardens were seen as a meeting place between heaven, earth and the underworld and were used by priests performing rituals using specific plants, vegetables and fruits grown in the garden.

Diligent sourcing and detailed planting using the ancient cubit measurement for spacing has resulted in a snapshot of ancient Egyptian gardening with mixed borders of broad bean, cornflower, lettuce, marjoram, pomegranate, poppy and radish, among others. Rows of trees have been planted using carob, fig, olive, palm, pine nut, Tamarix and willow, with water irrigation channels linking them through the sand, while the highly decorative pergolas have vines growing up them providing shade. The amazingly colourful hieroglyphics on the surrounding walls and the majestic temple pillars, stylised in the form of the papyrus plant, reflected on the central pool with its fish, really steal the show.

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Careful design, planning and planting means each garden is screened from its neighbour.

Having these garden ‘rooms’ allows visitors to step from one garden world to another, experiencing something totally different in each one. This is very much the case with the Egyptian Garden.

On each side of its entrance stands a massive wall representing two mountains on the horizon, between which the sun would rise each day, symbolising rebirth. Being channelled through this passageway and emerging into a brightly coloured world of architecture with its detailed plantings provides an instant wow factor.

Mass colour The same can be said upon entering the Indian Char Bagh Garden. Visitors pass through a cool, covered white-walled passageway to emerge in and be instantly dazzled by 4,000 annual bedding plants around a central water feature in four square beds. The garden plan is based on the Taj Mahal and has high white walls, white floor tiles, a pavilion with two towers and another fountain. A Char Bagh is an enclosed four-part garden and between the 8th and 18th centuries these types of gardens were spread throughout the Muslim world from Asia and north Africa to Moorish Spain.

Every year, three complete plant changeovers take place to guarantee a quality bedding display year-round. Such is the demand for this garden, particularly for weddings, that staff perform a monster effort with each replacement. All 4,000 plants are removed, soil prepared and gardens replanted in only two to three days. This is all the more remarkable when you realise that entry for this operation is via one pedestrian door. It’s a stark fact that with most of the gardens being so intimate and enclosed that access for maintenance, be it staff, equipment or vehicles, is very limited.

With an instant wow factor, gardeners with small feet are required to maintain this mass bedding display.

Credit: Hamilton Gardens Library 24

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Feature articles Rising to the challenge Both gardeners and grounds staff have risen to numerous challenges over the years to facilitate the amazing creativity of landscape design and the demands of aspiring to be world class. In the early days, qualifications largely meant amenity horticulture and turf with Growsafe, first-aid and tractor driving. The diversity and ever-evolving working environment has required staff to become trained and qualified in a wide range of skills. These include Arboriculture Level 4, traffic management, operating elevated work platforms, use of ropes and harnesses, pest control, fire warden training and enforcing the parks by-laws as a warrant card officer.

Another significant change has been to staff job descriptions to promote strong positive engagement with the public. Customer service is a key component in everyone’s role.

From meeting and greeting, to answering questions, be it ‘Where’s the toilet?’ or ‘What’s the name of that plant?’, to leading guided tours, gardeners and grounds staff have truly risen to the challenge.

Through my own experience and speaking as a gardener, two topics that are guaranteed to get the attention of other gardeners are food and plants. Smokos and shouts at the gardens are quite special using any excuse to celebrate and indulge. Regarding the plants, the love and pride has always been there but now with encouragement and a boost in confidence, staff are excelling in talking to the public about ‘their’ gardens and the plants within.

Structures and sculptures As with most gardens, the structures in the gardens play a major role and help to link garden spaces. Numerous structures and art works affirm the various timelines, all with incredible attention to detail and even using specific imported materials at times. Some of the finest examples include the Chinese Ting pavilion, modelled on the 12th century Song Dynasty, a Japanese pavilion in a garden of the 16th century monochromatic era, a replica stone Tudor pavilion from 16th century England, and a pavilion and Berceaux (trellis arch) from the Italian Renaissance period with a central dome about 8 metres high.

The Renaissance Garden displaying formal beds, a central fountain and its pavilion in the background. Credit: Hamilton Gardens Library

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The relationship between the gardens and artwork has been an interesting and rapidly developing one. In 1968, Molly McAllister’s bronze ‘Little Bull’ was unveiled at the Victorian Flower Garden and in 1991 the gardens were the scene of protests following the erection of Horus and Sobek, the Egyptian gods.

The concern was that they would develop a pagan following. Despite attacks and damage, the 1.8 m high statues have prevailed and still stand in a courtyard area.

In 2005, a major artwork was completed either side of the main gate entrance alongside Cobham Drive. This impressive piece of work by sculptor Chris Booth and weaver Diggeress Te Kanawa is called Nga Uri O Hinetuparimaunga. It comprises 21 columns of local Hinuera stone, five of which are covered by an earth blanket, or Kākahu. Erosion of Hinuera stone formed and shaped much of the Waikato region over thousands of years.

In his artwork, Chris Booth wanted to convey

Construction of Nga Uri O Hinetuparimaunga in 2005. Credit: Hamilton City Council

a message about disrespect for Mother Earth.

That disrespect is symbolised by Diggeress Te Kanawa’s Te Kahu o Papatūānuku, the Mantle of the Earth Goddess, which protects and covers five of the columns. The Kākahu is made from 12,000 quartz pebbles and 1,000 greywacke pebbles, each one drilled and woven together with stainless steel, creating the form of a draped cloak over the standing stones.

The Tudor Garden also contains some incredible artwork, including the detailed knot garden, which is based on the drawings of 16th century writer Thomas Hill. Using Euonymus hedging, the wonderful patterns of the four square gardens are emphasised by crushed coal or red bricks in the gaps. Above them rise eight evenly spaced poles in the trademark green and white Tudor colours.

On top of each pole sits a mythical or heraldic beast representing and holding the crest of famous Tudors. These include a griffin for Henry VIII, a dragon for Elizabeth I, the representation of Mary Queen of Scots by a unicorn and Sir Francis Drake by a phoenix, while Shakespeare is identified with the character Bottom from his play, a Midsummer Night’s Dream.

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Feature articles

On top of each pole sits a mythical or heraldic beast representing and holding the crest of famous Tudors.

These stunning figures are the creation of Anneke Bester, who also blessed the gardens with another sculptural masterpiece that stands in the planted Time Court, with its seven possible

Heraldic beasts gaze down upon intricate knot garden hedging.

Credit: Hamilton Gardens Library

exits, six of which lead to other gardens. The sculpture depicts Alice in Wonderland accompanied by the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Dormouse.

Although the exits are sign-posted you can’t help but smile when you read the quote under the sculpture from Alice in Wonderland that reads ‘If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.’

Year-round interest With so many gardens and so much to marvel at, it’s very easy to get lost in wonder at these gardens. Provided the weather is with you, any time is a good time to visit. There’s even a tropical garden — yes, a tropical garden in Hamilton, New Zealand! Well-chosen plants including a living wall and a frost protection irrigation system that triggers at 1° C combine to create a tropical-type environment and feel, even in winter.

Other gardens include the Herb Garden, Kitchen Garden and a Sustainable Garden complete with chickens and an active beehive.

An English garden from the late 19th and early 20th century showcases a sunken lawn, a white garden inspired by Sissinghurst garden in England, and a perennial border highlighting the skill and work of the famous gardener Gertrude Jekyll.

Even in the depths of the Waikato winter, a tropical garden can be enjoyed. Credit: Hamiton Gardens Library THE BOTANIC GARDENer | ISS 61 Summer 2023

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The Modernist Garden is influenced by the American landscape architect Thomas Church and comes complete with artwork, kidney-shaped pool, barbecue area and indoor–outdoor flow.

Te Parapara is a garden that came about after close consultation with local iwi (Maaori tribes). It is divided into two halves. The first is a walk-through pre-European native bush planting, while the second is devoted to Maaori produce, in particular kumara, where a plantation can be found in a quincunx formation (the shape of a five on a die). Entry to the cultivated part of the garden is through a wonderfully carved waharoa (gateway). Four other structures can be seen, including an impressive pataka (raised storehouse).

From the 17th and 18th century there’s a Chinoiserie Garden. Chinoiserie is a term that describes the European interpretation of oriental art, particularly that of China. Much of the plantings here are Chinese natives. The centrepiece of the garden is a highly decorative pavilion modelled on the Chinese house built in 1738, which stands in Stowe Landscape Gardens in England.

Staying with 18th century Europe, the Picturesque Garden is viewed by following a path through a cave, parallel to a river, and entering a tunnel before emerging at some ruins with a meadow.

The Picturesque movement swept through Europe rebelling against formality and control, creating natural scenes and romantic landscapes. Woven into the walk through this garden is the story of Mozart’s Magic Flute complete with sculptures and scenes helping to bring this classic opera to life.

The weird and wonderful One of the special things for staff working at the gardens is that by taking part in this journey through time and place, they are challenged far more than the average gardener or grounds staff, in ways that not only test their plant knowledge and technical skills, but test their ability to deal with huge visitor numbers and work with extraordinary and bespoke assets to make them look their best year-round; for example, the Mansfield Garden depicts a scene from Katherine Mansfield’s famous short story, The Garden Party.

The story is brought to life with a tennis court, marquee with food and drinks on tables, a band’s instruments, a Ford Model T car, garden borders, a central lawn with fountain and a magnificent two-storey Edwardian villa. Typically, the garden entrance and exit are via a footpath, so cleaning the front roof and guttering requires staff to operate a 25 metrereach knuckle boom crane from the rear of the house and over the roof.

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Taking visitors back to Edwardian times and a scene from Katherine Mansfield’s short story The Garden Party. Credit: Hamilton Gardens Library

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Feature articles Opened in 2020 the Surrealist Garden was inspired by the works of artists and writers from the 1920s and 1930s, like Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud who delved deep into the subconscious mind, the world of dreams and the irrational. The results of these bizarre and challenging ideas and theories gave rise to surrealism appearing in the garden landscape. In this garden, we find a giant gate, wheelbarrow, garden fork and tap, all five times their normal size, with the lawns curled up in the corners.

Towering high above the garden are what have affectionately become known as Trons. Some of these 22 quite sinisterlooking biomorphic shapes are over 9 m high with long arm-like limbs entirely clad in ivy. Through internal electric-powered mechanisms, some move their long tendrils just to keep you on your toes.

Great effort is made to work with the local community, particularly when creating a new garden or feature. This has enabled the gardens to connect with a wide range

The opening of the Surrealist Garden in 2020, complete with the unnerving biomorphic Trons towering above.

Credit: Hamilton Gardens Library

of cultures and interests. On the opening of the Tudor Garden guests were entertained by a group of performers who wore period customs and played Tudor instruments.

Another highly entertaining day was the introduction of the Steampunk airship to the gardens. Tethered to the ground and ready for take-off, the Huddleston, as it become known, is very popular with visitors. For the unveiling, along with special guests and dignitaries, over 30 Steampunk enthusiasts were in attendance, dressed in their Victorian-era industrialism costumes.

Another highly entertaining day was the introduction of the Steampunk airship to the gardens.

By connecting to people outside horticulture the gardens can reach and attract a wider audience.

Credit: Hamilton Gardens Library

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Forward to the future A hot topic and debate that has lasted some years has been admission fees, due to be introduced next year. Coinciding with these will be the completion of a new Entry Precinct. The development will include a new visitor arrival centre, with upgrades to the existing pavilion, improving its capacity for function room hire and facilities, plus enhancements to the existing cafe. Generation of revenue is regarded as vital if these iconic and much-loved gardens are to succeed in the future.

The marketing of the gardens has dramatically accelerated in recent years with other streams of revenue identified, including the hiring of audio guides. The gardens is a venue for events, with thousands entertained over the years, and thousands more expected in future. The demand for guided tours has soared and these are being tailored for specific groups. The ‘behind the scenes tour’ is popular and allows for glimpses of new developments and inside the gardeners’ sheds — the public’s interest in which never dwindles.

The speculation and anticipation of its next chapter is a constant conversation here in Hamilton.

Interestingly, I was asked ‘Do you think the gardens is losing its innocence?’ I’d like to think it will be a case of it ‘coming of age’ and rising to its true potential. The staff here have an immense affinity to the place. They’ve nurtured these gardens every step of the way, putting in their blood, sweat and tears. They and ‘their’ gardens have grown and flourished in sync. Prepare yourselves — the best is yet to come as the gardens gear up to wow visitors with an even greater array of experiences and events.

Planning for the future – an artist’s impression of the Baroque Garden, one of the next gardens set to fire up the imagination. Credit: Hamilton Gardens Library

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Feature articles

Camperdown then and now Janet O’Hehir, Secretary, Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum Trust Inc

People often ask me why our botanic gardens and arboretum is so far from the centre of town. I tell them to look around. The botanic garden sits at the highest point of the 25-hectare site, between the two crater lakes of Bullen-Merri and Gnotuk. To the north and west you can look out across the western Victorian volcanic plain with its scoria cones and shallow saline lakes.

In country Victoria in the 1800s a local council would look around for a site where they could set up a public garden. In Camperdown, it was the other way around; the place so impressed Government Surveyor Robert Scott that he recommended it be preserved as a park for the benefit of the public. In fact, he stayed and built his own home down the road.

The conversion of this special place into something the British and particularly Scottish

Late afternoon view west to Lake Gnotuk.

Credit: Janet O’Hehir

settlers would recognise as a public park began in the 1870s. Daniel Bunce, the curator at Geelong’s Botanic Gardens, did the initial layout. William Guilfoyle, director of Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens provided advice from the 1880s through to 1910 when he prepared a detailed plan with a list of dozens of trees. With 113 years of hindsight we might not agree with his choice of ‘hardy shrubs such as Coprosmas, Laurustinus, Privet, Hawthorns and English, Spanish and white brooms’, or the Pampas and Arundo to be planted ‘every 50 feet or so’ around the garden fence.

We have substituted some different plants, which we hope will capture his intent.

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Between 1881 and 1962, three curators (Henry and David Fuller, and Abe Waddell) brought their gardening skills, and the scone-making skills of their wives, and no doubt the water-carrying skills of their children over summer, to create a garden that became a special place for the townspeople, even if they had to trudge a couple of miles uphill to get there. In the summer of 1922, the Camperdown Chronicle reported that ‘the main

Shrubs and perennials along the path. Credit: Janet O’Hehir

floral enclosure is gorgeous with many and varied beautiful blooms at present and all round is a great credit to the caretaker (Mr D. Fuller). Numbers of the prettiest plants and shrubs are in full bloom, and the park could not look nicer’. But over several decades, like most of Victoria’s regional botanic gardens, ours suffered from world wars, depressions, the declining commitment of public land managers and the emerging popularity of active sports and caravanning. A rejuvenation program led by Tommy Garnett and John Hawker, with some funding from the State Government, brought many back to life in the 1980s. Over the next couple of decades Friends groups came and some went, task-based maintenance became the norm, and beauty was sacrificed for efficiency.

We started our community group, the Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum Trust, in 2013, with the aim of making sure the place was held in trust for the future. We started with a landscape architect, a couple of horticulture graduates, several accomplished home gardeners, and a band of keen volunteers. We needed people with knowledge and enthusiasm, and we needed people willing to stand up against plans to divide the place up for other purposes. We were keen to see how good we could make it.

We needed people with knowledge and enthusiasm, and we needed people willing to stand up against plans to divide the place up for other purposes.

Planting and gardening have been our priority and are where we have directed our limited resources. Labelling, interpretation and features can wait. If our botanic garden is to have an educational function, the most basic place to start is encouraging people to see, enjoy and be inspired by plants. We choose plants that suit the growing conditions and are likely to thrive in 32

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Feature articles the wind and the shade of old trees. We have started a small collection of Macaronesian flora beneath Bunce’s Canary Island Pines, and a New Zealand collection to add to Guilfoyle’s Cabbage Trees Cordyline australis and the Akiraho Olearia paniculata, which we have added to the National Trust (Victoria) Register of Significant Trees.

We have also started a ‘cultural collection’ of plants from gardens in the local district, which represent something of the gardening history of the area.

Ten years on, things are looking promising. Visitors tell us how much they enjoy the beds and borders, the diversity of plantings – and the atmosphere.

Birds and butterflies are voting with their feet (wings), and the occasional wallaby and koala drops by. Young mothers meet with their babies on a rug, and there is always someone with a camera.

Isopogon formosus on the western border.

Credit: Janet O’Hehir

The recent Growing Victoria’s Botanic Gardens funding program paid for new fencing for the 25-hectare site. This was a crucial step in enabling four hectares of our arboretum to be re-opened to public access. There is still a caravan park in Guilfoyle’s entrance drive, but it is obvious that it needs a better place for its own development and ours.

A golden Pencil Pine Cupressus ‘Swane’s Gold’, a popular cultivar developed in Sydney in 1958, wrapped in ivy, stands at our entrance.

Two overgrown Bracelet Honey Myrtles recline (as elderly Melaleuca armillaris do) on the opposite side of the gateway, reminiscing about their moment in the fashion spotlight in the 1980s. In the arboretum a stunted specimen of Montpelier Maple Acer monspessulanum holds its ground as a rare survivor

Urn in the rose garden. Credit: Janet O’Hehir

from the 1996 Flora for Victoria distribution of plants to mark the 150th anniversary of Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens. In the garden, two Weeping Cherries Prunus cvs. bring out the photographers

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every spring. Each of these reflects an effort at some time in the last 154 years to conserve the place. In 1982, writing for The Age, Tommy Garnett said there is no use in rejuvenating a garden if it immediately begins to sink back into senility. But there have been lots of starts and stops in the long history of our botanic garden and arboretum.

We are often asked what we are going to do about succession planning for our ageing volunteers – and for me in the role of honorary curator. If people are keen for the place to survive and be cared for into the future, they will have to step up and take their own action. We are focusing on making a difference now. Our aim is to leave a legacy for others to build on in the future, just as we have been building on the legacy of those who have gone before us.

The bluebell wood. Credit: Janet O’Hehir

Doyle, H. Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum Conservation Management Plan (draft), 2017, available at https://camperdownbotanicgardens.org.au/

Alive with discovery Take a botanical journey from the coastal rainforest to the red centre and discover the beauty of Australia’s unique flora at the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

There’s something for everyone when you visit the Gardens. parksaustralia.gov.au/botanic-gardens

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POLLINATING GREAT IDEAS

Pollinating young minds: developing a Plant Science Learning Hub Sally Ingham and Ellen Cheney, Digital content, Interpretation and Tourism Marketing, Australian National Botanic Gardens Australian native plants are at the heart of an exciting new interactive educational resource supporting educators to confidently teach plant science to upper primary students.

Created by educators and scientists at the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG), the Plant Science Learning Hub will inspire and engage students in the science and stories surrounding Australia’s unique flora. The online platform provides educators with scientifically accurate resources aligned with the Australian Curriculum, which includes interactive online components, fun outdoor activities, and plenty of supporting materials for teachers including lesson plans and background information.

In November 2023 we launched four learning modules packed full of activities and information: Lifecycles, Plant Structures, Pollination and Seeds. Our goal is to bring Australian plant science – and botanic gardens — into classrooms across Australia!

The Plant Science Learning Hub is an exciting project set to inspire curious minds. So how did this project come to be?

Characters Billie the Explorer and Bianca the Banksia were created to guide the user through the website and interactive elements while providing fun facts. Credit: Australian National Botanic Gardens

Background – education at the Australian National Botanic Gardens Home to scientific experts, incredible conservation stories, and the world’s largest living collection of native Australian plants, the ANBG is an ideal venue to learn about plant science. Education is a core part of our mission – the ANBG has been engaging and inspiring the Australian public about Australian native plants for 55 years, and our education team runs on-site education programs focused on plant science and the environment. Local and interstate students from preschool to tertiary level visit the gardens to participate in hands-on, inquiry-based programs, all of which are linked to the Australian Curriculum.

In 2020 we invested in the development of a five-year Education Strategy and implementation plan.

Through this process we identified a key opportunity: to expand our national educational reach and extend ‘beyond the garden wall’ by developing an online plant science education hub that would be available to teachers and students around Australia.

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Aims From the outset we identified two key aims for the project: • to inspire and engage students in the story of Australian plants through a fun and engaging learning platform that meets Australian Curriculum standards • to better understand teachers and students, their needs, and challenges, and use those insights to help shape the new learning platform.

Research To ensure we could achieve our project aims we embarked on a phase of research. We set out to answer several key questions, such as: ‘How can we leverage our world class scientists, globally significant living collection and unique conservation stories to both educate about, and increase understanding and appreciation of botanic gardens?’ and ‘What do teachers and students need and want in a project like this?’

To address these questions we conducted a series of workshops and interviews with teachers and classroom groups from metropolitan, regional and rural areas across Australia. The data we collected gave us important insights into teaching and learning styles and preferences and allowed us to identify key inclusions. We were also able to develop a variety of teacher and student archetypes that have helped us ensure we are addressing the varied requirements of our diverse audience.

Based on our research, we built a learning platform that is easy to use and free, reliably fact checked, fun, hands-on and experiential, and uses enquiry-based learning. It also includes outdoor activities to allow students to connect with local natural spaces.

On the website, content is divided into four learning modules – Plant Life Cycles, Plant Structure, Pollination, and Seeds – which form a logical sequence of learning to build on prior knowledge. Credit: Australian National Botanic Gardens

Development We held a series of ideation sessions with gardens educators and scientists to develop a plan for our new product. We settled on four learning modules focused on different areas of plant science: Plant Life Cycles, Plant Structure, Pollination and Seeds.

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Pollinating great ideas The learning modules form a logical sequence of learning designed to build on prior knowledge. Each module is a unit of work containing all the resources teachers will need for a whole term of plant science education, linked to the Australian Curriculum for grades 4 to 6.

Each module includes: • background notes for educators, lesson plans, and a field kit with outdoor hands-on activities.

Activities include code breaking to try and ‘crack the code’ of seed germination, tree measuring and mapping, and designing your own flower.

• an introductory video featuring our wonderful scientists and experts, which uses the gardens to highlight major topics within each module.

• online interactive activities to enhance and

Each learning module includes detailed Teachers Notes, Lesson Plans, and a Field Kit of activities.

Credit: Australian National Botanic Gardens

gamify the student’s learning experience and test the knowledge they have gained. Students receive an achievement badge after completing an online activity.

Subject matter experts Educators need to know that their resources are up to date and scientifically correct. All content on the Plant Science Learning Hub was developed in consultation with subject matter experts including horticulturists, seed scientists, teachers, botanists, biologists and our education team. These experts worked collaboratively to develop and review our modules. Scientists provided content about Australian native plants, and the education team tailored the often-complex scientific information into a format suitable for students.

The Seeds module explores seed anatomy and adaptations. Credit: Australian National Botanic Gardens

Creating a national product In creating a national product, we faced an interesting challenge: How do we create activities that are equally relevant for students in inner city Sydney schools and schools in outback Western Australia or the Northern Territory? To meet this need we have designed activities and content to be adaptable to different environments. Where possible, examples focus on plant groups that are well represented across Australia’s diverse environments and activities are structured so that they can be adapted for use in any environment — be that a schoolyard, local park, or nature reserve.

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Activities can also be modified according to the needs of students and educators, used as a standalone resource, or used in conjunction with other activities in the lesson plan. We provide clear directions and examples for each activity and include printable resources where required.

Future growth Following the release of the Plant Science Learning Hub, we will seek feedback from teachers and students around Australia to continue refining the existing product and develop further learning opportunities. We will also offer professional development opportunities to educators across Australia.

The Plant Science Learning Hub is freely available now at anbg.gov.au

Field Kit activities include collecting ‘Hitchhiker Seeds’ on socks and planting them; creating life cycle collages; and pressing plants to make herbarium specimens. Credit: Australian National Botanic Gardens

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Pollinating great ideas

Trans-Tasman teamwork Kate Roud, Team Leader Main Gardens, Wellington Botanic Garden, Aotearoa New Zealand

A BGANZ Professional Development Award 2021 Report ‘Life’, as John Lennon so aptly put it, ‘is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.’ At the height of the global pandemic in 2021 while curator of the Aotearoa New Zealand

Kate Roud

(ANZ) collection at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, (RBGV) Melbourne, I applied for a BGANZ professional development award. At this time I had been curator since 2014 and through scholarship trips, attending conferences and visiting botanic gardens in New Zealand, I had built an extensive and valued network of curators and other colleagues.

As a target of its Landscape Succession Strategy, RBGV is working to increase the number of wild‑collected taxa across all living collections. Peter Symes, then RBGV Melbourne curator horticulture, and I had targeted Auckland, and regions to the north, as having a comparable climate to Melbourne, and I was keen to establish a seed-collecting ‘hub’ in New Zealand to assist us with managing imports. Therefore, it was the perfect fit to work with Emma Simpkins, then botanical records and conservation specialist at Auckland Botanic Gardens (ABG), on a trans-Tasman partnership. We were mindful, however, of the need to build relationships with iwi (Māori tribes) local to the Auckland region to ensure that any collection of seed from their land was respectful and adhered to the Wai 262 Treaty protocols regarding indigenous flora. In April 2021 we held a Zoom meeting with Emma and discussed the following: • organising a joint seed-collecting trip to Auckland and surrounds in March 2022 • establishing ABG as a hub for the collection of seed from private donors and botanic gardens.

ABG would assist with the process of seed testing at approved laboratories and sending certified seed material on to the RBGV • establishing initial and ongoing contact between ABG/RBGV Melbourne and seed-testing facility AsureQuality to enable and embed future seed importation pathways • establishing monitoring programs at RBGV Melbourne for New Zealand plants on behalf of ABG and sharing information • establishing a seed exchange to assist living collections at ABG • hosting students and other professionals from ABG at Melbourne, and vice versa, on mutually beneficial exchanges and projects.

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Following this productive discussion, Emma agreed that ABG would support and participate in this enterprise. Discussions were ongoing as we continued to refine the scope of the project, identify issues and requirements, and develop target plant lists and itineraries in a truly collaborative process. Given the situation with closed borders, extensive lockdowns in our hometowns and changed priorities at work, our plans were necessarily ‘pencilled in’ and prone to the inevitable pivoting.

And then life really happened. In 2022 when the border reopened, I fulfilled a long-held dream and finally made it across the Tasman to live in New Zealand, and I am now team leader main gardens at Wellington Botanic Garden (WBG). There were other changes too. Emma Simpkins had moved on to become senior regional adviser flora at Auckland Council and Peter Symes headed up north as curator of Cooktown Botanic Gardens in Queensland.

It was a tough call to leave behind my beloved ANZ collection, as well as all my amazing friends and colleagues at RBGV Melbourne but I went with the promise that I would still do whatever I could to work with new colleagues for the benefit of New Zealand flora, climate change adaptation in botanic gardens, and our living collections.

I landed in Wellington in May 2022 and hit the ground running in my new role, or at least staggering — those Welly hills were killers at the beginning! There was much to do, such as the usual policies and procedures of a new employer to take on board, a huge workload to tackle and a new life to establish. Living in Wellington, it also made sense to include Ōtari, the only native botanic garden in New Zealand (which I had visited many times), into the trans-Tasman partnership.

Considering all these changes, I decided to use my award to attend the 7th Global Botanic Gardens Congress in Melbourne in September 2022, with colleagues from WBG and Ōtari Native Botanic Garden (ŌNBG), introduce them to my former colleagues and to tour around the ANZ collection at the RBGV with my successor, Bronte McVeity.

The group I travelled with to attend the congress were Tim Park, team manager (ŌNBG), Karin Van Der Walt, conservation and science adviser (ŌNBG), Megan Ireland, team leader (ŌNBG) and Marion Saunders, team leader, education (WBG).

As we all gathered at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, there was no hiding the absolute delight at simply being together, face-to-face, talking plants again. In our home countries, we were all experiencing the pandemic in many different and challenging ways and for the organisers to have realised such a complex event had to be applauded.

Influence and Action: Botanic Gardens as Agents of Change — this was the ‘call to arms’ title of the congress and with a wealth of engaging but concurrent presentations on offer, it was tough to choose where to be each day. I opted to attend those with climate change adaptation as the main topic as this had been my main challenge as a curator at RBGV Melbourne.

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Pollinating great ideas Since the groundbreaking Assessment of the climate change risk to the living plant collections in the Melbourne Gardens, RBGV (Kendal & Farrar, 2017), work has continued there to improve plant selection and landscape succession. Risk assessments have been incorporated into the propagation request system to help curators identify climate suitable taxa. As the ANZ collection had been identified as likely being most under threat, I was keen to attend the launch of the Climate Resilience Assessment Tool: A Climate Change Alliance of Botanic Gardens Initiative, presented

by Peter Symes, Dave Kendal, Paul Smith, Clare Hart and Tessa Kum. I reflected on how fortunate I was to have been at the gardens to benefit from this exciting work and I look forward to sharing it with colleagues at WBG and ŌNBG. I also enjoyed workshops on getting the most from the BGCI’s data tools, disaster readiness for botanic gardens adapting to climate change and living collections development and curation.

It was wonderful after the conference to step out into a Melbourne spring and walk around the ANZ collection with Megan and Bronte,

I reflected on how fortunate I was to have been at the gardens to benefit from this exciting work and I look forward to sharing it with colleagues

talking plants, exchanging ideas and suggestions, and discussing challenges.

I loved seeing all my favourites in bloom, especially the Tairāwhiti Ngutukākā East Coast Kākābeak Clianthus puniceus albus, whose seeds were gifted to RBGV Melbourne by Graeme Atkins who is renowned

L to R: Kate Roud, Bronte McVeity and Megan Ireland enjoying a tour of the ANZ collection at RBGV Melbourne

for his commitment to the preservation and restoration of New Zealand’s natural heritage. We took a video for him so he could see that this taonga (treasure) is thriving in Melbourne, is much admired and helps to spread the conservation message about which he is so passionate.

East Coast Kākābeak Clianthus puniceus albus

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All too soon, it was time to head back to Wellington and continue settling into my new role and life. I am sure that many of us on the ground are still tackling post-COVID workloads that have increased due to lockdowns and the challenges of accessing our collections. A year’s missed renovation pruning and seed collection, short-staffing due to budget reductions or constraints and even lack of lithium battery supplies for tools, all add up and makes even ‘business as usual’ challenging. The things that we all love to do, such as engaging with colleagues in other gardens or countries on shared projects, inevitably take a back seat.

In writing this article and with so much change I felt sad that progress on the trans-Tasman partnership has been limited. To progress it, I arranged a catchup with Barbara Wheeler, curator at ABG, and Megan at ŌNBG. Barbara explained that ABG’s priority is developing a strategic focus for ex situ conservation and is concentrating its efforts on the conservation of threatened native plants in the Auckland region. The 2023 Conservation Status of Vascular Plant Species in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland report states the region’s flora is now in a worse state than a decade ago.

ABG remains open, however, to knowledge sharing and staff exchanges.

At ŌNBG, Megan advised that their collections’ review is almost complete, and their focus is on better planning for each garden, but they will also support the partnership into the future. At RBGV Melbourne, Bronte is now permanently in the curators’ role, and I know that the collection is in great hands. There is also a new director and chief executive, David Harland, and Dermot Molloy has stepped into the senior curator horticulture role. They have advised that it is unlikely that there will be any visits at this point in time, but they remain open to information exchange.

I’m enjoying my new role and its many challenges and remain firmly committed to being the trans-Tasman link that brings friends and colleagues together in support of the flora of New Zealand. I encourage friends at all New Zealand’s botanic gardens to view the collection at Melbourne as a ‘living lab’ and a resource for learning that is already showing the effects of climate change on New Zealand flora. I have sown many seeds in this endeavour, and I long for the time when the conditions are right for them to germinate. The challenge of climate change still faces us as one of the main risks to the future health of plant diversity, both in our collections and in the natural environment. As stewards of botanic gardens, it is vital to stay the course and work collectively to extend our successes – therefore, Kia kaha, stay strong!

I extend my gratitude to BGANZ for the award and look forward to supporting its future endeavours.

The challenge of climate change still faces us as one of the main risks to the future health of plant diversity, both in our collections and in the natural environment.

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SPECIALIST GROUPS

Update from BCARM Sheree Parker, Chair BCARM, and Supervisor, Geelong Botanic Gardens The Living Collections Toolkit has been a major project for BCARM this year, in collaboration with BGANZ Victoria. The aim of the Living Collections Toolkit is to support regional botanic gardens to better manage their living collections through an online/interactive resource hosted on the BGANZ website. Andrea Proctor Landscapes, Anthouse Design and Makeweb have been involved in bringing this concept to fruition, based on the older version of the BGANZ Living Collections Toolkit. This project is in the final stages of completion, with the next stages involving beta testing and an initial roll-out to Victorian members with workshops and media. In 2024, we will continue with a living collections workshop/review of the tool kit and look at adjustments and add-ons.

Initially available to Victorian members, the toolkit will later be released to all members.

The Hortis database has been successfully rolled out to 22 Victorian gardens in the past 12 months. Tex Moon has established a quarterly workshop for Hortis users to chat and discuss issues, solutions and how they are tracking with data entry of their living collections. The database will greatly enhance the accuracy of collections across the state and has the potential to extend to all gardens.

For further information on either of these projects, please email Sheree at SParker2@geelongcity.vic.gov.au.

The draft Living Collections Toolkit homepage.

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News from BGEN: seniors are ‘blooming’ in a new garden therapy program at Botanic Gardens of Sydney Colleen Fitzgerald, Learning Manager and Tess Jones, Learning Officer, Botanic Gardens of Sydney The therapeutic benefits of gardening have been documented for over 200 years and known for a millennium or more. Examples abound of the positive effects of therapeutic horticulture on people experiencing physical or cognitive disability, psychological injury, brain injury, poor mental health, social isolation, dementia, cardio-vascular disease and more.1 Botanic gardens educators regularly observe close up the positive impacts of gardens and immersive, nature-based learning on behaviour and engagement.

When St Luke’s Care, Potts Point approached Botanic Gardens of Sydney education team with a proposal to co-develop a nature-based therapy program for residents with a dementia diagnosis, educators embraced this great opportunity. Eager to share their expertise and love of nature, they also embarked on a learning journey, observing at close hand how time spent in nature — facilitated by botanic gardens staff — could enrich the mental, physical, and emotional health of residents living with dementia. Together, St Luke’s and Botanic Gardens of Sydney created themes and activities to be delivered in 2-hour sessions at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, over several weeks.

St Luke’s Care group at Full Bloom Garden Therapy, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney 2023.

Credit: Jacquie Manning

1 Spano, G, D'Este, M, Giannico, V et al. (2020). Are community gardening and horticultural interventions beneficial for psychosocial well-being? A meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(10): 3584.

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Specialist Groups

St Luke’s Care group at Full Bloom Garden Therapy, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney 2023.

Credit: Jacquie Manning

The program is designed to stimulate the senses, enhance fine/gross motor skills, create calming and positive associations and where possible, to meet the specific needs and interests of the pilot group.

Currently in the pilot’s fourth phase (spring and summer 2022, autumn and summer 2023), Botanic Gardens of Sydney and St Luke’s agree that their collaboration has exceeded expectations, with participants demonstrating improved mental health, motivation, and social engagement. Over six weeks, the Full Bloom Garden Therapy program introduces participants and carers to the botanic gardens’ living collections and provides opportunities for hands-on gardening activities, immersive walks and tours with volunteers and First Nations educators.

Importantly, each week also provides participants living with dementia and their carers with an opportunity to connect with others through a shared love of plants, gardening and time spent immersed in nature. In 2024, the Full Bloom program will move from pilot to regular programming, offering more senior visitors the opportunity to bloom as they are immersed in the natural wonders of the Botanic Gardens of Sydney.

Each week also provides participants living with dementia and their carers with an opportunity to connect with others through a shared love of plants, gardening and time spent immersed in nature.

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News from BGEN: a million reasons to visit – Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park celebrates its millionth visitor Jill Murray, Senior Partnerships Officer, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority Are you one in a million? This year Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park clocked over its millionth visitor!

Whether you visited this much-loved nature play space to make mud pies in the recent school holidays or if you were one of the first visitors to paddle in the creek 12 years ago, you can count yourself as one of our million visitors.

Our urban wilderness was the first children’s play space of its kind when we launched back in 2011.

At the time children’s playgrounds had become risk-averse spaces with rubberised soft-fall surfaces and very few natural materials. Sedentary pastimes were also on the rise with time spent on screens disconnecting children from the natural world.

When it opened to the public Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park was revolutionary. In contrast with the trends of the time, it encouraged active play in a natural space with activities like tree climbing, creek paddling, and balancing on log bridges. It challenged preconceptions of what made for ‘safe’ children’s outdoor play both with parents and the wider community.

Children engaging in active nature-based activities develop a skill set that includes risk assessment, problem-solving, and physical aptitudes.

They learn about the natural world and have lots of fun on the journey.

Parents in 2023 consider outdoor play in a natural space to be a normal part of a healthy childhood.

Maybe this is because our million visitors have spread the word?

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Adorable Florables. Credit: Matt Biocich

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Specialist Groups On the first Saturday of the Everlasting Kings Park Festival, Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park celebrated its millionth visitor with a fun-filled Nature Play Day. More than 1,200 visitors joined in celebrations, with nature-based activities and the Adorable Florables Trail leading the charge.

Children built cubbies, created botanical art, made a mess in the Mud Kitchen, and met native birds of prey that visited for the celebration.

Another special activity asked children to write pledges onto leaves promising how they will care for the natural environment. These leaf pledges decorated the Chrysalis of Change at the May Drive entrance to the play space.

Empowering children to play a role in caring for the natural environment is one of the key goals that Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) and sponsor Rio Tinto aim to progress

Chrysalis of Change. Credit: Matt Biocich

in Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park. Kings Park Education starts as early as possible to foster this understanding through Zippy’s Bush Kindy Kings Park for 3–5-year-old children. This program teaches children about the natural environment, how to stay safe in the bush, and how Noongar people care for country. Rio Tinto sponsorship has supported the growth of Zippy’s Bush Kindy, which now welcomes almost 150 children and their carers per term to attend weekly sessions in our natural teaching environment.

This program teaches children about the natural environment, how to stay safe in the bush, and how Noongar people care for country.

Reflecting on the change in community attitudes to nature play, BGPA’s Education Coordinator, Charlotte Vaughan, said ‘“Naturescape” wasn’t even a word or a thing before it was done at Kings Park. It was just an idea. When we were exploring the concept, the schools said they wouldn’t come; it would be too dangerous…now schools have their own “naturescapes”. It’s taken years, but we’ve got everyone back into nature and what was once a risky idea has become “we can all do that”. It’s a massive change in behaviour.’

Some of the 12-year-olds who were the first visitors to paddle in the creek would now be bringing their own children 12 years later to introduce them to the delights of this natural family space.

With the support of our long-term sponsor Rio Tinto, BGPA invites the next million visitors to connect their children to nature at Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park.

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Introducing BARB (BGANZ Arboriculture Specialist Group) Ian Allan, Chair, BARB and Supervisor Natural Areas & Arboriculture, Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah On 27 September 2022, following a day of inspiring tree conservation presentations at the 7th Global Botanic Gardens Congress, arborists from Kings Park and Botanic Garden (WA), Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, and Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust (NSW), joined Botanic Gardens Conservation International and global tree conservation practitioners for a social meet-up to talk all things trees.

The group of Australian arborists shared their experiences and discussed botanic gardens arboriculture in Australia and New Zealand. Inspired by the unifying themes of the congress and the work of groups such as BGCI’s Global Conservation Consortia, BGANZ’s BCARM and the Climate Change Alliance of Botanic Gardens, those at the table agreed we could be doing more to work together in advancing tree management and conservation across the BGANZ network. And with that, the idea of forming a BGANZ network was born and that meeting was to go down in history as the inaugural BARB forum…

Why do we need an arboriculture professional group?

‘It is estimated that over 8,000 tree taxa, 10% of the world’s total, are globally threatened with extinction’ (Global Trees Campaign, 2018).

Arboriculture has come a long way since we were commonly known as ‘tree loppers’. As the science behind trees and their conservation has developed, the benefits of trees and urban forestry have also become better understood and more important than ever. As Nicole Cavender and Gerard Donnelly state in their paper Intersecting urban forestry and botanical gardens to address big challenges for healthier trees, people, and cities, ‘Horticultural and scientific knowledge combined with extensive public reach make botanical gardens and arboreta important potential partners in achieving urban forest objectives, but a greater call to action is needed.’

BARB aims to advocate for botanic gardens arboriculture, foster collaboration and provide support across the network by: • creating a network of arborists across BGANZ member gardens • Identifying and providing professional development and support for tree managers across the BGANZ membership • promoting arboricultural industry best practice and alignment of tree conservation aims with BGANZ and global tree conservation aims

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Specialist Groups • improving the intersection of botanic gardens and urban forestry by collaboration with urban forest managers, external agencies and the public to better utilise our living collections • promoting the professions and career pathways of botanic gardens arboriculture and tree conservation across the wider green industries in Australia and New Zealand.

Other members of the BARB committee are Chelsea Payne, Deputy Treasurer/Secretary (Kings Park and Botanic Garden), Committee members – Dan Marges (Australian National Botanic Gardens), Neil Bollinger (Orange Botanic Gardens), Peter Berbee (RBGV Melbourne Gardens), Matt Coyne (Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney), Chani Humphries (Geelong City Council) and Laura Williams (Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens).

If you’d like to join BARB or learn more about the group, please contact Ian at ian.allan@ botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au

Dan Marges from the Australian National Botanic Gardens tree team removing dead wood from a Eucalyptus grandis in the rainforest gully. Credit: Pete Feile

Seed collecting from the critically endangered Eucalyptus strzeleckii near the La Trobe River at Tyers in Victoria. This involved Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Melbourne Arboriculture (Jim Shugg arborist, Peter Berbee arborist, David Roberts horticulturalist) and members of La Trobe Valley Field Naturalists Club. It was important to obtain seed from these trees before they were removed as part of road widening work. Credit: Jim Shugg

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WHAT’S NEW?

Botanic news: from home and abroad Cassandra Nichols, CEO, BGANZ Ltd

Evolution of BGANZ After a decade of incredible work, BGANZ’s esteemed CEO Eamonn Flanagan said farewell to the organisation. He has been an innovative and inspirational leader, transforming BGANZ through a pandemic to a highly successful online network of empowered members. Responding to member needs, he steered the organisation through a significant governance change from an association to a charity, which has now positioned BGANZ in a place for growth. This evolution of BGANZ is no small feat and on behalf of the Board and me, we’d like to say a massive thank you, and congratulations for all his accomplishments.

Eamonn’s superb accent and joyous sense of humour will be sorely missed, but keep a look out for our Irish leprechaun in a garden near you…

Technology advances It seems an age since face-to-face meetings were the standard form of communication, and that everyone working in ‘the office’ was the only way a business operated. I am writing to you from my home in Newcastle, yet my colleagues are spread across the country. Thanks to technology, we now connect more regularly with people outside our towns, cities, states and even countries and thanks to online forums, BGANZ has built a strong community, which is very actively sharing and collaborating on essential work. The new Specialist Group, BARB (BGANZ Arboriculture) led by Ian Allan, kicked off in November. BARB is composed of tree management professionals working in botanic gardens across the BGANZ network. For more information, see Ian’s article in this issue.

Thanks to technology, BGANZ has built a strong community, which is very actively sharing and collaborating on essential work.

If you wish to become a member of any of our specialist groups, or our regional groups, please visit our webpage, bganz.org.au/contact/.

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Technology is not only changing the way BGANZ connects on a personal level but is making significant advancements in the ability to accurately record, store and share data across the network. The first exciting development on this front was the success of the Hortis database, rolled out across the Victorian network. This has the potential to be a nationwide plant records management system, connecting gardens and arboreta across the country and even internationally, for the first time. These types of advancements, which will greatly benefit daily operations of members, but also advance research capability and contributions are high on the agenda for BGANZ. For those wishing to know more, please contact me directly to discuss.

Members BGANZ is delighted to welcome the following new members in 2023: • Ballarat General Cemeteries Trust • Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum • Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum Trust Inc. • Friends of Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Gardens • Glen Eira City Council • Mallacoota Endemic Garden • Oamaru Public Gardens, NZ • Queens Park, Invercargill, NZ • Shoalhaven Heads Native Botanic Garden • The Melbourne Arboretum.

We also have 10 new individual members. Welcome all!

BGANZ Awards 2023 BGANZ has two Professional Development Awards each year. We are delighted to announce the award winners for 2023: • Professional Development Scholarship: Value $2,000 AUD, awarded to Tristan Cora, Tondoon Botanic Gardens. Tristan, a second-year Indigenous horticulture apprentice, will use his award to travel to Brisbane Botanic Gardens – Mt Coot-tha to study specimens of Macadamia jansenii and gauge them against those growing in Tondoon Botanic Gardens. The objective is to help with preservation of the species and give insight into how different horticulture techniques and ecosystems affect the growth and lifecycle as part of the Macadamia Conservation Trust. He says, ‘the funds being offered in the scholarship can be used to raise awareness about the Macadamia Conservation Trust, help prevent the loss of Macadamia jansenii species, engage other botanic gardens in conservation projects and help restore the natural flora of Australia.’

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• Young Member Award: Value $500 AUD, awarded to Meg Spittal, Auckland Botanic Gardens. Meg, a first-year apprentice, will use her award to take two online courses, Planting Design with Perennials by Dr Noel Kingsbury, and Planting the Piet Oudolf Way. She says, ‘this will be amazing opportunity for me to gain more knowledge and insight into certain aspects of horticulture that interest me; garden design and creating plantings that can adapt to the changing climate.’

Congratulations Tristan and Meg! Meg Spittal

Botanic Gardens Conservation International – Marsh Awards 2023 On an annual basis, BGCI operates the Marsh Awards for International Plant Conservation and Botanic Garden Education sponsored by the Marsh Trust. The Marsh Trust was established in 1981 and runs a portfolio of awards that recognise the contribution of dedicated individuals working in different sectors – to improve the world we live in. The 2023 winners were: • Santiago Madriñán – winner of the award for International Plant Conservation. Santiago is Professor of Botany & Director of the Jardín Botánico de Cartagena, Colombia • Paulina Xóchitl Rendón Pujol – winner of the award for Education in Botanic Gardens. Paulina is Coordinator of Education Ambienta at Jardín Etnobotánico “Francisco Peláez R., A.C.”, Mexico.

Don’t forget to nominate someone you know for 2024!

Global issues and the evolution of botanic gardens It was the need to teach medical students about medicinal plants that led to the very first botanic garden, but their role today has expanded well beyond this and now encompasses educational, recreational, cultural, scientific and conservation efforts. Importantly, gardens are playing critical roles in climate change research and education, protection of threatened and endangered species and in the prevention of biodiversity loss.

BGCI continues to work towards the first global biodiversity standard, with expected technical specifications to be published to coincide with the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28) in early December 2023. The standard utilises the skills of botanic institutions to mentor restoration practitioners increasing the biodiversity benefits.

With an urgent need to integrate nature into everyday business decisions, opportunities for botanic gardens to be involved in consultation processes for policies and planning are only going to grow.

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THE BOTANIC GARDENer | ISS 61 Summer 2023

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