4 minute read
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 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.’
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 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.
