The Gardens Magazine - Winter 2023, Issue 137

Senegal Date Palm

Phoenix reclinata

This unusual palm with its clustering trunks is native to parts of tropical Africa and Madagascar. Known in some quarters as the Senegal Date Palm, it can grow up to 15 metres in its habitat but very much less in cultivation elsewhere. In tropical Africa it is generally found alongside streams, often close to the coast.

The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney’s palm has a collection of slender clustering trunks that lean away from one another, framing the waters of Farm Cove, which adds to its attraction. Seen from across the lawn, the trunks and fan-shaped deep green leaves form a very distinctive profile as there is nothing to impede the picture.

Our palm is probably not much taller than 10 metres, which makes it easy to study. It was probably planted around 1860 into what was reclaimed land. Given its location, its roots may be in saline soil which is constantly refreshed by the regular tidal inundation. On the occasions when we have had torrential rain coinciding with high tides, this area can be under water for some time.

A fine copper sculpture by the late Australian sculptor Bronwyn Oliver sits beside our Phoenix reclinata. Entitled “Palm” (1999), it echoes the plant’s folded fronds.

Margaret Hanks, Growing Friends

CONTENTS

FEATURES

19 Alpine Bush Blitz Snowy Mountain Bush Blitz – Prof. Brett Summerell reports on a multi-institution biological survey expedition to the Pilot Wilderness area of the Australian Alps

22 Botanica de Materia Medica Australia’s top botanical artists focus on plants that heal

GARDENS NEWS

7 Celebrating camellias Exciting events are planned to mark 200 years since the first camellia collection was planted in the Royal Botanic Garden

8 Funding support Foundation & Friends is helping ensure the Gardens remain at the forefront of seed science

12 Mount Tomah The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden unveils plans for a new garden full of rare and historical camellias

IN EACH ISSUE

9 Books Among the books we review is The Plant Thieves, an account of a journey into the archives of the National Herbarium of NSW

14 First Person Meet Damian Wrigley, the Gardens’ new Manager, Living Collections & Conservation

16 Artefact The tragic tale of talented painter and habitual felon, Joseph Lycett

26 Travel Exiting new Friends’ tours

27 Plants Tips on what to look out for this winter

30 What’s on Your guide to activities and events

Digital artist Garth Henderson's Fire Lily – Gloriosa superba will feature in this year's Botanica – de Materia Medica exhibition. The plant is used to treat arthritis, diabetes, anxiety, intestinal disorders, endoparasitic infections and snakebite. Full details page 22.

WINTER UPDATE

An artist’s impression of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney’s new amphitheatre VALE PETER VALDER

Much-loved botanist, horticulturist and gardening writer Dr Peter Valder passed away in March aged 94.

Valder began his long and distinguished career as a Plant Pathologist at New South Wales Agriculture before being appointed as a lecturer in botany and mycology at the University of Sydney, where he remained until his retirement in 1988.

Post retirement he cared for Nooroo, his family’s much-admired garden in Mount Wilson, and helped promote Australian botany and horticulture through appearances on radio and television. He also wrote for magazines and authored several books, including Wisterias and the award-winning The Garden Plants of China.

During his time at the University of Sydney, many botany students were fortunate to experience his wit and wisdom as a lecturer, among them Professor Brett Summerell, the Gardens’ Chief Scientist, Director Science, Education and Conservation.

“Peter made significant contributions to the (then) Friends of the Botanic Garden, including being a founding committee member and remaining on the Board for more than 20 years,” says Summerell.

SYDNEY'S NEW AMPHITHEATRE

The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is set to unveil a picturesque new amphitheatre, made possible thanks to the inspiration and generosity of Foundation & Friends' member Robert Constable and his family.

The project will create an idyllic venue for a range of performances and activations, including musical, theatrical and dance ensembles, along with public talks and wedding ceremonies.

Located adjacent to the Garden’s Herb Garden, close to the Conservatorium

of Music, the amphitheatre will feature four sandstone and grass terraced levels and be surrounded by new tree plantings. Seats will be scaled to allow comfortable access and seating, with the audiences of up to 80 people easily accommodated.

As well as providing a relaxing space for workers, local residents and visitors, it is hoped the facility will help foster closer ties between the Garden and the Conservatorium of Music by providing an ideal venue for the students to hone their performance skills.

“Many of his amazing collections of plants, especially wisteria cultivars, grace both the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah. This legacy was recognised when he was made a life member of Foundation & Friends in 2014 and invited to write the foreword to the Gardens’ bicentenary volume, The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: The First 200 Years.

“The Gardens have been very fortunate to have had Peter’s support in so many ways over the past 40 years and longer – he will be greatly missed.”

Photos: Harrison Sarasola, © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

THANK YOU FRIENDS

Despite daylight becoming noticeably shorter and temperatures cooling considerably, there is no sign of any hibernation here at the Gardens.

I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of the On the Edge exhibition with our Chair, Philip Marcus Clarke AO. I was so moved by the exhibition and its power to bring attention to Australian flora threatened by climate change and other environmental issues.

We have been working closely with our very generous donor, Robert Constable, to progress the Amphitheatre project, and I can’t wait to see it come to life, creating a tranquil venue for our visitors and community. I am also excited about working collaboratively with Foundation & Friends on its new strategy and I look forward to seeing this implemented in the coming year.

After the recent election, the Gardens now reports into the new Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, the Hon. Paul Scully, however it's business as usual. Minister Scully recently highlighted his focus on ‘improving public open spaces to make them more people and environment friendly, celebrating and making the most of our natural and urban environments’.

So much of our work is underpinned by the unwavering support of Foundation & Friends, our dedicated volunteers, donors, and corporate partners. Thank you to all for your significant contribution to botanical science and the Gardens.

Denise Ora, Chief Executive

CEO'S REPORT

Foundation & Friends has built up a rich history of highlighting the important work of your Botanic Gardens through its ongoing and engaging range of activities. A recent highlight was the incredible On the Edge: Species at Risk exhibition. Held at Lion Gate Lodge, our volunteer committee curated a thought-provoking and beautiful show. The exhibition highlighted works from almost 40 emerging and established artists who focused on the impacts of climate change and other threats to our biodiversity.

On the Edge was opened to a large crowd by the Honourable Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water, who later praised the quality and thoughtfulness of the works on ABC radio. Our wonderful patron, Her Excellency Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales, dropped by the next day to tell the team how much she enjoyed the opening and the amazing range of art on display. Not only did the exhibition achieve more than $130,000 in sales, it also attracted a diverse audience that was deeply engaged with the rich content.

This exhibition is just one example of how Foundation & Friends supports the work of your Botanic Gardens. The funds raised through our activities help us support important infrastructure projects, ground-breaking research, the purchase of essential scientific

equipment, and the delivery of innovative education programs.

Foundation & Friends is also fortunate to have passionate donors who help us fund a wide range of urgent initiatives. I know the team at PlantBank was extremely excited by the recent delivery of critical equipment from the United Kingdom for the rainforest conservation project, which was funded by a donor and Foundation & Friends (see story page 8). This project is undertaking pioneering research to help counter the impacts of climate change and the loss of biodiversity in our incredible rainforests.

In undertaking stakeholder engagement for our new five-year strategy, there was unified feedback wanting to see continued action on supporting efforts to address the impacts of climate change. Our warming planet has disastrous consequences for biodiversity and is also a direct threat to the health of your Botanic Gardens.

This is why our end-of-financial-year appeal is focusing on climate change and the work the Botanic Gardens of Sydney is undertaking to address the impacts of a warming planet. The donations we receive go directly to our Trust Fund that supports the work of the Gardens. For our members, donors and other supporters who have already made their tax-time gifts, a sincere thank you!

Peter Thomas

A GARDEN LIGHTSCAPE

The Royal Botanic Garden is always changing, but for 44 nights this winter it will be transformed like never before.

After-dark visitors will be enticed by glowing tunnels, larger-than-life flowers and tree canopies illuminated in a rainbow of colours – all part of Lightscape, a 2.1-kilometre, multisensory journey adding a new dimension to this year’s Vivid Sydney festival.

Culture Creative, the company behind the event, has garnered acclaim around the world for its bright

FLOCKTON AWARD SET FOR AUGUST LAUNCH

This year’s Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition will run from 12 August to 8 October at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan.

Selected works from some of the world’s best scientific botanical illustrators will be on display at the prestigious exhibition, while the full range of submissions to the annual award will also be available to view online through image hosting service Flickr.

Sponsored by Foundation & Friends and the Maple-Brown Family, the Margaret Flockton Award recognises excellence in scientific botanical illustration. Works are judged across a variety of criteria, including technical merit, accuracy in the interpretation and portrayal of plant characteristics, composition and artistic merit.

ideas, which include lighting up the State Rooms of Blenheim Palace, crafting Christmas trails through London, and devising luminous botanic gardens from Chicago to Melbourne.

Lightscape will run every day from 26 May to 18 June, and from Wednesday to Sunday between 21 June and 16 July, with the Garden closing to the public at 5pm each evening and reopening to ticket holders from 5.30pm onwards.

Tickets are available to Foundation & Friends members from the discounted rate of $26 for adults and $14 for children.

EXHIBITION MARKS 100 YEARS OF AUSTRALIAN WATERCOLOURS

The Australian Watercolour Institute (AWI) is celebrating its centenary this year by holding an exhibition of more than 150 works at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney’s Lion Gate Lodge.

Entry will be free to the weeklong event, which opens on the evening of 31 August.

Founded to redress a perceived lack of attention for watercolour painting in Australia, the AWI has over the past 100 years promoted the medium through dedicated exhibitions. Its first show was held in March 1924.

Throughout its history many of Australia’s foremost artists have been members of (or regularly exhibited with) the AWI, including such luminaries as Arthur Streeton, Hans Heysen, Margaret Preston, Norman Lindsay, Lloyd Rees and the late John Olsen.

Among the works included in this year’s exhibition will be a large painting of a Wollemi Pine by David van Nunen.

See this issue's Diary (page 33) for more details.

Photos: © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

2022 Margaret Flockton Award winner Hippeastrum sp. nov. by Brazilian illustrator Klei Sousa

David van Nunen's Wollemi Pine is believed to be the first painting of this species

CELEBRATING 200 YEARS OF CAMELLIAS

thousands of camellia cultivars were either introduced or developed locally.

To celebrate the camellia bicentenary, the Gardens has been working closely with Camellia Ark Australia and its co-founder Dr Stephen Utick to develop an exciting educational and promotional strategy.

Among the initiatives being pursued is an audio tour explaining the cultural and horticultural significance of selected camellias, and redevelopment of a garden bed at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney (adjacent to the Australian rainforest) dedicated to the Theaceae family.

Utick, who was in 2021 appointed the Gardens’ visiting Curator of Theaceae, is also hosting a symposium at the Maiden Theatre on 12 July, showcasing the history, appreciation and understanding of Australian camellias.

“We’ll have expert presenters covering themes such as the rise of tea in the 1700s, the Camden Park legacy of Sir William Macarthur, and the NSW colonial nurseries,” Utick says. “In addition, we’ll explore topics such as the post-World War II camellia revival, the contribution of Bob Cherry's Paradise Plants, and the unique discoveries and appreciation of Vietnamese camellias by Australian botanists.”

Symposium attendees will also enjoy an exhibition of blooms by Camellias R Us and a special display of Samuel Curtis’ revered A monograph of the Genus Camellia, published in London in 1819, the year Lady Brisbane left for NSW.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the first recorded planting of a collection of camellias in New South Wales and the Gardens is celebrating the milestone with a variety of activities designed to raise the profile and appreciation of its enviable camellia collection.

The first recorded planting was undertaken in 1823 at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney by colonial botanist Charles Frazer, under patronage of Lady Brisbane, wife of then NSW Governor, Sir Thomas Brisbane. Tea plants (Camellia sinensis) were also sent to Sydney from the East India Company in China.

Tea was then – and still is – the world’s most popular beverage, however, at the time, the British lacked the knowledge required to dry, fire and ferment Camellia sinensis. Eventually, once the required skills were obtained (through some legendary industrial espionage), the British opted to pursue mass tea production in regions other than NSW, such as Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Assam in India.

In the meantime, ornamental and home-grown camellia varieties began to appear in Australia, and over the course of the next 200 years, many

On the morning of the symposium, Foundation & Friends is running events to mark the 200th anniversary, including a special Japanese tea ceremony and a guided tour of the Royal Botanic Garden’s camellia living collection.

BICENTENNIAL OF CAMELLIAS SYMPOSIUM

Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden

Wednesday 12 July, 2pm–4:30pm

Tickets from $30 per person

For more information visit this issue’s Diary (page 30)

Korean manga artist Ji-hye Han's Camellia japonica ‘Alba Plena’ depicts Alba Plena on board the East India Company ship Carnatic in 1792 as its sails from China to England, then on to NSW.

STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE

Foundation & Friends’ financial support is again proving instrumental in furthering the Gardens' scientific research, most recently through the purchase of a thermogradient plate (TGP) that enables large quantities of seeds to be simultaneously germinated quickly and at a wide array of temperatures.

Temperature is the most critical environmental cue that determines whether a seed will germinate and how fast it will grow. A TGP allows botanists at the Australian PlantBank to find the optimal temperature for a seed’s germination, with the information then used in restoration and conservation work.

Not only does the process make seed germination more efficient, it also reduces wastage of precious seeds.

Until the arrival of its new plate –purchased from the UK at a cost of more than $90,000 – the Australian PlantBank operated just two TGPs, restricting its ability to conduct research and putting it at a disadvantage to other conservation laboratories in Australia and overseas.

Dr Cathy Offord, Head of Australian PlantBank Research and Senior Principal Research Scientist says the Foundation & Friends’ funded thermogradient plate is a “game changer.

“The new TGP allows us to process more samples through our research program, which will be particularly beneficial in areas such as rainforest seed conservation,” says Offord.

“It helps us fast-track ex situ conservation efforts, provides extra capacity for the student training, and positions the Australian PlantBank as a collaborative partner of choice with other universities and research facilities.

“In addition, it allows the Australian Institute of Botanical Science to generate external funding from a range of sources, such as the Australian Research Council and Saving our Species program.

“Ultimately it further establishes the Institute as the pre-eminent organisation in Australasia for seed science, especially in the area of rainforest conservation.”

Foundation & Friends raises funds for the Gardens through a range of regular activities, including exhibitions, events and Growing Friends Plant Sales.

Fundraising appeals, as well as bequests and gifts, also support key projects.

Over the past 40 years, a remarkable $17 million has been collected to support the Gardens across a broad range of areas including scientific research, building and regenerating infrastructure, enhancing education facilities, and helping develop new horticultural attractions, including the Botanic Garden Sydney’s Rose Garden and the Connections Garden at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan.

David Carroll

PLANT THE SEED OF HOPE

DONATE TODAY

Your support will ensure the Gardens remain places of outstanding horticultural beauty, scientific institutions at the forefront of research, and important centres of learning. To find out more scan the QR code or contact (02) 9231 8182.

Australian Plantbank Horticultural Assistant Veronica Viler with the new thermogradient plate funded by Foundation & Friends

JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF THE HERBARIUM

THE PLANT THIEVES –SECRETS OF THE HERBARIUM

Prue Gibson has loved archives since she spent much of her twenties working as an assistant curator at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, surrounded by precious prints, drawings and watercolours. Three years ago, with the help of a grant from the Australian Research Council, she once again found herself immersed in a world of carefully curated treasures, except these were housed in the National Herbarium of NSW.

An academic researcher at the University of NSW School of Art and Design, Gibson has over the past decade examined the way plants are “represented and aestheticised in art” – in the process generating several books, including a study of Australian artist Janet Laurences’ BioArt. With her latest book, The Plant Thieves, she set out to explore how, by engaging with some of the Herbarium’s 1.4 million specimens, an assortment of artists, poets and botanists might afford plants a value beyond their scientific worth.

The Plant Thieves does indeed offer insights into the ways artists and scientists relate to their favourite plants. But it also describes a journey that ventures off course, as conversations with elders, artists, historians, botanists and conservators lead Gibson into unexpected territory. The result is an

exploration of various themes, including the way Indigenous Australians were robbed of their horticultural connections; how scientists guard psychoactive flora from modern poachers; and why conservation efforts can turn plant thieves into plant protectors.

Along the way, Gibson shines a light on some intriguing stories, several of which are dark indeed. None more so than Herbarium director Hannah McPherson’s research into German naturalist Amalie Deitrich (1821–91), who in the mid-1800s spent nine years gathering (or perhaps looting) flora and fauna from some of Australia’s most remote and challenging regions. Gibson’s admiration for the intrepid female scientist is indelibly tainted when she learns Dietrich’s collections included eight Indigenous skeletons, and hears of a horrifying letter that recounts the European’s murderous intent towards Australia's Aboriginal peoples.

“Specimens,” she writes, “can reveal some unpleasant truths about their collectors.”

Other tales are less gruesome, but no less interesting. There are, for instance, accounts of plants that have united communities and plants that have healing qualities, such as the antiinflammatory stinging nettle that helped

one herbarium manager endure the pain of a broken wrist in the middle of the wild Papua New Guinea highlands. One tale Gibson found particularly arresting was the remarkable transformation – revealed by the research of the Herbarium’s Dr Claire Brandenburger – of the beach daisy Arctotheca populifolia. Taken from its home in South Africa in the 1930s, the plant has undergone such fast evolution on Australian shores that its leaves, flowers, physical and chemical defences have all changed, leaving taxonomists to now debate whether it should be considered a new species. Humans, she notes, are generally intolerant of change, but this simple beach daisy is a dramatic reminder that nothing stays the same.

Ultimately, Gibson says, she would like The Plant Thieves to serve as a cure for “plant blindness”, the tendency for humans to see people and animals clearly but to think of plants as nothing more than background.

“I want to change the way readers think about plants. I want them to stop in the street, to pause in their gardens, to linger in the parks and wonder ‘who are you, really?’ as they gaze at the clever, growing vegetal things around them.”

David Carroll

Dr

Dr Prudence Gibson

BECOMING A BOTANIST

Claudia Chambers

RRP $50 (plus postage)

Becoming a Botanist is – in the very best sense – a labour of love. This celebration of the life and achievements of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney’s former Director, Emeritus Professor Carrick Chambers, came about through a series of conversations between Carrick and his daughter, Claudia, over a period of ten years.

Becoming a Botanist follows Carrick’s journey from Auckland to Melbourne where he took up the role of Professor of Botany at the University of Melbourne in 1967, later becoming Director of the Gardens from 1986 to 1996. It covers his involvement in the early Landcare movement, his overseeing of the discovery and propagation of the Wollemi Pine, the design of key specialist

gardens and his role in the creation of the Australian Botanic Garden and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden. Writing the book together, says Claudia, provided a special opportunity for reflection on all that Carrick had achieved in his life, in his own words. It is currently being reviewed for the ABC Science Show.

The beautifully illustrated book is a hardback limited edition, with photos generously provided by former Gardens’ photographer, Jaime Plaza, and printing costs donated by the Chambers family. All proceeds will go towards Wollemi Pine research at the Botanic Gardens. Members who would like to purchase a copy can email development@ botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au with their shipping details and phone number. Put ‘Becoming a Botanist book order’ in the email subject line.

MISTLETOES OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Tony Start, Kevin Thiele

CSIRO Publishing

RRP $59.99

Viscum album, the colourful parasitic shrub we know as mistletoe, grows in many regions around the world and has played leading roles in many cultural myths and customs. Mistletoe are also ecologically important, with many Australian native animals dependent on them (including the larvae of some of our most beautiful butterflies, which feed on mistletoe leaves). Using photos and distribution maps, this illustrated guide helps fans of Australian flora identify the seven genera and 42 species of mistletoes found across Western Australia (many of which also occur in the Northern Territory). In addition, it provides descriptions of their hosts and details on mistletoe biology, biogeography, conservation and evolution (including how they cope – or more accurately don’t cope – with fire). Tony Start is a Research Associate at the Western Australian Herbarium, specialising in mistletoes, while co-author Kevin Thiele, a botanical taxonomist who has worked with many groups of Australian plants, was the head of the Western Australian Herbarium for more than a decade.

BLOOM: FLOWERING PLANTS FOR INDOORS & BALCONIES

Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan, Smith Street Books, RRP $55

This well-structured guide to creating a flower-filled environment in a variety of spaces – including balconies – opens with some simple tips on the selection, styling, arrangement and care of angiosperms. But the real attraction is the publication’s colour-filled profiles of more than 60 flowering plants, organised into the four seasons. Each profile offers practical information on how to best nurture each species and is accompanied by beautifully presented photographs by Becca Crawford. The profiles are also interspersed by interviews with a selection of “plant-lovers” such as artist Samantha McIntyre, florist Petrina Burrill and horticulturist Jane Rose-Lloyd. Authors Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan are the founders of Sydney-based interior design nursery and online plant delivery service, Leaf Supply.

Photos: © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

SUPER BLOOM

Jac Semmler

Thames & Hudson Australia

RRP $90.00

Billing itself as “a reinvention of the flower and gardening encyclopaedia,” this impressive tomb (weighing in at 528 pages) offers profiles of 75 flowering plants (arranged alphabetically) – from Achillea (yarrow) to Zinnia. Each profile includes care and growing notes, a list of potential 'planting partners', and an abundance of high-quality illustrations and photographs. Author Jac Semmler also covers what she calls the “fundamentals”, providing expert guidance on such things as where to source plants, how to save seeds, must-have tools, and the harvesting, conditioning and arranging of cut flowers. In addition, she explores plant biology and soil ecology, while profiling some prominent gardeners, among them Nature Festival curator Jill Woodlands, landscape designer Emma Sadie Thomson and wildflower farmer Marilyn Sprague. Until 2021, Semmler was the head of ornamental gardening and range at the Diggers Club. Today she is Director of Super Bloom, a plant practice that aims to bring “dynamic living beauty and diversity and plant specialists to projects, people and places”.

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A BOOK

GUIDE TO NATIVE ORCHIDS OF VICTORIA

Gary Backhouse

CSIRO Publishing

RRP $49.99

When it comes to diversity of wild orchids, Australia’s second smallest state is one of the richest regions in the world. Victoria offers everything from the minute Mallacoota Midge Orchid, with flowers just 2mm across, to the impressive King Orchid, large examples of which can produce hundreds of fragrant flowers. In his Guide to Native Orchids of Victoria, Gary N. Backhouse includes brief descriptions of 447 species, highlighting key features to help with identification. The book also includes distribution maps and more than 460 photographs of wild orchids in their natural habitat (including some the author claims have never been illustrated before). Backhouse, who worked in biodiversity conservation with the Victorian Government until his retirement in 2012, has travelled the world in search of orchids and photographed more than 5,000 species in the wild. He is the author or co-author of three books on native orchids of Victoria, a book on Caladenia orchids of Australia, and a Guide to Native Orchids of NSW and ACT

AUSTRALIAN FALCONS: ECOLOGY, BEHAVIOUR AND CONSERVATION

Stephen Debus

CSIRO Publishing

RRP $49.99

Falcons are not just beautiful creatures, due to their position at the top of the food chain, they are also important indicators of ecosystem health. Australia has six species – two endemic to the continent and two endemic to Australasia. In Australian Falcons Dr Stephen Debus draws on a variety of sources, including his own field studies, to provide in-depth profiles of all six species, as well as the Black-shouldered Kite (a falcon-like hawk). Along with information on behaviours, ecology and biology, Debus reviews each species’ population status and threats, while outlining the actions that need to be undertaken to ensure their future. The book is designed to serve as a resource for raptor biologists but will also appeal to birdwatchers and anyone interested in wildlife conservation. An honorary research associate in zoology at the University of New England, Debus has studied Australia’s raptors for more than 40 years. He is the author of several books, including Australasian Eagles and Eagle-like Birds and Australian Birds of Prey in Flight

Foundation & Friends has a few copies to give away of the books featured on pages 9–11 (with the exception of Becoming a Botanist). To be in the running to win, just email foundation.friends@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au or write to Letters, Foundation & Friends, Cottage 6, Mrs Macquaries Rd, Sydney NSW 2000 by Friday 16 June. Include your contact details, current membership number and which book you would like to receive.

In our last edition we gave members the chance to win Yates Top 50 Fragrant Plants (Angie Thomas), Wildlife in the Balance (Simon Mustoe) and Garden Gathered: Floral Design & Rural Life at Riverdale Farm (Helen Leighton). Congratulations to our winners: Richard Chaplin, Margaret Dyer, Bronwyn Harris, Joan Lai, Anita Mandic and Judy Pointing.

MOUNT TOMAH’S PERFECT TIMING

THE TEAM AT THE BLUE MOUNTAINS BOTANIC GARDEN IS STARTING WORK ON A NEW ATTRACTION WITH AN EYE TO THE FUTURE AND NOD TO THE PAST. SENIOR HORTICULTURIST MARION WHITEHEAD REPORTS.

At the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden it sometimes feels that things happen just at the right time. It could be the winter snow deciding not to fall until all the team arrive safely on site (and melting in time for us to return home) or the 2019 bushfires stopping only a few meters from the oldest stand of Wollemi Pines in cultivation. It seems only apt, therefore, that we are now preparing to break ground on our very own camellia garden – exactly 200 years after the first planting of a camellia at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.

When completed, the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden’s Camellia Garden will offer historical and rare camellias,

collections best suited to the cool climes of Mount Tomah, and Theaceae family plants that have fascinating stories to tell. And it will be set in a landscape designed to quiet the mind and help visitors find small moments of serenity and reflection. It will also be a space that brings together the upper and lower sections of the northern face of the mountain. Visitors will follow a gently winding path – entered from below our Residence Garden – into a new world beneath the existing canopy of eucalypts and historical plantings. In winter, the slope above the garden will offer a unique view of the riotous colours and massive blooms of the Camellia reticulata overstorey from above, drawing visitors down the hill

into this camellia haven. The canopy will also feature rare and delicate Theaceae trees including Franklinia alatamaha, Schima superba, Polyspora longicarpa and Stewartia pteropetiolata

In the depths of the garden will be small corners where moss grows amongst the trachyte paving, and camellia flowers and acer leaves float, suspended on the surface of water-filled stone reflecting bowls. These small retreats will be constructed to conjure many of the emotions of which camellias are symbolic – including quiet strength, devotion, and new life emerging from the darkness. Flanking the path will be a tapestry of camellias, their pure white and blush pink petals offering a respite from the

Franklinia alatamaha

Photos: alamy.com, © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

dreary winter days, and their deep green, shiny foliage offering salubrious surroundings for the rest of the year. Having amassed a collection of Theaceae family plants (camellias in particular) over the past five years, we have endeavoured to curate the collection in a way that will make the Camellia Garden unique. Following are some of the plants visitors will encounter.

Camellia reticulata

Sometimes referred to as the ”king of camellias” due to its large, showy blooms and striking appearance, Camellia reticulata has a long history of cultivation in East Asia. In ancient China it was highly prized for its ornamental value and used in traditional medicine. It was also cultivated by Chinese aristocracy as a symbol of wealth and status. During the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), C. reticulata began to be exported to Japan, where it was further cultivated and developed into new varieties. It was then introduced to Europe in the 19th century, where it quickly became popular. The Camellia Garden will showcase the oldest and newest incarnations of this wondrous plant and include a range of the most beautiful and rare forms available in Australia. It is unusual to see a large collection of C. reticulata outside of private gardens in Australia, making Mount Tomah a unique camellia destination.

Higo camellias

Inextricably linked to the samurai of Japan’s Higo Province, Higo camellias were first cultivated during the Edo period (1603-1868) and became a

symbol of beauty and refinement. The samurai were skilled warriors, but they also appreciated the finer arts, including horticulture, and took great care in cultivating camellias in their personal gardens, breeding exquisite blooms to please their shogun. From this practice, a tradition emerged where a deceased relative's favourite camellia was planted in the family cemetery as a sign of respect. During the Meiji Restoration (1868–1912), samurai leaders in Kumamoto Prefecture used the Higo camellia as a symbol of their resistance against the new Meiji government. Higo flowers are characterised by their often triangular shaped, flat- to saucer-shaped blooms with large, perfectly symmetrical stamen clusters.

Franklinia alatamaha

Native to the southeastern United States, this small deciduous tree was discovered in 1765 along the banks of Georgia’s Altamaha River by botanist John Bartram, who named it in honour of his friend Benjamin Franklin. The significance of Franklinia alatamaha lies in its status as a ”living fossil”, believed to be a North American glacial relict. By the early 19th century it was thought to be extinct in the wild, however, Bartram

had cultivated seeds in his garden in Philadelphia and today all Franklinia trees in cultivation are descendants of those trees. Franklinia alatamaha is significant because it is the only species in its genus and is not closely related to any other living plant species. This makes it a valuable genetic resource for research and conservation. It’s also beautiful, with white, fragrant blooms and colourful autumn foliage.

Schima superba

Native to Southeast Asia, Schima superba is highly valued for its beauty, as well as its many practical uses. In traditional Chinese medicine, the bark, leaves and flowers of the tree have been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments including coughs, fevers and digestive issues. Schima superba is facing numerous threats, including deforestation, habitat loss and overharvesting for its wood and medicinal properties.

Stewartia pteropetiolata

A stunning tree species, highly valued for its ornamental qualities, this native of Japan is loved for its gorgeous blooms, striking foliage and unique branching structure. Its large, showy white blooms – reminiscent of camellias, with a delicate, almost ethereal quality – appear in early summer. In Japan, the tree is highly valued for its wood, which is used to create a variety of objects, including furniture, musical instruments and even tea ceremony utensils. It is also believed to have spiritual significance and is often planted in temple gardens.

Camellia reticulata Higo camellias

‘The Camellia Garden will help visitors find moments of serenity and reflection’

DAMIAN WRIGLEY

MANAGER, LIVING COLLECTIONS & CONSERVATION

Damian Wrigley hiking the trails behind the Vailima Botanical Garden in Apia, Samoa

What are the key responsibilities of your new position?

I guess you could say I’m an ambassador for the living collections and conservation work across the three Botanic Gardens, the Domain and the Australian PlantBank. Our Living Collections Strategy will be released this year and will guide the way seeds and plants are incorporated, managed, used and deaccessioned across the entire organisation, and it’s my job to ensure that the strategy is implemented effectively. I’ll be working closely with colleagues from all parts of the organisation and collaborating across Australia and overseas to ensure the Botanic Gardens of Sydney continues to develop, maintain and educate the community about one of the world’s leading plant collections.

What attracted you to the role?

The organisation holds incredible collections from a huge diversity of locations across Australia and overseas, so getting to work with all of these is very exciting. I’ve also worked with many individuals across the Botanic Gardens of Sydney in my previous role, so I know what a diverse, committed and amazing group of experts they are. The organisation is achieving loads and I’m excited to be a part of it.

What first got you interested in the world of plants and how did it lead to a career in the field?

My Uncle Jack in Western Australia had an affinity for native plants and a successful side-hustle at guerrilla gardening* throughout the town of Wagin. As a kid we’d visit his wheatbelt farm most holidays, spending afternoons revegetating paddocks that he’d been forced to clear decades earlier. At university I trained as an environmental scientist and then moved east and took a job as a water quality technician with Sydney Water. I soon realised I was more interested in propagating cuttings borrowed from people’s gardens than in the quality of Sydney’s water and so knew it was time to pursue a career in conservation.

Tell us about your career prior to taking up your current role?

I worked for 10 years in biodiversity

conservation policy and programs, and as a knowledge broker for the National Environmental Science Program. Since 2017 I’ve worked at the Australian National Botanic Gardens as the National Coordinator for the Australian Seed Bank Partnership (ASBP), leading a national network of ex situ seed conservation and research experts. Until recently I was the National Focal Point for the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), negotiating and reporting on Australia’s contributions to the GSPC targets. Since 2019 I have also represented Oceania on the Convention on International Trade in Wild Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) Plants Committee. In 2019 and 2022 I was part of the Australian delegation to Geneva and Panama for the 18th and 19th Conference of the Parties to CITES. Following the most recent meeting in Panama, I was elected by the Plants Committee as their Vice Chair.

What have been some of the highlights of your extensive work in plant conservation?

Learning on the job is a major highlight, and I’ve had the good fortune of learning from so many experts, including the members of the Council of Heads of Australian Botanic Gardens. Working with their staff and other partners to progress major seed conservation projects has been a standout career highlight. Other highlights include joining various

meetings and field trips throughout Australia, New Zealand, Panama, Samoa, South Africa, Switzerland and the UK.

We read so much about how our ecosystems are under threat. What gives you hope that we can overcome these challenges?

My experience working with people around Australia on the response to the 2019/20 bushfires. The fires were harrowing for so many personal and professional reasons, but the efforts to respond were incredible and inspiring. I also drew hope from contributing to an ex situ chapter to the recently published Australia’s Megafires^. Learning from zoo experts about their bushfire response and jointly forming recommendations for the future of ex situ conservation helped us all recognise how similar ex situ actions can be for fauna and flora. My experiences have shown me that we can overcome environmental challenges if we work as an ecosystem of organisations, experts and individuals.

When you are not working, what do you like to do?

I love spending time, and exploring new places, with my family and friends. I also like pottering in my garden and taking my mountain bike out for a spin. I’m spending more time at the beach now, having moved from Canberra to the Illawarra coast.

What else should we know about you?

I’m a cis, white, bi man born on Whadjuk country, who left home at 18 to travel overseas. I’m in a long-term relationship with my best friend (and gender specialist), Sian, and we have two boys – Oliver and Lawson, a Kelpie (Mirri) and a cat (Bonecrusher). Sian and I have been together for 21 years, but we’re not married as Sian’s had me on a three-month probation ever since we met. I keep getting renewed for a further three months so I must be doing something right!

'We can overcome environmental challenges if we work as an ecosystem of organisations, experts and individuals.'

*The act of gardening on land that the gardener does not have legal rights to cultivate.

^Rumpff L, Legge SM, van Leeuwen S, Wintle BA, Woinarski JCZ (Eds) (2023) Australia’s Megafires: Biodiversity Impacts and Lessons from 2019-2020. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.

Tree hugging in Boca del Toro, Panama

THE ART OF CRIME

THE DANIEL SOLANDER LIBRARY HOLDS A COLLECTION OF WATERCOLOURS WHOSE BEAUTY BELIES A TRAGIC TALE OF CRIME AND REDEMPTION. MIGUEL GARCIA REPORTS.

Among the Daniel Solander Library’s many collections are two large folio volumes containing 89 watercolours of Australian and introduced plant species. The artworks provide an important connection with our early colonial period, but when gifted to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney at the beginning of the 20th century, their origins were mysterious.

The volumes were donated by Mary Phipson Beale, an expatriate Australian married to British politician Sir William Beale and living in London. She obtained them, through a friend, from a deceased estate auction in 1912.

Phipson Beale presented them to the Garden in the same year, much to the delight of then director Joseph Henry Maiden, who was immediately intrigued by their provenance. Some of the works in pencil, he observed, referenced dates between 1816 and 1820, while others noted places where the plants were sourced, including Hobart, Newcastle, and Sydney and its environs.

Maiden believed them to be images by the first government botanist and superintendent of the Garden, Allan Cunningham, based on the handwriting and the collecting dates on many of the paintings, which correlated with Cunningham’s expeditions with Lieutenant John Oxley from 1817–1824. Most of the works were of different sizes and were soiled, folded or foxed. Maiden had them conserved, mounted and bound into two leather volumes, with Wild flowers of Australia: original drawings engraved on the covers in large gold letters and “Allan Cunningham” inscribed on the spines.

Over the next 200 years, however, doubts as to the works’ provenance

grew among succeeding botanists and librarians. It was noted that some of the depicted plants were introduced species, rather than natives. Others pointed out that the handwriting did not quite match the samples they had from Cunningham. Other possible artists were considered, such as Conrad Martens or John Lewin. Eventually, in 2004, the Library staff asked John McPhee, a noted art historian and curator, to examine the volumes.

A conclusion was finally reached: the watercolours in the two volumes are the work of the celebrated, though tragic convict artist and forger, Joseph Lycett.

So, who exactly was Lycett and how did he come to make these arresting watercolours?

Born in Staffordshire in 1774, little is known of his early life, except that he trained as a miniature and portrait painter,

and also learned engraving. Finding it difficult to make ends meet in early 19th century England, he turned his artistic talents to producing forged bank notes. He was convicted of forgery at Salop Assizes, Shrewsbury, on 10 August 1811 and sentenced to 14 years’ transportation.

He arrived in Port Jackson on 7 February 1814 onboard the convict ship General Hewitt, having survived a hellish journey that was beset by disease and great loss of life among the prisoners through malnutrition.

Lycett’s wife Mary was tried with him and found not guilty, but she followed her husband to Australia as a free passenger on the Northampton in 1815, arriving with their 11-year-old daughter Mary Ann.

Ironically, Lycett was appointed a clerk in the police office soon after arrival. Unfortunately, the constant presence of constabulary did little to dissuade him from felonious activity. When, in May 1815, Sydney was inundated by hundreds of skilfully forged five-shilling notes, they were soon traced to Lycett, who was arrested in possession of a small copper-plate press.

Judged guilty, Lycett was dispatched to the Newcastle penal settlement on 8 July 1815, where he commenced almost a year of hard labour. His fortunes improved, however, when the Commandant, Captain John Wallis, discovered his talents and put him to work copying plans for building projects in Newcastle. Lycett even drew up the plans for a church that Wallis projected, and painted the altar piece after the building was completed in 1818.

Wallis encouraged Lycett to paint landscapes of Newcastle and sketch scenes of local Aboriginal people. Eventually the convict artist received

Thelionema caespitosum

Photos: © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

Styphelia triflora

Styphelia tubflora

Ipomaea sp.

Hibbertia scandens

Bursaria spinosa

a conditional pardon on Wallis' recommendation and returned to Sydney in late 1818. Over the next two years, he executed private commissions and worked for Governor Macquarie, who sent to Lord Bathurst three of his drawings. In what is perceived as a reward for his work, Macquarie granted Lycett an absolute pardon in November 1821.

Buoyed with confidence from his success in Sydney and freed from his sentence, Lycett returned to England the following year with his daughters Mary Ann and Hannah. What became of his wife in the interim is unknown.

He arrived home with grand plans, including publishing a book of Australian views, dedicated to Lord Bathurst. The

‘Convicted of forgery

he was sentenced to 14 years’ transportation’

works were steadily released from 1824 and eventually bound together and sold as Views in Australia (London, 1825). Lycett then announced his intention to publish a natural history series along similar lines, but nothing came of the project.

By 1828, facing hard times, he once again turned to crime, forging notes on the Stourbridge Bank in Bath. On being arrested he cut his own throat, and when recovering in hospital he reportedly tore open the wound and killed himself.

Despite his tragic life, Lycett left us a rich legacy and a large body of work, primarily landscapes of the nascent colony of New South Wales. While examples of his botanical watercolours can be found at other institutions, the Daniel Solander Library holds by far the largest collection. It is possible that these were drawn for Macquarie, but some appear to have been working drawings from which he made copies. Regardless, the two volumes of his watercolours are beautiful and contain some of the first renditions of specific Australian species. Notable native taxa depicted include genus Hibiscus, Grevillea and Hakea, and species such as Actinotus helianthi (Flannel Flower) and Lambertia formosa, commonly known as Mountain Devil.

Platylobium formosum

Tigridia pavonia

Callistemon citrinus

Photos: © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

CHIEF SCIENTIST AND DIRECTOR SCIENCE, EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION, PROFESSOR BRETT SUMMERELL, REPORTS ON A VITAL EXPEDITION TO DOCUMENT BIODIVERSITY IN AUSTRALIA'S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN RANGE.

The Australian Alps are one of the most amazing environments in Australia. Part of the Great Dividing Range, they include the highest peaks on the continent and several significant national parks – among them Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales and the Alpine National Park in Victoria. Within the Alps is an enormous diversity of plants and environmental

conditions. Given the sparsity of truly alpine areas in Australia, many species are endemic to the region, and highly adapted and dependent on the conditions that occur there, especially in those areas above the tree line and covered by snow during winter. The ecosystems of the Alps face a huge number of challenges. The first and most obvious is the impact of

climate change – as temperatures rise, species adapted to an alpine environment are less likely to survive and reproduce. Added to this is the more frequent risk of extreme events such as prolonged drought, flooding and bushfires (large areas were burnt in the 2019/20 Black Summer). Invasive species – weeds, disease and feral animals – are also severely affecting

Given the sparsity of truly alpine areas in Australia, many species in the Australian Alps are endemic and highly adapted

large areas and increasing the risk of species extinction. As such, it is more vital than ever that we collect baseline data on species occurrence.

The Bush Blitz program was established in 2010 to document Australia’s biodiversity and it is our country’s largest nature discovery program. It is a unique multi-million-dollar partnership between the Australian Federal Government, Parks Australia, BHP and Earthwatch Australia to record plants and animals across Australia. As part of the program, herbaria, botanic gardens, museums and universities send along scientists and horticulturists to survey, document and collect all forms of life – enhancing our knowledge of diversity and ensuring there are records and permanent collections in these institutions.

In February 2023 a team from the Gardens joined staff from the Australian Museum, CSIRO, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Museums Victoria and various state national parks to survey locations throughout the Alps. While the aim of these expeditions is to ultimately discover species that have not been scientifically described, it is equally important to document what species are where, supplement collections (especially in areas that have not been surveyed previously) and provide the essential data needed to enable monitoring of inevitable changes. The Gardens has been involved in a number of Bush Blitz expeditions over the past 13 years at locations in NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory.

A wonderful component of these expeditions is the coordination and collaboration of different experts, the support in terms of meal preparations and logistics, and the opportunity to use helicopters to access remote (and sometimes otherwise inaccessible) areas. This ensures that the maximum amount of effort is directed towards exploring and collecting specimens and getting them back to the home base, then on to the various gardens and herbarium. The weather conditions

Photos: Joel Cohen

A helicopter allowed Andrew Orme (left) and Joel Cohen to access remote regions

Kayte Wilkie helps collect species for propagation for the living collections

Chris Cole examines the impact of feral horses

‘Weather conditions were typically extreme’

the team experienced on the Australian Alps Bush Blitz was typically extreme, with snow (even in February!), rain and sunny weather following each other with the sort of unpredictability that is a feature of life in these ecosystems.

The team made approximately 450 collections, which included new populations of a number of threatened species, new records of species for NSW, and several collections of potentially unique species new to science that will need to be researched over the coming months and years. Our colleagues working on insects and spiders found a number of species that haven’t been described before – highlighting how much Australian biodiversity is still poorly understood.

A unique aspect of the expedition was its focus on collecting propagation material to be used in horticultural

displays in the Gardens. A number of species are now safely in the mist houses in the nursery at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan. These species will eventually be planted in suitable locations at the Gardens (particularly the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah) and some have great potential for use in horticulture. Unfortunately, our team observed large numbers of feral horses, deer and other invasive animals – and the damage they cause. The impact of feral horses on fragile biodiverse swamp and riverine environments was significant and a serious cause of concern. These environments contain many rare species and are at great risk from the damage caused by these feral species. It is clear that enhanced efforts are needed to control population numbers in order to properly protect the unique environments

and the plants and animals that make them their home. Weeds and diseases like Phytophthora root rot are also common, and need to be managed and controlled to prevent further spread and allow regeneration of native species.

As these threats become more common and intense, it is increasingly important that greater efforts are made to collect and document species so that we can understand the changes to biodiversity that result. Unless we have accurate baseline data, and information on how ecosystems are changing, it will be difficult to assess the effects of a changing climate and how to mitigate them. In this context it becomes more important than ever for our scientific teams to spend more time in the bush collecting, documenting and highlighting their concerns – all backed up by the best scientifically collected information.

Part of the Great Dividing Range, the Australian Alps include the highest peaks on the continent and several significant national parks

‘The aim is to discover species not scientifically described’

Corymbia ficifolia (Red Flowering Gum) by Beverly Allen

BOTANICA 2023 DE MATERIA MEDICA

PLANTS CAN BE A SALVE TO THE SOUL, BUT THEY ALSO OFFER MEDICINAL BENEFITS IN THE PHYSICAL REALM, A SUBJECT THIS YEAR’S BOTANICA SETS OUT TO EXPLORE. SUE WANNAN REPORTS.

Two thousand years ago a Greek army doctor wrote a five-volume book on herbal medicine that became one of the most influential works of its kind.

De Materia Medica (On Medical Material) covered around 600 plants, along with therapeutically useful animal and mineral products, and included the use and properties of about 1,000 mostly plant-derived drugs. The precursor to modern pharmacopeias, it was widely used and added to by the Greeks, Romans, Indians, Arabs and Europeans until about 1600 AD.

The term “materia medica” came to mean all knowledge about therapeutic medicine (what we call pharmacology).

People all around the world, in all cultures and ages, have used plants as medicines. The World Health Organisation estimates that even today 80% of the world's population depends mainly on traditional remedies and that perhaps two billion people are largely reliant on medicinal plants. In other words, you’d be hard pressed to name a plant that hasn’t, somewhere, at some time, in some way, been used to cure some ailment or affliction.

All of which means that the artists taking part in this year’s Botanica had a broad base from which to draw, as they sought to create works focusing solely on medicinal plants.

Botanica – de Materia Medica also gave artists the ability to venture beyond the strictures of formal botanic art, which must always be scientifically and botanically correct. As a result, this year will see more impressionistic works, in a range of styles, compositions, media and techniques – perhaps pencil, acrylics and oils, photography, embroidery, collage, etching and so on.

There will be around 120 works, all for sale, encompassing artwork from famous internationals to brilliant newcomers.

There’s Angela Lober. At her first Botanica exhibition in 2000, three of her paintings were snapped up by

a renowned New York collector. The following year her Firewheel was bought by Dr Shirley Sherwood, whose gallery in the United Kingdom houses the largest collection of contemporary botanical art in the world.

“I’ve selected native species (for Botanica 2023) as I feel they’ve been generally undervalued and have huge untapped potential in conventional medicine,” says Lober.

Look for her Tuckeroo painting. This Australian rainforest tree bears quite beautiful yellow fruit, with orange and black seeds. An Indigenous plant food, it has been discovered to have extraordinarily high levels of flavonoids, a potent antioxidant.

The Giant Spear Lily used on promotional material for Botanica is also one of Lober’s works. This Spear Lily is a Doryanthes, as is the more common Gymea Lily, the stem fibres of which are known to have been used by Aboriginals for bandaging wounds.

John Pastoriza-Piñol is another Botanica favourite with an international reputation. The Director of the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Gordon Morrison, recently remarked that “PastorizaPiñol’s flowers are lush, potent, sensual celebrations of life.”

Pastoriza-Piñol is submitting Gothic Apothecary – an installation that looks backwards to an age when plants were

Torch Ginger magnificance by Adrienne E Hunt

drawn to show people how to identify and use them. Nine small watercolours (“bright and cheerful”) on vellum will include sketches of the parts of the body that the plants were used to target.

He is also submitting a large study watercolour of a Chinese magnolia. Dried magnolia flower is used in Chinese medicine to treat respiratory complaints.

A passion for painting and for what the subject represents is a common theme among Botanica artists. Leda Turner’s magnificent Cannabis sativa was painted because she and her husband are supporters of the Hunter Medical Research Institute and its long-term studies into medicinal cannabis use (a current one is treatment of leukemia in children).

“Painting for me is a mind trip – it sends me to another place,” says Turner, who was recently elected a Fellow of the Society of Botanical Art in the United Kingdom and will be exhibiting for the

first time in the Society’s Plantae 2023 in London in May.

All exhibitions thrive not just on the valued stars, but also on the first-timers bringing new vibrancy and talent.

Alison Mitchell hasn’t been in Botanica before, but the broader scope of this year’s exhibition brings her work into focus.

Her oil on canvas, Digitalis + Tea, depicts foxglove tea. As well as being the source of digoxin, the drug used to prevent heart arrhythmia, Digitalis purpurea (foxglove) is also an effective poison. The painting, she insists, is a reference to [foxglove’s] use as “a treatment for dropsy and not poisoning with malicious intent.”

Citrus australasica (Australian Finger Lime) comes from Mitchell’s exhibition touring regional Australia, Unlemon – A Meandering Tale of Citrus, which aims to raise awareness of a devastating disease, Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB).

“HLB hasn’t yet got into Australia, but it’s pretty much destroyed 70% of citrus crops in Florida and California, and some experts think it’s fatal for the whole citrus species,” says Mitchell. “But it’s recently been discovered there’s a peptide in Australian Finger Limes that seems resistant. This peptide is being used as a spray, and they’re now using Australian finger lime as rootstock. Australia has more endemic citrus species than anywhere else in the world. It’s fascinating that our Finger Limes are medicinal for humans (for example as a cure for scurvy) but also medicinal for citrus species.”

Garth Henderson is another Botanica first timer. His metre-tall Fire Lily –Gloriosa superba (featured on this issue's front cover) is a knock-yoursocks-off example of botanic art meets computer 3D modelling... and then taken one step further. His approach,

Photos: © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

Tuckeroo by Angela Lober

Lemon scented gum waterfall (one panel of a two-panel work) by Julianne Ross Allcorn

Digitalis purpurea - Foxglove v2 by John Pastoriza-Pinol

he says, is based on geometry rather than scientific exactness.

“As an enthusiastic horticulturist I used to grow fire lilies,” Henderson says. “They’ve got quite an exceptional structure. It’s the shape and the change of colour in the petals that got me. When they open, they’re green, and then they move through variations of green to lime, to orange, to red, all at the same time. It’s an interesting plant, completely toxic, every part of it, and yet it’s so alluring and stunning to look at.”

Gloriosa originates from the tropical and southern regions of Africa and Asia. It has many uses in treatments of arthritis, diabetes, anxiety, intestinal disorders, endoparasitic infections and snakebite.

“I normally work in black and white, and this was one of my first efforts applying colour to 3D models. I started it about seven years ago, and it got put on the back-burner while I concentrated on Australian plants. Up until the point it was printed, I wasn’t certain if it was finished yet, but I think it’s right. I’ve been looking at the 18th century Dutch masters, their iconic floral still lifes, and trying to achieve the representation of texture and form through their subtle directional lighting techniques.”

Botanica de Materia Medica is sponsored by Tattersalls Club, Taylors Wines and the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.

BOTANICA – DE MATERIA MEDICA

29 JULY–13 AUGUST, 10AM–4PM

Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic Garden

Entry is free, and all works will be for sale, with commission going towards a range of programs across the Gardens.

OPENING

FRIDAY JULY 28, 4PM–6PM

Join us at the exhibition’s official opening – a ticketed event at which you will be able to purchase artworks before the doors open to the general public. There will also be an opportunity to meet this year's artists and curators, while enjoying a glass of Taylors wine and some delicious canapés.

To find out more or purchase opening tickets please scan the QR code.

Backlit beauty lemon-scented ironbark by Linda Lunnon

Digitalis + Tea by Alison-Mitchell

Gumnuts and Gumblossoms by Debra Meier

Lemon Scented Myrtle (Leptospermum petersonii) by Vickie Marchant

TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS

For more information or to book please contact us at foundation.friends@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au

SINGAPORE

July 2024

Expressions of Interest

NEW CALEDONIA

4–16 November 2023

Grade: Introductory*

Accommodation: 12 nights (with three-night optional extension available for additional cost)

In a few hours you can be immersed in a hybrid tropical island paradise with indigenous Kanak culture and French cuisine and society. New Caledonia’s isolation and complex geology have led to a unique mix of endemic plants that will be fully explained and explored. The itinerary includes a trip to the Tjibaou Cultural Centre (designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano), with a three-day optional extension available to the Isle of Pines.

Member price: from $9,840pp twin share, land content only

Escort: Named one of Traveller’s ‘Heroes of Travel’, Dr Peter Weston is a former Senior Principal Research Scientist at the National Herbarium of NSW.

NORTHERN JAPAN SUMMER FESTIVALS AND GARDENS

31 July to 13 August 2024

Grade: Introductory*

Accommodation: 13 nights

Join Relle Mott for an adventure in the sweeping landscapes of Aomori and Hokkaido in time for the Aomori Nebuta Festival. These prefectures are wilder, less populated and mostly off the beaten track for foreign tourists. The highlight of our tour will be visiting the Dan Pearson designed Tokachi Millennium Forest on the ‘garden route’ of central Hokkaido, famous for its meadow boardwalk, breathtaking views and harvest table display that captures the flowers and fruits of the forest daily.

Member price: $10,350pp twin share, land content only

Escort: Relle Mott, a former member of the Gardens' education team, has over the past nine years led tours to Japan, Uzbekistan and China.

Timed to coincide with the Singapore Garden Festival, this trip explores more than Gardens by the Bay and orchids. Known as the Garden City, policy like LUSH (Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High-Rises) means all new development removing greenery must replace it, leading to incredible roof top gardens and vertical walls. Food security concerns have also led to creative solutions like market gardens on rooftops and the world’s tallest kitchen garden. Join us as we explore biophilic design at its best and groundbreaking horticulture.

NAMIBIA AND SOUTH AFRICA

2024

Expressions of Interest

Experience the fantastic megafauna of Southern Africa, the beautiful desert landscapes and arid-adapted flora of the Namib desert, mass flowerings of Namaqualand daisies and the mind-boggling botanical diversity of the Cape Floristic region. From Etosha National Park in northern Namibia, travel south to Cape Town via the Swakop River Valley (home of the miraculous Welwitschia mirabilis), the giant sand dunes of Sossusvlei, Fish River Canyon, the flowering deserts of Namaqualand and the Cape Fold Belt and its fynbos shrublands.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, World Expeditions, Meredith Kirton, Johnny Africa © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

*These adventures are not suitable for people with limited mobility. They are designed for participants with a reasonable level of fitness and competent swimming ability. Some days may be quite active and involve steep walks. Prepare with regular moderate exercise.

FROM RARE TROPICAL FLORA IN NEW CALEDONIA TO FOREST FLOWERS IN JAPAN – FOUNDATION & FRIENDS IS OFFERING SOME SPECTACULAR BOTANICAL-THEMED TOURS IN 2023 AND BEYOND.

Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre Hokkaido lavender fields

PLANTS IN THE GARDENS

MORE ABOUT THE WONDERFUL PLANTS TO LOOK OUT FOR NEXT TIME YOU VISIT THE GARDENS.

cold winds. A mild to warm humid environment is ideal. Plants will always need regular watering until they are established, whether grown in the ground or in containers. However, over-watering or poorly drained soil or potting mix will cause roots to rot.

In the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney we have a good range of begonias including the shrubby cane-stemmed variety. There are a number of these plants in the Middle Garden (beds 30 and 31) not far from the Spring Walk and Visitor Centre.

Begonia

(a selection of cane-stemmed varieties)

Family Begoniaceae

There are around 2,000 species of begonias native to tropical and warm areas of the world, especially the tropical regions of the Americas and Asia. Added to this number are seemingly endless cultivars of numerous species.

Begonias have been widely hybridised over many years and are popular potted plants as well as fine garden specimens. Some people associate begonias with the small bedding plants often used in public parks and gardens, or with the vibrant showy tuberous begonias sold in florist shops. The Begonia genus, however, includes quite a range – from small plants to medium-tall shrubs suitable for a wide range of garden applications and as potted plants.

A great many begonias are grown for their foliage alone, with the genus offering a diverse range of leaf shapes, textures and colours.

Their main flowering period is generally from late spring into autumn if conditions are excellent, although not all begonias have long flowering periods.

This large group of ornamental plants is named for Michel Begon, a 17th century French government official in SaintDominique in the Caribbean and a great patron of botany. They may be broadly classified into a group that is defined by their mode of growth: rhizomatous, cane, fibrous-rooted or tuberous.

The ideal location for begonias in the garden is a sheltered position with protection from strong winds and direct summer sun. Most species and cultivars thrive in high light but few are adapted to full sun. They can be great understorey plants as long as there is good light exposure. A majority of species and cultivars are suited to container growing too. Soil or potting mix should be friable (‘crumbly’) and well-drained yet moisture retentive. Some begonias will tolerate winter sun with protection from

Growing Friends Plant Sales generally sells a good range of begonias with varying growth habits, including the taller, showy cane-stemmed begonia. These include: the striking Irene Nuss (adorned with showy bronze leaves with red undersides and dark coral-pink flowers), Sophie Cecile (mid-pink flowers and dark-green leaves marked with silver spots) and White Cane (showy white flowers). There are also species such as Begonia aconitifolia (pink or white flowers), Begonia scharffii (bronzegreen leaves with red undersides and pink and white flowers) and the compact Begonia listada (succulent green leaves with a prominent rib of lighter green and a reddish underside).

Margaret Hanks, Growing Friends, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

Begonia minor

Begonia hybrid

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN SYDNEY

Can you feel the cold winter air in the early morning and at night? It has a habit of making people hide indoors. But for me, winter presents unique opportunities to appreciate the plants around us.

We grow thousands of species at the Royal Botanic Garden, and I still get surprised by something that perhaps hasn’t caught my eye in previous seasons.

One thing that’s hard to go past is the camellia collection. This year we are recognising 200 years since the first camellia was planted in the Royal Botanic Garden. To enjoy the collection, enter the Garden from the Woolloomooloo Gate and pass Rathborne Lodge. It never disappoints.

If you’re into Australian native plants, I recommend spending time viewing our Native Border or The Rockery. Here you will get to see some of the delightful banksias, grevilleas and acacias flowering. It is hard not to appreciate the beauty of Australian flora, particularly plants from the Proteaceae family. They are truly marvellous. Alternatively, you may enjoy some other natives flowering through winter such as Hardenbergia, Callerya or Lechenaultia

A plant I wanted to mention this month is Tetradenia riparia, commonly known as Misty Plume Bush. It originates from Africa and this beauty is a member of the Lamiaceae family, which includes commonly known plants such as mint, basil, oregano and lavender. Tetradenia riparia is semi-deciduous and can be grown as a shrub or small tree. Its stems

are semi-succulent and brittle. Flowers are clustered at the end of branches in shades of white to lilac and even pale pink. When the plant is doing well it is often completely covered with flowers and just about everyone who walks past will stop and take a picture. When people do this, you know the plant is something special.

Interestingly, the Misty Plume Bush was used in traditional medicine for many ailments. It’s said to relieve chest complaints, headaches, stomach aches, malaria and more. We have Tetradenia riparia on display in Bed 7 near the Levy Fountain and the Herb Garden.

Remember to use Garden Explorer when navigating our collection. It will help you locate what you are looking for.

Enjoy your winter gardening.

Jarryd Kelly, Acting Curator Manager

Photos: © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

Tetradenia riparia

BLUE MOUNTAINS BOTANIC GARDEN

Rare in cultivation, Rhododendron macabeanum x R. magnificum features huge dark green leaves up to 70cm long, with downy silver undersides.

With some of the largest leaves of any rhododendron, R. macabeanum x R. magnificum also exhibits some of the most beautiful flowers of any “rhodo,” with sulphur-yellow and baby-pink flowers bursting from buds the size of a fist in early winter.

AUSTRALIAN BOTANIC GARDEN

seasonal weather and humid conditions, even with grafting and the right bed preparation, it really is pot luck.

It is worth keeping in mind that east coast species still flower in autumn and winter, are excellent for attracting birds and creating habitat, and are more suited to our soil types and climate.

Towering above the Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens’ Visitor Centre, this moody tree was originally introduced into gardens around the world by renowned plant hunter Francis Kingdon-Ward, the man made famous for introducing the blue poppy, Mecanopsis, to the horticultural world. Marion Whitehead, Supervisor Ornamental Gardens and Nursery Winter is the perfect time to take in our spectacular collection of banksias in flower at the Australian Botanic Garden. Head straight for the Connections Garden and the Banksia Garden for some of the best displays.

If you wanted to have a crack at growing some of your own native species, banksias are worth the effort – they’re beautiful, enjoy a relatively long flowering period and attract birds (what more does the home gardener want?).

Some of Western Australia’s Banksia species are standouts – Banksia menziesi, for instance, will make you stop in your tracks. However, are they the right plant for growers here on the east coast? With our current crazy

With a wide range of forms and cultivars available, you can have it all – from groundcovers and dwarf forms, to select colour and flowering forms. They are all worth trying and much longer-lived than their WA counterparts.

No doubt when it comes to plants, we are all guilty of wanting it all, but try to remember the benefits of keeping your plant selections local, or as close to that as possible.

Chris Cole, Senior Horticulturist, Horticultural Projects

GROWING FRIENDS PLANT SALES

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney Mon–Fri 11am–2pm, Sat & Sun 10am–2pm

Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan Mon–Sun 9am–4pm

Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah Mon–Sun 9.30am–4.30pm

Rhododendron macabeanum x R. magnificum

Banksia menziesi (Firewood Banksia)

WHAT’S ON

Here is just a taste of what is on offer across our three Gardens. For more information about events, and to book, visit botanicgardens.org.au/What-s-On or just point your mobile device's camera at the QR code on this page, then tap the notification to open the link. Alternatively, phone us on (02) 9231 8182. All activities have been planned with your safety in mind, including social distancing and hygiene measures.

CELEBRATION – BICENTENNIAL OF CAMELLIAS

BICENTENNIAL OF CAMELLIAS SYMPOSIUM

Royal Botanic Garden, Maiden Theatre, Wed 12 July, 2pm–4:30pm

Join us to celebrate 200 years of camellias in Australia. In 1823, Charles Frazer, the first superintendent of Sydney’s Botanic Garden, supervised the first planting of a recorded collection of camellias in the state. Soon camellias would captivate colonial pioneers and begin an important chapter in Australian horticulture. Dr Stephen Utick, visiting Curator Theaceae, will host an afternoon symposium looking at camellias and their incredible contribution to our gardens and culture, from colonial days to the present. Suitable for history buffs and plant enthusiasts. From $30

CAMELLIA ART CLASS

with Beverly Allen

Royal Botanic Garden, Maiden Theatre Tue 29 August–Fri 1 September

9.30am–4pm

CAMELLIA WALK

Royal Botanic Garden

Foundation & Friends’ Terrace

Wed 12 July, 12noon–1.30pm

Join our knowledgeable guides for a tour of the historical camellia living collection, celebrating 200 years of the genus in our Gardens.

From $20

JAPENESE TEA CEREMONY

Royal Botanic Garden, Maiden Theatre

Wed 12 July, 10am–11am Tea, or Camellia sinensis, conquered the 18th century world. We celebrate tea with an extra special cuppa, performed in the Japanese “chado” or “way of the tea.” Not to be missed!

From $35

This class will build your skills through the demonstration of techniques, from initial washes to dry-brush detail and finishing. The emphasis will be on close observation, accurate drawing, subtleties of colour and use of light to create a three-dimensional painting. For intermediate to advanced students, or those with drawing skills and experience in other media. Refreshments and lunches are included.

From $530

Photos: Branching Out, Toni McDowell, Charlotte Sandes, Joe Bidwell, Chado Urasenke Tankokai Sydney Association, Beverly Allen, Shipra Shah, © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

RANDOM WEAVE BASKETRY with

Branching Out

Royal Botanic Garden, Maiden Theatre

Sun 25 June, 9.30am–1.30pm

Spend the morning in the beautiful Botanic Garden, learning how to wrangle vines, twigs and leaves into a woven basket. In this workshop you will learn a number of random weaving techniques, as well as how to harvest and prepare a range of natural materials for basket making.

From $190

CREATIVE COLLAGE WORKSHOP with Toni Mcdowell

Royal Botanic Garden, Maiden Theatre, Thu 24–Fri 25 August, 9.30am–4pm

Explore the exciting possibilities of collage. A great entry into making abstract art, this workshop stimulates ideas, themes and visual stories, while using plants as inspiration. Students will learn leaf printing and experiment with paper, string, bark, paint, crayon and ink. The result? Unique greeting cards and artworks. Some materials supplied. Refreshments and lunch provided. From $300

PROPAGATION WORKSHOP

with

Greg Lamont

Royal Botanic Garden, Maiden Theatre

Sat 26 August, 9.30am–12.30pm

Join Horticultural Adviser Greg Lamont and our highly experienced volunteers for a morning of top gardening advice and hands-on propagating. You’ll learn the fundamentals of potting mixes and plant care as well as lots of tips on propagating plants at home. Included is a walk around the Garden to discuss cutting selection. Morning tea is provided.

From $70

INTRODUCTION TO BOTANICAL ART with Shipra Shah

Royal Botanic Garden, Maiden Theatre, Thu 14–Fri 15 September, 9.30am–4pm

Botanical art is a unique and specialised form of art which portrays an object with precision and detail to bring out its natural beauty. In this workshop, participants will learn the techniques of sketching an object proportionately in pencil, and then use watercolours with light and tone to create depth. Ideal for beginners and students who have some experience in watercolour. Refreshments and lunch provided. From $280

CLASSES

BOTANICA EXHIBITION & EVENTS

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

with Glenn Smith

Australian Botanic Garden

Australian PlantBank

From $120

• Bird Photography

Sun 25 June, 8.15am–1pm

• Post-processing Workshop

Sun 30 July, 8.15am–1pm

• Beginners Workshop

Sun 27 Aug, 8.15am–1pm

BOTANICA DE MATERIA MEDICA OPENING

Royal Botanic Garden, Lion Gate Lodge, Fri 28 July, 4pm–6pm

Join us for the opening night of Botanica de Materia Medica. You'll get the opportunity to mingle with the artists and curators, enjoy Taylors wines along with delicious canapés, and shop for exquisite pieces before the general public in the beautiful surrounds of Lion Gate Lodge. From $55

BOTANICAL ECO-PRINTING

Blue Mountains Botanic Garden

Visitor Centre

Sat 12 August, 9.30am–2pm

Learn the process of eco-printing and create your own botanical eco-scarf using natural materials sourced from the Garden.

Materials and morning tea are provided (BYO lunch).

From $110

BOTANICA DE MATERIA MEDICA EXHIBITION

Royal Botanic Garden, Lion Gate Lodge, Sat 29 July–Sun 13 August, 10am–4pm

The Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens has, for more than twenty years, held an annual botanical art exhibition. Traditional botanic art is European, most often watercolour and must be scientifically accurate. This year we are looking at Botanica de Materia Medica – plants that heal – and welcoming more artistic interpretations of this theme in any medium. The exhibition raises funds to support the scientific works and infrastructure of the Gardens and will feature Australia’s finest botanic artists in addition to new and emerging artists. Free

Photos: Bigga Haataja, Meredith Kirton, Glenn Smith, Anna Voytsekhovich, David van Nunen, Michael Kerstgens, © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

Giant Spear Lily by Angela Lober

Quiet Beauty by Christina Mucha

FOOD WITH FRIENDS CAF É

Royal Botanic Garden, Lion Gate Lodge

Sat 29 & Sun 30 July, Sat 5 & Sun 6 August and Sat 12 & Sun 13 August, 11am–2pm

Visit the exhibition pop-up café, where you can indulge in fresh coffee, sandwiches and homemade treats right in the heart of our exhibition precinct. Take this opportunity to sit and enjoy a treat among the artworks, served by our incredible catering volunteers. All proceeds from the café will benefit our continued support of the Botanic Gardens.

BOTANICA EXHIBITION TOUR

with the Curators

Royal Botanic Garden, Lion Gate Lodge

Wed 2 August, 10.30–11.30am

Sit in the garden at Lion Gate Lodge and take in the atmosphere with a delightful morning or afternoon tea followed by a tour of the Botanica de Materia Medica exhibition by one of the exhibition curators. Enjoy this exclusive small-group experience where you will be able to chat to the curator as they take you through the exhibition.

From $35

ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

MEDICINAL PLANTS

FROM YOUR GARDEN

with Anna Voytsekhovich

Royal Botanic Garden, Maiden Theatre

Wed 9 August–Fri 11 August

9.30am–4pm

Learn botanical art from Anna Voytsekhovich, a professional scientist, scientific illustrator, botanical artist and wildlife illustrator. The emphasis will be on painting plants with medicinal qualities from our everyday gardens. Lunches and refreshments provided.

From $400

PLANTS TO MEDICINE

Royal Botanic Garden

Foundation & Friends’ Terrace

Sat 5 August, 10.30am–12.30pm

Over 25,000 plant species have been listed as having medicinal properties. Our volunteer guides have selected a range of plants that tell the story of plant use in both traditional healthcare and modern medicine.

From $40

BRUSHES WITH HISTORY: AWI CENTENARY EXHIBITION 1923–2023

Royal Botanic Garden

Lion Gate Lodge

Opening night: Thu 31 August, 6pm–8pm. Exhibition: Fri 1–Thu 7 September, 10am–4pm

Throughout its history, a number of Australia’s most celebrated artists have been members of, or exhibited with, the Australian Watercolour Institute (AWI). The AWI works to ensure the future of watercolour painting as a vital medium. Free

50 YEARS ON – MAN ON WIRE

Royal Botanic Garden, Maiden Theatre

Tue 23 May, 10am–11am

Fifty years on, the man who walked on high wire between the Northern Pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge returns to commemorate this extraordinary achievement. Join us for an exclusive get-together with Philippe Petit to hear about his daring feats, including the planning and execution of his Harbour Bridge caper. Suitable for 13+. From $15

David van Nunen

HURRY, BOOK NOW!

WALKS & TALKS

PLANT

THIEVES BOOK TALK

Royal Botanic Garden, Maiden Theatre, Thu 29 June, 10am–11am

Join author Dr Prudence Gibson as she unpacks her new book, The Plant Thieves. Prue will not only reveal some of the incredible stories behind the Herbarium and this book, but we will also get a chance to listen to some poems inspired by the collection. It’s a deep dive that explores the cultural value of the collection with a different kind of lens. From $40

SUNSET SPOTLIGHT

Royal Botanic Garden, Woolloomooloo Gate

5 & 12 July, 6.30pm–8pm

Night-time is the best time to explore the Garden! We'll visit biodiversity 'hotspots' to look for nocturnal animals – some who fly in for the night and others who are long-term residents. We’ll rely on our senses and some tech-gadgets and other field work techniques used by our scientists. Suitable for 8+ (children must be accompanied by a paying adult)

From $36

ASTRONOMY AT THE CALYX

Royal Botanic Garden, The Calyx

Tue 25 July & Tue 29 August

6.30pm–9pm

Join us for a night of astronomy and stargazing in the heart of the Royal Botanic Garden. Over a glass of wine, discover what the night sky teaches you with First Nations astronomer Drew Roberts, then travel through space to visit mysterious planets far from Earth with renowned astronomer Dr Angel Lopez -Sanchez or Fred Watson.

Suitable for adults and kids 12+

From $37

ABORIGINAL HARBOUR

HERITAGE TOUR

with First Nations Guides

Royal Botanic Garden, Visitor Centre

Every Thu, Fri & Sat (excl. public holidays), 11am–12noon

Our First Nations guides will immerse you in the rich Aboriginal culture of the traditional custodians of the Sydney city area, the Gadigal. Stroll along the Sydney Harbour foreshore and listen to stories of Gadigal lifestyle, traditions, history and connection to country and community.

From $27

ABORIGINAL BUSH TUCKER

with First Nations Guides

Royal Botanic Garden, Visitor Centre

Every Thu, Fri, Sat (excl. public holidays), 1pm–2pm

Walk with a First Nations guide to learn more about Indigenous bush foods and how they were used traditionally and adapted to the modern plate and palate. You’ll also take in the Cadi Jam Ora garden to learn about some of the hottest bush foods on the market, all while tasting some goodies for yourself.

From $27

Photos: Alice Bruyn, © Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

KIDS’ HOLIDAY PROGRAM

BLUE MOUNTAINS BOTANIC GARDEN

From $18

• Seedlings Nature School

25 July–12 September

Every Tues, 10am–12noon

• Wild Wollemi Garden

Thu 6 July, 10.30am–12noon or 1pm–2.30pm

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN

From $16 per class

• Jurassic Jungle Explorer

Tue 4, Wed 5 & Thu 6 July 10am–11.30am & 12.30pm–2pm

• Garden Grubs

Fri 7, Mon 10, Tue 11 & Wed 12 July 9am–3.30pm (standard) or 8.30am–4.30pm (long day)

• First Nations Tea Time with your elders (NAIDOC)

Tue 4, Wed 5 & Thu 6 July 12.30pm–2pm

• Seedlings Nature School

27 July–14 September

Every Thu, 10am–12noon

Join our nature educators for activities and nature experiences

MEMBERS ONLY

AUSTRALIAN BOTANIC GARDEN

From $16

• Lost in the bush

Thu 13 July & Fri 14 July 10am–11.30am

• First Nations Tea Time with your elders (NAIDOC)

Tue 11 & Wed 12 July 12.30pm–2.30pm

• Seedlings Nature School

26 July–13 September

Every Wed, 9.30am–11.30am

Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens Ltd, Cottage 6, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney 2000

Phone: (02) 9231 8182

Chief Executive Officer: Peter Thomas foundation.friends@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au botanicgardens.org.au/foundationandfriends

Office hours: Mon–Thu, 9am–3pm facebook.com/FoundationandFriends instagram.com/FoundationandFriends

EDITORIAL

Editor: David Carroll

Designer: Lauren Sutherland

Coordinator: Helen Goodall

Feature writers: Dr Brett Summerell (Botanical Science), John Siemon (Horticulture), Sue Wannan (Arts) and Miguel Garcia (History)

Scientific adviser: Dr Russell Barrett

Regular contributors: Raoul de Ferranti, Margaret Hanks, Jarryd Kelly, Paul Nicholson, Antony Rivers and Marion Whitehead

HELPING HANDS

Discover the work that goes into maintaining the Gardens and learn from the horticulture staff, taking direction from the team. Please wear sturdy boots and bring a hat, gloves, sunscreen and water. Join online as a Foundation & Friends member in order to participate in this exclusive, enlightening, educational and fun activity. Free. Members Only

Blue Mountains Botanic Garden

Mount Tomah, Education Centre

Wed 7 June, Wed 5 July

Wed 2 August, 8.30am–12noon

Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, meet at the main car park

Wed 14 June, Wed 12 July

Wed 9 August, 8.30am–12noon

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Foundation & Friends’ Terrace

Thu 15 June, Thu 20 July

Thu 17 August, 8.30am–12noon

Printer: Bright Print Group

Print Post approved: PP 100004091

ISSN 1324 - 8219

Printed in Australia on paper made from FSC-certified and other controlled materials.

FSC® helps take care of the forests, and the people and wildlife that call them home.

BECOME A MEMBER

Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens supports the important work and programs across your Botanic Gardens –the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah. Our mission is to grow a strong, supportive community to advocate and raise funds for our Botanic Gardens and their vital horticultural, scientific, education and conservation work.

Join our vibrant community of members today by phoning (02) 9231 8182 or visiting botanicgardens.org.au/membership

Membership fees:

Standard $70, Concession/student $60, Household $95, Household concession $80

PROTECT YOUR GARDENS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME

By leaving just a small percentage of your estate as a gift in your will, you’re helping to sustain the gardens for future generations. You are also making a distinctive and substantial contribution to a greener, more sustainable planet.

We rely on this critical support - not only to help the gardens flourish, but to protect global plant biodiversity for the benefit of our planet and humanity.

To find out more about leaving a gift in your will, contact us.

Phone: (02) 9231 8182

Email: foundation.friends@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au

Visit: botanicgardens.org.au/bequest