The Gardens Magazine - Autumn 2024, Issue 140

CAN TREES REALLY SAVE THE PLANET?

ICONIC: OUR LOGO REVEALED

FLORILEGIUM: RAINFOREST SPECIES AT RISK

The Royal tree

Chrysophyllum imperiale

You’ll often find people standing and marvelling at the incredible Royal tree, with its handsome glossy foliage that looks almost pleated.It stands tall, just along from the Maiden Theatre at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, where it has grown for over 150 years. It was originally planted by his Royal Highness Prince Alfred, one of Queen Victoria’s sons, on a visit to Sydney aboard the naval ship Galatea, yet the tree was only formally identified (determined) on 30 May 2002.

The tree is also notable as being called the ‘favourite plant in Sydney’ by Professor Tim Entwisle, and was one of the plants that featured on the cover of his book Evergreen taken from a painting by Hadyn Wilson.

Aside from being quite rare and renowned, the tree has also shown remarkable resilience. It has suffered numerous fungal outbreaks over the last 20 years, and had flying foxes roosting in it for a few years between 2009 and 2020, followed by a caterpillar infestation recorded in 2015.

Although it is unknown where the specimen originated, it has produced a number of notable progeny, including one sent by Growing Friends (who regularly collect seeds for propagation and dispersal) to Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, in honour of the historic planting by their namesake.

Flowering in December, the tree’s shaded boughs are perfect for sheltering under on a hot day. Though too large for the average backyard, it is a much loved tree in the Garden, and also one of Curator Manager Jarryd Kelly’s favourites. Meredith Kirton

Photo: Meredith Kirton

CONTENTS

FEATURES

7 Protecting the Wollemi pine What’s happening worldwide to provide safe havens for the Wollemi pine, including a Royal helping hand

9 Combatting Climate Change How plants can be part of the solution

22 A night to remember

Our New Year’s Eve Picnic, bigger and better than ever

24 John Siemon reports International collaborations to conserve the world’s flora

GARDENS NEWS

4 Autumn Update Updates about Gardens projects and key staff changes

8 Rotary NSW tour The Botanic Gardens team up with Rotary NSW for a special tour and presentation to Rotary members

19 Supporter profile Elizabeth Goodfellow

20 Brand new

We reveal the striking new branding for Botanic Gardens of Sydney

IN EACH ISSUE

12 Artefact The remarkable 17th-century Hortus Malabaricus, one of the most comprehensive works to document the tropical richness of Asian botany

16 First Person Meet Curator Manager of the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah, Ash Filipovski

18 Travel Exciting new Friends’ tours

27 Plants What to look out for in the Gardens this autumn

30 What’s On Your guide to activities and events

Cover: Orange mistletoe (Dendrophthoe glabrescens).

Photo: A. Orme

Autumn news

Our climate is changing, and our flora needs futureproofing. Help us in the fight to save plants from extinction.

END OF YEAR APPEAL PLEASE DONATE BEFORE 31 DECEMBER 2023

THANKS GIVING

Last festive season the Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens launched its end-of-year giving campaign in mid-November 2023, raising almost $57,000. The Foundation & Friends and Botanic Gardens of Sydney combined their efforts for a comprehensive outreach campaign. This included print, digital and social media, during which time we handed out flyers throughout the gardens, put up posters and banners across the three sites, and even had a short video running as part of the Westpac Outdoor Cinema Series, and during Carols at the Domain.

We were chuffed to receive close to $1,300 daily during the 44-day-long appeal that was aimed to raise funds to support our habitat, gardens, biodiversity and environment –and to futureproof your Gardens.

Your contribution is vital in our mission to safeguard the future of our 60,000 plant species. With your support, we can continue our work in plant conservation, maintaining

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we were able to fund two recent projects

• Foundation & Friends have committed $500,000 towards the irrigation controller at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney for automatic watering, which will protect your botanic gardens from climate change.

• Foundation & Friends are funding $550,000 in new laboratory equipment for the Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience.

a living collection that serves as a critical resource against extinction. Your commitment to our cause is truly inspiring, and we are honoured and thank you for your support. Without a doubt, your donation will make a lasting impact on our efforts.

Louise Claridge, Head of Fundraising

When soils become waterlogged, a deadly micro-organism called Phytophthora cinnamoni can thrive. Commonly known as ‘root rot’, the pathogen can lurk for months or sometimes years in dry weather, lying undetected across Australia’s bushlands. Since being introduced to Western Australia in the 1900s, it has wiped out millions of trees and plants across the country. The team at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney’s PlantClinic have been on the frontline of fighting this deadly disease by identifying its rampage across New South Wales. As it spreads further, experts are being forced to think outside the box for faster detection solutions. With funding from the NSW Government’s Saving our Species (SoS) program, the team at PlantClinic have been working with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, the University of Sydney and Tate Animal Training Enterprises on a two-year project to train two dogs, Alice, a Springer Spaniel, and Echo, a Brittany Spaniel, to detect the pathogen. After intensive training, Alice and Echo can now confidently detect infected tube-stock. An additional $50,000 has been awarded to the project team to further fund prevention of the devastating disease.

More than puppy play for this pooch

2023 appeal campaign

FROM RICHARD

This year we will see so many amazing projects reach fruition that began in 2023, as well as exciting upcoming exhibitions and events.

We have been looking forward to the completion of the Robert Brown Building refurbishment at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, including the launch of the new Garden Gallery. This will provide opportunities for education, community engagement and scientific advancements. We are excited for the development of the Summit Boardwalk at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, a beautiful addition to the site that is made possible by the generous support of the Fairfax Foundation.

The forthcoming opening of Stage 1 of the Camellia Garden at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah holds a special place in the hearts of our supporters from Foundation & Friends.

We are looking forward to a year filled with wonderful events and exhibitions, from Handa Opera to Fleurs de Villes to National Science Week.

We’ve also bid farewell to Denise Ora as Chief Executive. I had the privilege of working with Denise since 2021 with the creation of the Australian Institute of Botanical Science Advisory Council. She is a passionate and charismatic leader. While I am sorry I missed out on the chance to work with her as Chair, I am excited for this great opportunity for her and we wish her all the best for her future. And I extend my thanks to Professor Brett Summerell for acting as Chief Executive during the interim. Richard Nunn, newly appointed Chair Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain

FROM THE CEO

On the warm, overcast last day of 2023, many of our members and their guests again gathered at the beautiful Mare and Foal Lawn to celebrate the spectacular arrival of a new year. A vital annual fundraiser, our New Year’s Eve Picnic was again a huge success. This was despite the challenges of a significantly changed landscape for the Botanic Gardens of Sydney team, with the reintroduction by the recent NSW Government decision to allow free entry to many sites. The production team embraced change and created another truly special occasion for our many guests from across Sydney and the world.

This will be a year of change at Foundation & Friends and at Botanic Gardens of Sydney. In December, our close friend, Board member and champion of the Gardens, Denise Ora, announced she would be leaving for a new opportunity as CEO of Metropolitan Memorial Parks in mid-January. In the pivotal role of Chief Executive for the past four years, Denise has overseen so much positive change for your Gardens. We will miss her incredible energy, strategic thinking and passionate support of Foundation & Friends.

In addition, our past Chair, the generous and supportive Clive Austin, will later this year complete the maximum twelve-year term as a Board member. Ian Breedon, our current Chair, will also reach the term limit for that critical position, which is six years. Together with the departure of Denise, this is a major change for the Board. It is also a unique opportunity for us to welcome new talent, ideas and passion. The Board is proactively succession planning to ensure we have the right skills to guide the organisation’s strategy successfully through change into the future.

As we see the growing impacts of the climate emergency and other threats on our plants and gardens, Foundation & Friends has to continue to adapt in order to make as much of a positive impact as we can. This is at times daunting and a little uncomfortable, but I know we have the members, donors, volunteers and broader community to make a real difference. We look forward to working with you to seize the opportunities that change will bring this year.

Pete Thomas

Richard Nunn

Pete Thomas

FAREWELL DENISE

After nearly 10 wonderful years it is time for me to say goodbye. This past decade has been among the most rewarding and fulfilling in my career. I have had the privilege of being the Chief Executive since 2019, helping to navigate some very challenging times and celebrate such amazing achievements. I cannot express the depth of my gratitude for this extraordinary opportunity and journey I have been on. My heartfelt thanks to Clive Austin, Ian Breedon, Pete Thomas, Foundation & Friends Board members and staff, volunteers, members, and donors for all we have accomplished together, and I look forward to seeing the 2024 priorities coming to fruition.

Denise Ora, former Chief Executive, Botanic Gardens of Sydney

WHAT AN HONOUR

Our Chief Scientist and Director Science, Education and Conservation at Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Professor Brett Summerell, received an Australia Day Honour in January. He is one of 194 people appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the environment through plant pathology and mycology.

Professor Brett Summerell AM has been employed at the Botanic Gardens for 35 years and celebrated his anniversary in January. He initially was employed as a plant pathologist and mycologist, but since 2004 has held positions leading the science, education and conservation programs, including those at the National Herbarium of NSW,

the Australian PlantBank, the Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience (ReCER) and PlantClinic. He is also responsible for developing science and education priorities and partnerships, advocating for plant conservation, and representing the Gardens in national and international forums.

As outgoing Chief Executive Denise Ora remarked, the Gardens are in ‘very capable hands’ as he takes on the acting leadership role during the recruitment period. Foundation & Friends are fortunate to have him as a regular contributor to The Gardens magazine. You can read his latest article on page 9. Meredith Kirton

FROM THE FIELD

Scientists from Botanic Gardens of Sydney recently ventured out on a field trip to the leafy North Head Sanctuary in Manly. The teams collected over 231 specimens for documenting in the National Herbarium of NSW, where scientists will unravel the secrets of the flora within the sanctuary. After collection, the species go through a process of drying and pressing, before being meticulously analysed, identified and filed in fire-proof vaults – where they are stored for all time. The specimens’ preservation will contribute to the 1.4 million species stored at the Herbarium that safeguard Australia’s

botanical heritage. Every effort from scientists and volunteers to contribute to the Herbarium’s collection is another success in preserving natural history for future generations and informing critical conservation efforts.

Hervé Sauquet, Head of Plant

Discovery and Evolution Research and Hannah McPherson, Manager Collections at Botanic Gardens of Sydney

You can explore some of the findings on iNaturalist.

Photos: Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust , Hannah Izzard/Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Johnny Hathaway

Scientists Thomas Mesaglio and Melissa Wong collecting specimens at North Head Sanctuary

Denise Ora

Prof. Brett Summerell AM

Safe havens for Wollemi pines

SCIENCE AND HORTICULTURE ESTABLISH NEW SAFE HAVENS FOR WOLLEMI PINES.

This year is the 30th anniversary of the discovery of the Wollemi pine. Botanic Gardens of Sydney has been at the forefront of conservation of this iconic species, and the latest chapter in its story brings together years of scientific study and horticultural experience.

Due to advances in genetic understanding, we can now tell individual wild trees from each other. Since we first started growing this species in our ex situ collection at Mount Annan, through our database records we have carefully traced each and every plant back to its original wild parent tree. With the help of Dr Jason Bragg from the Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience, a new generation of genetically identified plants has been grown by Maureen Phelan at the Australian Botanic Garden, and these plants have been distributed to 34 selected gardens in the United Kingdom, Europe, USA and Australia. Each set of six that were sent to the gardens is slightly different, and across the entire ‘metacollection’ the entire cultivated population is represented.

The selection of gardens for the ‘metacollection’ is based on a study of where and how well Wollemi pines

are growing in various parts of the world, recently published in the journal Plants, People, Planet. In this study, we found that some of the best (tallest, healthiest) cultivated plants are growing in the United Kingdom, as well as in cooler parts of Australia. This chimes with the Wollemi pine being the most cold-tolerant and heat-sensitive of all the Australian Araucariaceae species, found through physiology studies conducted using plants growing in the Australian Botanic Garden published in 2011 in the journal Annals of Botany

The Foundation & Friends partly supported Dr Cathy Offord for a trip made in October 2023 to the UK to allow her to visit some of the plants that were reported in the survey and talk to botanic garden and arboreta staff working on them. This visit confirmed that there are magnificent specimens of Wollemi pine growing as far north as Edinburgh, where Cathy met with Dr Hannah Wilson the Head of the

International Conifer Covnservation Programme. She was also able to visit some of the other gardens participating in the metacollection, most of which already had at least one Wollemi pine growing. The Foundation & Friends also supported Cathy and John Siemon, Director of Horticulture & Living Collections to represent Botanic Gardens of Sydney at the global launch of the Wollemi pine metacollection at Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest on 31 October 2023. They planted one of Bedgebury’s six trees alongside British botanist and broadcaster James Wong, and on 12 December, King Charles planted one of the metacollection

Wollemi pines at Westonbirt Arboretum. Thanks go to metacollection partners Forestry England and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) for helping to organise this project, and the Foundation & Friends for travel support. Cathy Offord, Head Australian PlantBank Research

King Charles III planting a Wollemi pine with Forestry England staff member at the National Arboretum, UK

Dr Cathy Offord and John Siemon with Forestry England staff member at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, UK

WHEELS OF Connection

FOUNDATION & FRIENDS HOST A MEMORABLE GARDEN TOUR FOR ROTARY NSW, WRITES ANNE-MARIE BONNER, FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR FOUNDATION & FRIENDS.

In a harmonious convergence of environmental enthusiasts, Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens partnered with Rotary NSW to host a Garden Tour in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney on Monday 4 December 2023. More than 60 Rotary members from clubs across NSW gathered for an enlightening evening in celebration of nature and sustainable living.

The event commenced at the newly established Amphitheatre with an engaging speech by Pete Thomas, CEO of Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens. Pete highlighted the honour of partnering with Rotary NSW to foster awareness about sustainability and the role that Foundation & Friends plays in raising funds for plant conservation.

Denise Ora, CEO of Botanic Gardens of Sydney, followed suit, delivering an informative update on environmental sustainability and the honour of collaborating with Rotary NSW. She emphasised the collective responsibility to combat climate change and provided practical insights into daily actions that can reduce our environmental impact. Denise also shed light on the Botanic Gardens’ initiatives in championing this cause and talked a little about the history of botanic gardens globally.

Serving as the main speaker for the evening, John Siemon, Director of Horticulture & Living Collections, took the stage next. John captivated the audience with information on the 8,900 plant species living in the Royal

Botanic Garden Sydney and the dedicated work that it carries out to protect and conserve these precious plants. With his expert guidance, the garden tour commenced with Rotary members following John through the Herb Garden, the Meadow and concluded at the Calyx Green Wall, leaving a lasting impression on all who attended.

Brendan O’Keefe, Environment and Sustainability Lead for Rotary NSW, and Dr Stephen Utick, District Lead for Rotary NSW and long-time supporter of the Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens, added valuable perspectives to the discourse, reaffirming the shared commitment to environmental stewardship.

The event provided a unique opportunity for Rotary members to connect with nature.

The event provided a unique opportunity for Rotary members to connect with nature, gain horticultural insights, and establish partnerships with like-minded individuals. Foundation & Friends extend their gratitude for being given the opportunity to partner with Rotary NSW and promote environmental awareness and sustainability for a greener future. We look forward to a blossoming partnership in 2024.

Pete Thomas speaking to the Rotary members

Photos: Anne-Marie Bonner, Glenn Smith

Plants and climate change

PROFESSOR BRETT SUMMERELL

AM, CHIEF SCIENTIST AND DIRECTOR SCIENCE, EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION, REPORTS ON HOW PLANTS CAN BE USED TO COMBAT THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

There has been a lot written and talked about regarding the options for mitigating, and adaptation to, the impacts of climate change. Of particular interest is how nature, and plants in particular, might be an important component in this.

Some of the claims and programs arising from these discussions are tempting, particularly given the benefits being promoted, but they need to be carefully assessed before there is a whole-scale movement towards their adoption.

With respect to plants and vegetation, the most important thing humanity can do to lessen the impact of climate change and a loss of biodiversity is to stop the clearing of vegetation and the removal of trees. This is critically important in areas where old-growth

forests and woodlands still exist, but any area containing mature or semi-mature trees need to be retained wherever possible. These areas have accumulated considerable amounts of carbon and stored them in their trunks, branches and root systems. And while there is always an element of decomposition and breakdown of this material, essential for soil health, woody material accumulates over time and there is a gradual accumulation and storage of carbon in these ecosystems. These older-growth areas are also the most important habitat for a diverse array of wildlife.

HIGH TEMPERATURES AND CARBON CAPTURE

In urban areas there have been extensive programs to plant trees,

and while these will capture some carbon, in the whole scheme of things the amount will be relatively small in comparison to large-scale broad-acre restoration plantings. Urban forest plantings provide an opportunity to mitigate extreme temperatures in urban environments, which is critical with respect to the detrimental effects of heat in built-up city and suburban regions. Research in the outer areas of Sydney by scientists from Western Sydney University has shown that careful design of urban plantings can drop temperatures experienced in areas such as Penrith and Campbelltown by significant amounts. In areas such as this, experiencing 40°C days can amount to the difference between life and death, particularly for those

Old growth rainforest

The most important thing humanity can do to lessen the impact of climate change and a loss of biodiversity is to stop the clearing of vegetation and the removal of trees.

Logged Tasmanian forests

who are susceptible to the effects of extreme temperatures.

Large-scale carbon capture plantings have been promoted as an option for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and while this is theoretically correct, the devil is of course in the detail. Trees take a significant time to grow and reach a point where the carbon accumulated and then captured on a regular basis, provides a significant reduction in the levels of carbon in the atmosphere. Realistically this should be expected to take 10–20 years before a noticeable effect would be observed and measured, depending on the environmental conditions that prevail during that period. Obviously if there are periods of drought, larger scale plantings take much longer to establish.

THE NEED TO PLANT GENETICALLY DIVERSE NATIVE SPECIES

Given this lag phase, there has been a tendency to promote the use of monocultures of fast-growing species regardless of whether the species chosen is native or not to a particular region. For example, in many parts of the world there have been extensive plantings of eucalypts because they are fast growing, easy to propagate and to establish, and relatively cheap compared to some other species. Unfortunately, such plantings do little to address issues such as the biodiversity crisis that is being concurrently experienced, and is unlikely to support native wildlife in those regions. Sadly, all too often the seed sourced in such plantings is from a very narrow genetic base, showing little genetic variability and limited capacity to respond and adapt to pests, diseases or climate fluctuations.

These schemes have also suffered from a ‘plant it and walk away’ philosophy – this is often the case where such schemes are facilitated by tax exemptions or a green-wash scenario. Anyone who has planted trees will know that this is the relatively easy part – the care and maintenance over an extended number of years is what is critical, expensive and resource intensive. There have been numerous examples of large amounts of money and physical resources wasted on failed schemes where there has been little attention paid to ensuring that the areas are maintained into the future.

Prof Brett Summerell AM and Dr Louise Shuey, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, sampling for Phytophthora at Bunya Mountains National Park

Botanic Gardens Conservation International, which represents botanic gardens and the work that they do internationally, has developed a framework for a Global Biodiversity Standard. This standard certifies that plantings and restoration brings about an improvement in both carbon capture and biodiversity values. The framework focuses on ensuring that, first and foremost, the plants used are native to the region, that there is a diversity of species planted, and for each species the seed is not from the same source, i.e., it is genetically diverse and resilient. Such plantings are more likely to support a diversity of wildlife and more likely to survive and grow into the future.

Our own work at the Australian Institute of Botanical Science is very focused on supporting this framework. It is critical to have access to information on the seed propagation requirements of a diversity of species – the technological

requirements for germinating and establishing diverse species at the same time is not trivial and the work we do at the Australian PlantBank supports this. Our PlantClinic team is developing ways to ensure that plants used in urban plantings and restoration are free of pathogens such Phytophthora. Through the development of Restore and Renew, our genomics team at the Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience is providing the genetic information for hundreds of widely used restoration species in Australia. This will support the establishment of restored ecosystems that are more likely to be genetically resilient in response to threats such as diseases and climate extremes.

Plants will be part of the solution for combatting climate change and for removing high levels of carbon in the atmosphere; but it won’t be simple, it requires expertise and investment and it won’t be a short-term fix.

Plants will be part of the solution for combatting climate change and for removing high levels of carbon in the atmosphere.

If plantings are done properly, it will support and create habitat for a diverse array of species, improve degraded landscapes and provide options for recreation for humans. It will only be one component of the remedy and in the short term it is clear that we need to hasten to move to renewable sources of energy and reduce our general footprint on the planet.

Photos: Brett Summerell , Glenn Smith, Alamy.com (John Quixley)

Views of bunya pines at Bunya Mountains National Park

THE

WONDROUS

GARDEN OF MALABAR

ONE OF THE EARLIEST PRINTED WORKS ON THE FLORA OF TROPICAL ASIA, THE REMARKABLE HORTUS MALABARICUS TOOK MORE THAN 30 YEARS TO COMPILE. MIGUEL GARCIA REPORTS.

Photos: Danial Solander Library Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Picasa recreation by Wiki user Aaroamal

A 17th-century, 12-volume work held in the Daniel Solander Library, the Hortus Malabaricus (which translates to The Garden of Malabar), is one of those rare works in history; a collaboration between cultures as much as individuals.

This bilingual work in Latin and Dutch, considered one of the most comprehensive printed works on the botanical richness of tropical Asia, documented and illustrated the varieties of plants in the region and their medicinal, culinary or economic importance.

The work’s compilation was begun by Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede, a soldier and administrator for the Dutch East India Company and Governor of Malabar in the southwest of India (modern Kerala, Karnataka and Goa), from 1669–1676. He developed an interest in exotic botany, especially that of the Malabar coast, an area of 900 km in length and varying in width from 74 – 200 km.

Van Rheede was deeply impressed by the flora of the region and describes it thusly in volume 3 of the Hortus:

On the way I observed large, lofty and dense forests … it was often very pleasant to behold on one tree, leaves, flowers and fruits of ten or twelve different kinds displayed. And yet they did not harm this tree in any way, so that the trunks of such trees were very close to each other and very thick, or at all events they lifted their heads in the air to an elegant height of as much as eighty feet … and thus these forests resembled a house of a very elegant structure rather than virgin forests … I judged not without reason that this part of India was truly and rightly the most fertile part of the whole world.

Itty Achudan

Van Rheede’s interest in the flora and its use by the local Indians also spawned a worry, even in 1678, that this ancient knowledge might be at risk of being lost:

[the use of plants] whose curative virtues were proclaimed by indigenous physicians as having been famous for extreme antiquity ... [is] rapidly approaching its end …

But van Rheede had to rely on local experts who had the knowledge and experience to document the Malabar flora, which he did not. Kerala had medical traditions that existed even prior to Ayurvedic tradition, among other medical traditions including a considerable contribution from Buddhism, a major force between the 6th and 11th centuries.

The Hortus describes not only the medicinal uses of plants, but also their habit, foliage, flowers, fruits, colours, smell, taste, culinary and economic uses, but includes their preparation and application. This knowledge was based on ancient records of the renowned hereditary Indian physicians of the region. The chief of these was Itty Achudan, a distinguished herbalist among his peers in Kerala.

The ethnobotanical information in the Hortus was extracted from palm leaf manuscripts by Itty Achudan. He dictated their contents in Malayalam, which were then examined by three ‘priest-physicians’, after which they were subjected to a process of thorough verification, discussion with other scholars and scholarly consensus. The final draft was translated into Portuguese by the Company’s interpreters and then rendered into Dutch and Latin.

Van Rheede

Horus Malabaricus

Van Rheede was highly affected by the authority, as well as the civility and culture in which the discussions took place, without ‘acerbity, mental disturbance or neglect to respect others’ opinion’.

This work took almost 30 years to be compiled and had contributions not only from the 16 local experts, but from 200 knowledgeable local collectors who brought specimens from different regions and in different seasons. Also employed in the work were Dutch academic and amateur botanists, physicians, engravers and illustrators. According to contemporary sources, nearly 100 people were involved in the production of the Hortus

The Hortus Malabaricus was published in Amsterdam between 1678 and 1693. Each of the 12 volumes is about 500 pages in length, and the whole work is lavishly illustrated with 794 copperplate engravings of 742 plants.

It is notable that in this period prior to Linnaeus’s system of taxonomy, that the Hortus uses a classification system traditionally used by the philosopherpriests and physicians of the region. Also, in the Hortus, plant names are not only recorded in Latin, but in other languages, including Malayalam, Konkani and Arabic. Several species of plants illustrated in the Hortus have been noted by botanical science as the botanical ‘typ’ – a specimen selected to serve as a reference point when a plant species is first named.

Though the Hortus describes mostly native plants it also includes naturalised plants, such as banana, black pepper, betel vine, ginger, sappan wood

(used for water purification) and turmeric. Also described are plants introduced by the Portuguese, such as the sweet potato, pineapple, chilli, papaya, guava and cashew nut. The fact that these plants are noted in the Hortus indicates that the climate and soil conditions were suitable for their cultivation and that the people of the area had assimilated them into their culture and cuisine. The records and descriptions of the plants in the Hortus Malabaricus serve as a historical storehouse of the ethnobotanical, cultural, social and linguistic conditions prevailing in the region in those times.

Van Rheede’s and Achudan’s work represents perhaps the only authentic record of the local medical knowledge of ancient Malabar available to us today. Some plants in the work still remain unidentified, suggesting that additional research could produce results that may continue to influence future treatments in modern medicine.

Photos: Danial Solander Library Botanic Gardens of Sydney

Horus Malabaricus

So useful and unique was the information in the Hortus that Carl Linnaeus himself used it, making note in his Genera Plantarum of 1737 that he did not trust any authors except Dillenius in his Hortus Elthamensis, Charles Plumier on American plants, and van Rheede in Hortus Malabaricus

Linnaeus also noted that van Rheede was the most accurate of the three.

Many of Linnaeus’s specific botanical names originate from Malayalam names recorded in the Hortus

As much as the Hortus Malabaricus represents the preservation of important ethnobotanical and ethnomedical information, it is also an enduring reminder that science can serve as a catalyst for cooperation and intellectual exchange between different cultures.

Horus Malabaricus

Horus Malabaricus

Ash Filipovski in the meadow garden at Blue Mountains Botanic Garden

Photo: Csilla Swain

Ash Filipovski

CURATOR MANAGER BLUE MOUNTAINS BOTANIC GARDEN MOUNT TOMAH.

Eighteen months ago Ash Filipovski made the journey from Victoria with his young family to head up the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah. Meredith Kirton caught up with Ash to find out what drives him.

What first attracted you to horticulture and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden (BMBG)?

My earliest memories are in the garden with my grandma pottering around hothouses and fern gardens. I still have some of the orchids she and I tended to when I was a kid.

My family migrated to Australia in the 1940s from Macedonia, Poland and Ukraine. For them, horticulture was not just a hobby but a survival skill. They had to cultivate life-sustaining crops in harsh, war-torn villages. Once they moved to Australia, they were able to thrive and as a result they had more time to grow decorative gardens. They taught me so much of what I know today.

Sometimes, my grandparents would send me off to sell their excess produce at the local markets or stores. I found a melting pot of culture, personalities and languages there. Before I knew it, I had grown to love people as much as plants. Horticulture has always been a part of my family, a part of my life, and a part of me. Perhaps it is these childhood experiences that have influenced me as an individual who is interested in watching people develop and grow as much as I enjoy watching gardens grow.

At 14, I began living the dream as I started an apprenticeship at Geelong Botanic Gardens (GBG) in Victoria (especially as I also got to work with my future wife!). From then on, I took every opportunity and expanded my skill set rapidly – looking back, my desire to learn and see more of the industry was insatiable. Eventually,

all the learning, working and hustling led me back to the GBG as its Director. In this position, I got to work alongside some exceptional people in the industry and initiated the Pacific Rim landscape project, one of the most exciting times of my career up until my move to New South Wales (I encourage you to take a road trip and check it out).

The Gymnosperm collection featured in the Pacific Rim landscape expands to 1.6 hectares and consists of many rare and threatened species. This garden was the result of 30 years of conservation work throughout the Pacific region. Brilliant minds pioneered it; my role was to shine a light on my team and pull the

Horticulture has always been a part of my family, a part of my life, and a part of me.

vision

together.

That is the essence of what I do – spot talent, improve workplace culture, streamline processes and get projects (aka dreams) over the finish line.

Leaving Victoria and a garden I was very fond of seemed a little crazy then. But I was eager to keep learning, growing and developing botanic gardens. As soon as my boots hit the ground at Mount Tomah, all my apprehensions and doubts melted away. I was immediately greeted by an enthusiastic and talented team, not to mention the sheer powerful beauty and majesty of the mountains and the breadth of its plant collections, particularly the camellias. I knew (and have since been proven correct) that we would all have a lot of happy days together!

What vision do you have for Mount Tomah?

While considering the future of BMBG, I always consider the importance of balancing beauty, conservation, community and education within a botanic garden setting. These focus areas contribute to a vision that will ultimately inspire others to appreciate horticulture as much as we do – more if possible. Our latest projects, the Formal Garden and the Camellia Garden, have both recently been upgraded to align with these focus areas. As a result we have been able to implement new landscapes full of wonder and beauty.

While the future promises to bring a plethora of amazing new projects, it will also bring challenges. Our region can be a harsh one and is known for its bushfires, floods, droughts and snow. But we will be ready and resilient with much of the forward planning centring around the mitigation of these extremes and the sustainability of everything we implement.

How do you spend your spare time?

It’s no surprise with my line of work that I love the outdoors. In Victoria I enjoyed diving at local shipwrecks and surfing, but now that I live in rugged mountains, I’m thoroughly enjoying bushwalking, river fishing, camping and the new flora greeting me at every turn. Aside from these outdoor pursuits, my wife and I enjoy gardening on our small farm, passing the skills we have learnt on to our two kids, who are particularly skilled at growing pumpkins! My daughter (13) loves floristry, and my son (11) takes care of the veggies and chickens. They are beginning to learn their way around the local farmers’ market where they sell their excess produce for pocket money. It is a joy to see the next generation preparing to take care of our treasured green spaces well into the future.

Travel with friends

EXCITING ITINERARIES AND FULLY GUIDED TOURS THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO FASCINATING BOTANICAL PLACES AROUND THE WORLD – ALL WHILE SUPPORTING YOUR BOTANIC GARDENS.

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

BHUTAN 2025

The level of interest in this destination has been very high, and the tour has been a long time in the planning. We know that many members are interested in this fascinating opportunity, guided by the wonderful Relle Mott.

Due to the high level of interest we are designing two separate itineraries, one will be slightly more physical, but both will offer amazing opportunities to explore and immerse yourself in the beauty and wonder of Bhutan.

ESCORT: RELLE MOTT

Relle Mott has been associated with the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney for many years as a member of the Education team and the Volunteer Guides group. She has previously led tours to Japan, Uzbekistan and China sharing her love of plants, new cultures and destinations with like-minded travellers.

BHUTAN IN SPRING

April 2025

Expressions of interest

Grade: Moderate*

Accommodation: 11 nights

TOUR ONE

After spending two days in Paro acclimatising to the higher altitude, we set off to explore ancient towns, fortresses and monasteries, including a day trip to the iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery. Enjoy the spring blooming on day walks in rhododendron forests, a visit to the Lamperi Royal Botanical Gardens with a local botanical expert and beautiful rural valleys staying in comfortable hotels each night. Experience the timeless culture of Bhutan, and its philosophy of Gross National Happiness. This small group tour will start and finish in Paro, Bhutan.

BHUTAN’S DRUK PATH TREK

April – May 2025

Expressions of interest

Grade: Moderate/Strenuous**

Accommodation: 11 nights

(6 nights camping)

TOUR TWO

This tour follows on from the ‘Bhutan in Spring’ tour. Experience Bhutan’s classic trek following an ancient trade route through rhododendron forests and alpine spring meadows, past yak herder camps, over high passes, and fully supported camping beside clear mountain lakes with spectacular views of the eastern Himalayan peaks. After the trek we visit beautiful rural villages and monasteries to learn about the fascinating culture of Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon. This small group tour will start and finish in Paro, Bhutan.

TRAVEL TO COLOMBIA

We are now taking expressions of interest for a trip to Colombia with Peter Weston in 2026. Please contact us for more details.

Photos: Liz Light, Alamy.com (Awe_Som_ ), Elizabeth Goodfellow

*The walking is moderate but at altitudes above 2000 m. A good level of active fitness is required for this trip. **While distances are short (maximum 12 km per day) this trek requires fitness and endurance for walking and camping at altitudes with daily ascents and descents of up to 1000 m at altitude to 4200 m.

Bhutan monastery monks, Paro

Rhododendron in full bloom

REGULAR SUPPORTER PROFILE

Elizabeth Goodfellow

The Foundation & Friends network of supporters is made up of a wide variety of generous individuals. Some people give large gifts, specified to vital funding projects, such as the Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience (ReCER) laboratory, or the Rainforest Seed Conservation Program. Others give through their time, providing generous volunteer hours for an array of fundraising programs. One group of donors who aren’t as well known, but who play an equally important role supporting the work of Botanic Gardens of Sydney, are our regular givers. These are donors who contribute regularly, often monthly, but sometimes quarterly or even weekly, in smaller increments like $10, $20 or $50, in support of funding the mission of Botanic Gardens of Sydney.

These donors’ contributions support all areas of the Gardens. They play a pivotal role in the maintenance, essential conservation efforts, educational programs, and ongoing research projects. Their funding has touched every single area of the

Gardens. Just as plants depend on a consistent nutrient supply for sustained growth, regular donors provide the essential financial nourishment that allows the Gardens to flourish.

Elizabeth Goodfellow is one of our regular givers. At work she is a Business Change Facilitator and Advisor and at home she is based in Yass on a 4-hectare property, 0.8 hectares of which is garden. She is passionate about the environment and has directed much of her energy towards this end through the Climate Ready Revegetation Project with Landcare, and is passionate about food miles and growing your own food. She founded a not-for-profit organisation called 100kilos.org, which aims to encourage every home in Australia to grow 100 kg of their own fruit and veg each year.

Having grown up in Sydney, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney has always been one of Goodfellow’s favourite places: ‘It used to feel like such an enormous green space when I was a teenager, I couldn’t believe how large it was, and as an adult I see how

large the city is and how precious the Gardens are as green space.’

Elizabeth is writing a book that looks at how much more we need to do in the future to be ready for Climate Change, a project that was inspired after a camping trip in 1991 travelling over 2500 km looking for vegetation that would survive at her place in the years to come, so she can futureproof her property. Elizabeth doesn’t just talk the talk, she also walks the walk. She realised she was using PlantNET

As an adult I see how large the city is and how precious the Gardens are as green space.

– the Plant Information Network System of Botanic Gardens of Sydney – quite frequently for her research, so signed up to a become a regular donor to the Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens. It is her way of paying back. ‘I am a non-botanist, and I find this simple and easy to use,’ explained Goodfellow, adding, ‘I hope my regular contribution supports the scientific work that the Gardens does’.

Our regular donors, by giving consistently and over a long period of time (often over decades), help us to ensure the stability and growth of the Gardens. It is the ongoing generosity that helps us to foster biodiversity conservation, scientific innovation, and community engagement. Their support allows our green space to thrive and helps us to prioritise plant conservation for future generations.

Meredith Kirton and Louise Claridge

Elizabeth Goodfellow in her garden

BRAND NEW

FOUNDATION

& FRIENDS OF THE BOTANIC GARDENS IS EXCITED TO LAUNCH OUR BEAUTIFUL NEW LOGO AND BRANDING IN 2024.

As many of our readers would have already noticed, Botanic Gardens of Sydney began rolling out a new logo and brand over the past year. This triggered a refresh of the Foundation & Friends logo, which had historically been a ‘branch of their tree’.

BOTANIC GARDENS OF SYDNEY

The new Botanic Gardens of Sydney brand has been refined and reimagined to reinforce the vision, purpose and role of the Botanic Gardens. A single consumer-facing brand and a unifying name have been developed for the entire organisation and all four sites.

The new logo replaces more than 20 that had been developed over time, and features a simple but distinctive geometric design made up of clustered parentheses. Rather than replicate a

particular plant, the idea was to create a symbolic representation so that people could bring their own interpretation.

Some people see a petal-like quality, while others have suggested seed pods.

The logo also captures the social values of the Botanic Gardens. The central shape is also intended to reflect them as meeting places, where people come together.

Accompanying the logo is a series of dynamic kaleidoscopes, which build on the geometry of the main design to pique interest. These designs are based on botanical paintings from the Florilegium Society collection and watercolours curated by Swell.

FIRST NATIONS PERSPECTIVE

The new brand’s creative elements have been carefully designed to resonate with diverse audiences. Importantly are the First Nations’ communities upon whose Country the Botanic Gardens are located, the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the Darug and Dharawal peoples.

The design gives meaning to symbols such as cupped hands for drinking water at cultural gatherings and receiving items from Elders, as well as the sun, the source of life shining through. The palette proudly includes natural ochre tones.

Photos: J. Plaza, Swell Design Group

Growing Friends Plant Sales

FOUNDATION & FRIENDS

Foundation & Friends engaged Swell, a Canberra-based creative studio that produced the Botanic Gardens of Sydney brand, to develop their new logo and branding.

Swell director and senior designer, Pete Flanagan, wanted the Foundation & Friends’ brand to capture the deeper engagement that its supporters have with the Gardens. Pete said:

Using cues from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney design, the Foundation & Friends brand is celebratory and visually flower like. Foundation & Friends are using the same colour palette that the Botanic Gardens are using, and new fonts, but will also feature its own colour – yellow. A positive, warm and creative colour, yellow is a great choice for Foundation & Friends.

Robyn Macintosh OAM, Life Member and volunteer Curator, reflected at the brand presentation held in November on the new logo saying:

I think it’s great. It’s fresh and modern and edgy. I love the new branding.

Ann Rasmussen, volunteer, observed that: ‘the logo reflects this closer relationship’, and the ‘shadow shapes added behind the Gardens logo spoke directly to me’.

The Board endorsed the new logo and brand at their meeting in December 2023. To minimise costs, the new logo and brand will gradually be introduced as materials need replacement and renewal. Tool kits will be developed to help volunteers and staff use the new logo across the organisation.

Foundation & Friends is thankful to Swell for the reduced fee and ongoing support of the logo renewal.

Pete Thomas, Foundation & Friends CEO, commented that:

In our new logo we have added another layer to the symbol developed for Botanic Gardens of Sydney. This reflects what we do – we contribute another layer to the amazing work of the Botanic Gardens, making them stronger and more effective.

The Gardens magazine concept development

A SPARKLING Celebration

A SELL-OUT NEW YEAR’S EVE PICNIC TO REMEMBER. BY

JOE BIDWELL,

EVENTS & MARKETING OFFICER.

It’s 5 pm on the last day of 2023. You’ve just been greeted by a friendly volunteer and scanned into the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney to attend Foundation & Friends’ New Year’s Eve Picnic. As you wander through the walkways decorated with lush greenery, a sense of anticipation is palpable. Each step takes you closer to one of the most coveted views in the world. You walk a little further, arriving at the pictureperfect Mare & Foal Lawn. As you find a spot to enjoy the show, you’re rewarded with sweeping vistas of the iconic Sydney Harbour. Surrounded by friends, family and loved ones, you await the fireworks … Foundation & Friends have been hosting the New Year’s Eve Picnic for almost 30 years. Since its humble beginnings, the event has grown from a small celebration of volunteers to our calendar’s most significant fundraising

event. To farewell 2023, a record 3400 ticket holders entered the gates of the Royal Botanic Garden, joining an evergrowing Foundation & Friends community in raising more than $470,000 for Botanic Gardens of Sydney. As one of only two ticketed New Year’s Eve events on public space along the harbour foreshore, picnicking with Foundation & Friends provides members with an exclusive experience, whilst funding a large contribution towards the work of the Foundation. These facts were not lost on our membership,

Foundation & Friends have been hosting the New Year’s Eve Picnic for almost 30 years.

as the picnic sold out in record time even with the increased capacity.

Following a December of scorching temperatures, New Year’s Eve brought a welcome reprieve, with overcast, softly lit skies providing perfect conditions for our roaming photographer, Harrison Sarasola. While all the action was captured beautifully, our beloved feathery friends, the Seagulls, returned for another year to steal the show.

The unsung heroes of the night were our team of volunteers, who contributed more than 140 hours over the course of New Year’s Eve, many of them meeting for the first time, united by a love of the Gardens. After giving their time, the opportunity to stay and watch the firework display was a well-deserved reward. As the night sky illuminated in a kaleidoscope of colours, the Foundation & Friends community was on full show.

Photos: Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Harrison Sarasola

COLLABORATIVE Conservation

TJOHN SIEMON, DIRECTOR HORTICULTURE & LIVING COLLECTIONS, UPDATES US ON IMPORTANT NEW PROJECTS, EXHIBITIONS, A SCHOLARSHIP AND INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS.

he tail end of 2023 has kept our Horticulture team busy with some reprieve from the sustained wet weather of the last few years. This is welcome for some of our precious living collections that suffer from wet feet, but for our Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, which operates off the grid without access to a town water supply, we have experienced water restrictions this summer as the dam began to run dry.

A highlight of last year was the launch of the Wollemi meta collection in the UK. As Cathy Offord writes in this issue of The Gardens, we were fortunate to have HRH King Charles III plant one of our Wollemi pines at Forestry England’s National Arboretum, Westonbirt, as part of this global conservation project. While in the UK for the launch, Cathy and I were able to visit the Chelsea Physic Garden, which was established by the Worshipful Society of pothecaries of London in 1673, making it the oldest botanic garden in London, and the second oldest in England after Oxford (which was founded in 1621). I was also fortunate to spend a day behind the scenes, looking at glasshouse operations at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, in order to inform the Full Business Case we recently finalised to submit to NSW Treasury for a much

needed $30 million overhaul of the propagation and research greenhouse infrastructure at Mount Annan.

In November we had the chance to soft-launch a project at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, which was several years in the making. We worked closely with the First Nations community to develop and install a plaque in Cadi Jam Ora, adjacent to the First Farm beds, which reads ‘The First Peoples of this country have nurtured and cared for the land for tens of thousands of years. At the heart of their culture and lore is complex science, deep understanding, and Connection to Country.’

Also in November, Botanic Gardens of Sydney’s past exhibition, Inside the Tide: A Marine Dream of Coral, Kelp and

Coast, at The Calyx, won the Temporary Interpretation Event or Display award at the 2023 Interpretation Australia National Awards for Excellence. Codeveloped with Erth Visual & Physical Inc., Inside the Tide was a playful and imaginative celebration of the unique biodiversity of marine environments, interweaving fascinating stories of plants, animals, habitats and people.

Visitors will be immersed in a multisensory experience, exploring the circles and cycles that exist within these unique ecosystems.

It’s been an incredible year, with The Calyx also hosting exciting and inclusive events as part of Sydney World Pride 2023. Looking forward, the current exhibition, Love Your Nature, will finish up in mid-2024, and preparations for the next exhibition are already well underway. The Calyx will be transformed to showcase one of Earth’s most critically important ecosystems – rainforests. Visitors will be immersed in a multi-sensory experience, exploring the circles and cycles that exist within these unique ecosystems. I’m excited to share more about the new exhibition in future updates.

In December, Damian Wrigley, Manager Living Collections & Conservation represented the Oceania Region on behalf of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Plants Committee, one of two technical

Photos: John Siemon

Participating in international efforts to conserve the world’s flora is a critical element of the work delivered by Botanic Gardens of Sydney.

committees charged with providing scientific advice to assist in CITES implementation. Damian co-chaired the Non-detriment Findings workshop at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya. This workshop, supported with technical expertise from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), refined guidance for Parties (Countries) on international best practice approaches to assessing the status of a species, with a focus on whether international trade of CITES-listed species can be delivered sustainably.

CITES is celebrating its 50th year since the first meeting of the Convention in Washington DC in 1973. Since CITES’ establishment, botanic gardens and herbaria have become major players in its implementation, providing scientific advice, and collaborating on the development of knowledge and the conservation of species threatened by unsustainable international trade.

Participating in international efforts to conserve the world’s flora is a critical element of the work delivered by Botanic Gardens of Sydney. These collaborations provide an avenue for us to demonstrate our commitment to plant conservation and achieve ‘Global recognition through impact, leadership and world class operations’, a key Strategic Outcome of our recently released Living Collections Strategy.

In December we also announced the successful recipients of the Lorna and Clive Backhouse of Mount Tomah Scholarship. The Scholarship provides one or more scholarships annually to employees of Botanic Gardens of Sydney to support travel and/or study,

Bedgebury National Pinetum

Plaque in Cadi Jam Ora

Chelsea Physic

For the first time we have permanently integrated QR coding and braille into our signage to assist visually impaired individuals.

working at other institutions or botanic gardens and/or other educational or work activities. The Scholarship seeks to advance the knowledge of the Scholarship recipients and the Gardens, in horticulture and/or plant physiology of relevance to the Mount Tomah Garden. The Scholarship Panel, comprised of the Chief Scientist, Director of Horticulture & Living Collections and the Curator Manager of Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah, shortlisted seven of the 12 applications to progress to the

next, more detailed, application stage. Five successful applicants – some made on behalf of group applications – were collectively awarded more than $110,000 in 2023 to support a diverse range of Scholarship topics, including developing a Nothofagus moorei metacollection, sourcing Camellia and Theaceae material from NSW and Victoria, attending the Alpine Garden Society Victoria Group Conference, attending the 8th Global Botanic Gardens Congress (GBGC) and field trips and a staff training program to secure living collection material from the Carrai plateau.

Earlier in the year, the Horticulture & Living Collections team welcomed the very talented Sophie Daniel into the fold, who now leads our Interpretation and Placemaking operations. Sophie has been incredibly busy over the last year finalising our new Interpretation style guide, which has slowly started to roll out across all Gardens. This will be a phased program as funding becomes available to support the upgrade of our infrastructure, which significantly improves presentation,

legibility and accessibility to a broader audience. For the first time we have permanently integrated QR coding and braille into our signage to assist visually impaired individuals.

After many years we are also developing a Landscape Style Guide for each estate, kicking off with the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. The Guide will take several years to fully complete and will develop a cohesive and consistent style for all parts of the organisation to deploy materials and hardware, from paving styles to paint colour and benches, bins and handrails. If you are wondering why this is important, let me offer the example that at one of our estates we have nine different bench styles alone! While the implementation will take many years to achieve a consistent design palette, the guide will help our collective teams to make decisions about purchasing and, importantly, improve aesthetics, function and enjoyment for our visitors – even if they don’t realise it.

Photos: Photos: John Siemon

, Alamy.com (Andria Patino)

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

Interpretative sign in the palm grove

Interpretative sign in the camellia collection

PLANTS IN THE GARDENS

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

For gardeners, trees are like children – one should never have a favourite. However, in autumn each year, as the unique bilobed leaves of this tree turns a golden yellow, it is hard to resist the temptation. Ginkgo biloba, or the maidenhair tre, is the last surviving member of an ancient plant lineage that is over 250 million years old. Venerated for the resilience and longevity of individual trees in Chinese and Japanese culture, this species also carries a survived inheritance across millions of years. Revered for their beauty, utility and connection to spiritual culture, ginkgos were brought to Japan with Buddhism in the 6th century CE, and the oldest specimen in Europe – planted in Utrecht Botanic Gardens in 1730 – still survives today.

Ginkgos are deciduous trees that can grow to 40 metres tall. They are unique among trees in that they do not produce flowers or cones. Male trees bear small spikes of pollen sacs, while female trees form ovules at the end of a stalk, which develop into seeds after fertilisation, bearing a fleshy yellow outer layer. The nut-like gametophytes inside the seeds are not only edible but often served at special occasions including Lunar New Year. However, as the seeds ripen they ferment, releasing a pungent smell like rancid butter, resulting in fewer female trees being publicly planted. In the Sydney Garden we have multiple seed-bearing trees, including the oldest in our collection near a Wollemi pine. This ginkgo has also started to form aerial roots, chichi (Japanese) or zhong-ru (Chinese),

This tree has also started to form aerial roots, which may take hundreds of years to reach the ground.

which may take hundreds of years to reach the ground. A much younger tree holds a special place in the heart of many Garden’s staff, planted near Rathborne lodge as a memorial for a much-loved member of the horticultural team Leandro Hernandez.

Paul Nicholson, Manager

Volunteer Programs

Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba

AUSTRALIAN BOTANIC GARDEN

The Botanic Gardens are never static!

There is always something happening, and here at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan (ABG) that is certainly the case. The small but mighty horticultural team here has been continually working through regular maintenance and multiple horticultural projects. A major one, which most visitors will see at ABG, is the preparation of the spring display, with beds being readied for seeding. The team has continued to remove African olive from the site, focusing on selectively removing individuals from the upper southern slopes of Mount Annan and replanting within the remnant native vegetation with trees from the critically endangered Western Sydney Dry Rainforest.

A highlight for me in autumn is our living collection. I am looking forward to seeing the croweas coming into bloom; the Crowea genus is in the family Rutaceae (the same family as citrus and Murraya). Croweas tend to bloom throughout the year but are most profuse in autumn and early

winter. A great way to locate our crowea collections before arriving at the Gardens is via our publicly accessible collections database, ‘Garden Explorer’. Garden Explorer displays the location of individual plants on a Gardens map, along with basic information about the various species and cultivars on display.

Now, with autumn, I cannot forget to mention the beautiful colours that some deciduous native species display. With ABG being a garden containing only native living collections, the number of deciduous plants is limited. And while there are some native deciduous plants, not all are deciduous in autumn and winter. After you have visited and marvelled at the amazing progress the horticulture team has delivered across the collections and our projects, I encourage you to visit the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah to experience their exotic and deciduous living collections, as these always put on an amazing show. Michael Elgey, Curator Manager

You can access our Garden Explorer and look up any plant in our collection via the database.

BLUE MOUNTAINS BOTANIC GARDEN

The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden is renowned for its stunning autumn trees, and this year’s display is shaping up to be spectacular. The cool, clear nights have brought out a deep brilliance in the foliage.

Adding to the beauty of the trees is the newly completed Perennial Garden, which is entering dormancy for the first time. The design of the garden was crafted with careful consideration of the autumn months, and now its full splendour can be seen. The dry rust and burgundy foliage combined with warm floral colours provide a sense of relief after the intensity of summer.

Further down in the Lower Gardens, the new Camellia Garden landscape is almost complete. Many bluestone walls have been meticulously constructed to blend in with the surrounding landscape, while hidden features and artworks have been thoughtfully placed and are waiting to be unveiled. Planting will soon begin, transforming this landscape and taking the first step towards creating one of Australia’s most beautiful camellia collections.

Early last year we were thrilled to announce the opening of the Tomah Cafe. Since then, it has been a delight serving our guests with delicious food and providing them with stunning views. This year, we are pleased to let you know that the Mt Tomah Kiosk is also open for business, which has further increased dining capacity at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden. The kiosk has been very popular, and gives us great joy to see so many families enjoying coffee and ice cream while exploring the Gardens.

Ash Filipovski, Curator

Crowea exalata

A golden Acer palmatum cultivar in the Brunet Garden

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN SYDNEY

Autumn foliage is nature’s way of bidding farewell, at least for a while. The landscape changes to a kaleidoscope of warm hues as daylight dwindles and the cooler temperatures set in. Brilliant reds, fiery oranges and golden yellows emerge as chlorophyll breaks down in the leaves, allowing anthocyanins, carotenoids and other pigments to take centre stage. At the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney we are fortunate to have many deciduous shrubs and trees.

I encourage you to make your way through the Gardens on more than one occasion this autumn to capture the seasonal transition in its entirety. Fortunately, in nature not everything happens all at once, nor at the exact time as the previous year.

This autumn, be sure to visit the Oriental Garden and witness some of our amazing weeping maples. One to look out for is Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’. Continuing on, Lawn 59 has two oak trees you simply don’t want to miss. Both the Quercus coccinea (scarlet oak) and the Q. robur (English oak) will not disappoint. Continue to Lawn 52 for a treat in the form of Fraxinus chinensis (Chinese ash). From here pass through the Lower Gardens heading towards and past Botanic House. In Bed 42 another maple awaits – Acer palmatum ‘Orangeola’. Back in the Middle Gardens, Bed 31 has a stunning Fraxinus ornus (flowering ash) to admire before continuing to the gorgeous Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo) in Lawn 2a. Lastly, be sure to check out the Fraxinus americana (white ash) in Domain Lawn 38.

Jarryd Kelly, Curator Manager

GROWING FRIENDS

Autumn is the perfect time to familiarise ourselves with plants that are at their best after a long, hot summer, and each of the gardens have something special to offer as the season changes.

A plethora of cool-climate plants that exhibit autumn colour can be found at The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah, and plants grown at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan remind us of the versatility of often overlooked natives.

It’s a great time to see the extensive collection of early-flowering Camellia sasanqua, which are in bloom from early autumn right through winter and striking Vireya rhododendrons are most prolific during autumn and spring.

The last few years have seen the addition of some wonderful tropical plants

including a number of Costus sp., which flower in autumn, before winter pruning. There is also the spectacular Whitfieldia elongata, a handsome evergreen shrub with massed spikes of white flowers.

When visiting Growing Friends on Mrs Macquaries Road you will see that we have begun the installation of a green wall. This provides us with the exciting opportunity to display plants that can be grown indoors or where space is limited. Plants suitable for growing in green walls will be available for sale, along with a good selection of rare and unusual plants sourced from the living collection.

We look forward to seeing you in Growing Friends Plant Sales and the Gardens in autumn.

Belinda Moon, Growing Friends Sydney

GROWING FRIENDS PLANT SALES

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

Monday – Friday, 11 am – 2 pm

Saturday & Sunday, 10 am – 2 pm

Australian Botanic Garden

Mount Annan

Monday – Sunday, 9 am – 4 pm

Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah

Monday – Sunday, 9.30 am – 5 pm

Quercus coccinea (scarlet oak)

Camellia sasanqua

Rhododendron ‘Pacific Showers’

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/Whats-On, scan the QR code on this page or phone us on (02) 9231 8182.

EXHIBITION

THE FLORILEGIUM:

RAINFOREST SPECIES AT RISK ART I SCIENCE I ECOSYSTEMS

The Garden Gallery

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

Enter via Mrs Macquaries Road

Fri 5 April – Sun 5 May, 10 am – 4 pm

Free

The Florilegium Society is excited to present the inaugural exhibition at The Garden Gallery at the Royal Botanic

by Lauren Sahu-Khan

Garden Sydney. This exhibition will focus on the impact of climate change and plant pathogens on rainforest species and increased human activity leading to habitat loss and fragmentation of rainforests.

As well as new paintings of rainforest species and relevant works from the existing collection, the content will include an introduction to the Florilegium Society and its previous projects.

There will be a focus on botanical illustration at the National Herbarium of New South Wales, including some of the exquisite early 20th-century works by Margaret Flockton and more recent illustrations by Lesley Elkan and Catherine Wardrop.

The paintings complement the work of the research teams based at PlantBank at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, and at the Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience (ReCER) at Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. ReCER uses a technologically advanced large-scale genomic approach to help guide the restoration and conservation of resilient ecosystems.

The endangered species of the east coast rainforests of New South Wales and Queensland are a key theme. The Lowland Rainforest of Subtropical Australia is a critically endangered ecological community and has the most diverse tree flora of any vegetation type in NSW. It supports the World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests and it contains the Big Scrub rainforest. The exhibition will highlight the conservation of Macadamia species impacted by habitat loss, Myrtaceae species impacted by myrtle rust, and Aboriginal food plant dispersal. Other research by Botanic Gardens of Sydney staff includes tropical cloud forest species at risk from climate change as well as the establishment of the Wollemi pine metacollection.

The species painted by the artists for the exhibition include the rare, the common and the overlooked – all will be impacted by climate change.

Colleen Morris, Curator

Brachychiton aceriflorius

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

AUTUMN HARVEST

with Charlotte Thodey

Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden

Tue 5 – Wed 6 March, 9.30 am – 4 pm

A practical search for solutions in the ‘still life’ genre with an emphasis on composition, tone and colour. Explore your individual style, from a loose open brush to finely detailed work. You’ll be making use of seasonal fruit, foliage, vegetables, china and linen as props. Learn to make big decisions about small things and clear the mind. Lunch and refreshments will be provided each day.

From $340

ART KINTSUGI WORKSHOP

with Yoko Kawada

Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden

Tue 19 or Wed 20 March, 10 am – 3 pm

Join Yoko Kawada in the Garden for a unique hands-on workshop. Kintsugi is a centuries-old Japanese craftwork where broken ceramic objects are pieced back together using lacquer and gold dust, finding beauty in imperfection. This process transforms rescued objects to create a new piece of art. You will produce your own Kintsugi art to take home. Materials and lunch provided.

From $190

GARDENING IN SMALL SPACES

with Greg Lamont

Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden

Sat 9 March, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm

Living in small spaces is not a barrier to creating a beautiful, lush and sustainable garden. Join Greg Lamont and Liz Jeavons-Fellows who share their passion and broad knowledge of horticulture to excite you about gardening. There will also be some hands-on basics about propagating and potting plants. A delicious morning tea will also be provided.

From $70

FUNGI IN BOTANICAL ART

with Anna Voytsekhovich

Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden

Wed 1 – Fri 3 May, 9.30 am – 4 pm

Learn botanical art from Anna Voytsekhovich, scientist, scientific illustrator, botanical artist and wildlife illustrator. During this three-day workshop, Anna will explain the different groups of fungi and will also demonstrate varied watercolour techniques used in botanical art, as well as materials and styles. Lunch and refreshments included.

From $400

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

with Glenn Smith

Australian PlantBank, Australian Botanic Garden

• Bird photography

Sun 10 March, 8.15 am – 1 pm

• Fungi photography

Sun 14 April, 8.15 am – 1 pm

• Flower photography

Sun 19 May, 8.15 am – 1 pm

These workshops will cover the many varied aspects of improving your nature photos. Learn to use your camera in the easiest possible way.

From $120

TUSSIE MUSSIE WORKSHOP

with Darren Martin

Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden

Sun 12 May, 10 – 11.30 am

Join us this Mother’s Day and explore the historical language of flowers. After discovering the meaning of particular flowers, you will create your very own tussie mussie (small flower arrangement) using a variety of flowers and herbs with Darren Martin from the Royal Botanic Garden. These beautiful bunches with secret messages will be yours to take home and enjoy. Morning tea provided. From $70

Photos: Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust , Charlotte Thodey, Greg Lamont, Glenn Smith, Yoko Kawada, Anna Voytsekhovich, pixabay.com

WALKS & TALKS

GHOSTLY GARDEN

Woolloomooloo Gate

Royal Botanic Garden

Fri 8, 22 March, 12 April, 3 May

Times vary according to sunset

Take a twilight adventure through the Garden in this spine-tingling event. Journey along shadowy tree-lined paths and hear spooky stories of strange happenings from the Garden’s past, as flying foxes flit above your head and night creatures stare from the treetops. Suitable for 12+. Under 18s must be accompanied by a paying adult.

From $37

ASTRONOMY AT MOUNT TOMAH

Visitors Centre

Blue Mountains Botanic Garden

Fri 12 April, 5.30 – 8 pm

Join us for a night of astronomy and star gazing immersed in the heart of the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden. Over a glass of wine, understand the cultural significance of the night sky with First Nations astronomer Drew Roberts from Shared Knowledge, then travel through space to visit mysterious planets far from Earth with renowned astronomer Dr Angel Lopez-Sanchez. Suitable for 12+. From $55

ASTRONOMY AT THE CALYX

The Calyx, Royal Botanic Garden

Wed 20 March, 17 April, 6.30 – 9 pm

Hear from astronomer presenters about everything from space volcanoes to dark energy! Then venture outside for an Aboriginal perspective on the stars, and view the night sky through telescopes with a glass of wine in hand. Suitable for 12+. From $37

AUSTRALIAN RAINFORESTS – WALK AND VISIT TO THE FLORILEGIUM: RAINFOREST AT RISK EXHIBITION

Robert Brown Building

Royal Botanic Garden

Sat 13 or Tue 16 April, 10 am – 12 pm

Begin at the florilegium for an exclusive talk with the curators, indulge in morning tea, then join a guided tour through the Rainforest Garden. Learn about Australia’s unique and precious rainforests, and projects led by our scientific staff to conserve rainforest species and restore their ecosystems.

From $40

BREAKFAST WITH THE BIRDS

Foundation & Friends’ Terrace, Royal Botanic Garden, Thu 9 May, 7.30 – 10 am

The Royal Botanic Garden is home to many beautiful bird species, and this is your opportunity to explore the birds that inhabit our Garden with experienced volunteer guides. The species you will see include tawny frogmouths, white-necked herons and chestnut teals. The tour will conclude with breakfast on the on the Foundation & Friends’ Terrace. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars! From $45

Photos: Glenn Smith, Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

WOMEN WHO MADE THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN WALK

Foundation & Friends’ Terrace, Royal Botanic Garden, Sun 12 May, 2 – 4 pm

Women have played a vital but sometimes overlooked role in the development of the Royal Botanic Garden as well as our knowledge and use of plants. To celebrate Mother’s Day, our volunteer guides will explore the role of women in the work and development of the Botanic Garden and our understanding of plants and plant uses. This walk will feature the stories of artists, scientists, gardeners, royalty and stars of stage and screen, while visiting plants, sculptures and parts of the Garden that help tell the women’s stories. After the walk a refreshing afternoon tea will be served on the Foundation & Friends’ Terrace. From $40

ABORIGINAL HARBOUR HERITAGE TOUR

with First Nations guides

Visitor Centre, Royal Botanic Garden

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

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

Visitor Centre, Royal Botanic Garden

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

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

KIDS’ ACTIVITIES

BLUE MOUNTAINS

BOTANIC GARDEN

From $18

• Seedlings Nature School

Check our website for dates

• Shelters and Bushcraft

Tue 23, Wed 24 April, 10 – 11.30 am

• First Nations Medicinal Munchies

Check our website for dates

AUSTRALIAN BOTANIC GARDEN

From $18

• Seedlings Nature School

Wed 7 Feb – 3 April, 9.30 – 11.30 am

• Shelters and Bushcraft

Thu 18, Fri 19 April, 10 – 11.30 am

• First Nations Medicinal Munchies

Thu 18, Fri 19 April, 10 – 11.30 am

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN

From $18

• Ghostly Garden for Kids!

Fri 19 April, 5.30 – 7 pm

• Seedlings Nature School

Every Tues, 6 February – 6 April, 10 am – 12 noon

Every Thur, 8 February – 4 April, 10 am – 12 noon

• Shelters and Bushcraft

Mon 15, Tue 16, Wed 17 April, 10.30 – 12 noon, 1 – 2.30 pm

• Sunset Spotlight

Wed 17 & 24 April, 6.30 – 8 pm

• First Nations Medicinal Munchies

Thu 18, Fri 19, Thu 25, Fri 26 April, 10 – 11.30 am, 12.30 – 2 pm

GROWING FRIENDS PLANT SALES

SUMMER STOCKTAKE SALE

2 – 15 APRIL

Shop rare and unusual plants propagated from the living collection, just in time for autumn planting.

Discounts are in full bloom for two weeks only, with 20% off all plants* and 40% off for current Foundation & Friends members ^ . While stocks last.

*Discount does not apply to Foundation & Friends merchandise and selected stock items. ^Valid membership card required at point of sale.

GROWING FRIENDS PLANT SALES

CLOSED FOR EASTER 29 MARCH – 1 APRIL

Reopening 2 April. See page 29 for opening times.

Salvia karwinskii

Get involved

Did you know that people who volunteer experience higher levels of happiness and wellbeing? Here at Foundation & Friends, there are many ways to get involved. We have nine volunteer programs that could use your skills and expertise. Volunteering not only helps support our thriving, connected community that supports the Gardens, it also contributes directly to fundraising. You will learn new skills, meet like-minded people and be part of something special – not to mention enjoy the health benefits! There are myriad ways you can be part of our wonderful community, and we look forward to welcoming you. To get invovled, contact our Volunteer Coordinator on 9231 8182, visit botanicgardens.org.au or scan the QR code.

Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens Ltd, Cottage 6, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney 2000 Phone: (02) 9231 8182

Leave a lasting legacy and shape the Botanic Gardens’ future. Contact Foundation & Friends on 9231 8182, visit botanicgardens.org.au or scan the QR code.

Chief Executive Officer: Peter Thomas foundation.friends@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au botanicgardens.org.au/foundation-and-friends Office hours: Mon – Thu, 9 am – 3 pm facebook.com/FoundationandFriends instagram.com/FoundationandFriends

EDITORIAL

Acting editor: Csilla Swain

Commissioning editor: Meredith Kirton

Editorial Assistant: Ariana Klepac

Designers: Lauren Sutherland, Swell Design Group

Staff proofreader: Michelle Burke

Feature writers: Prof. Brett Summerell (Botanical Science), John Siemon (Horticulture), Miguel Garcia (History), Anne-Marie Bonner, Meredith Kirton, Csilla Swain

Scientific adviser: Dr Russell Barrett

Regular contributors: Michael Elgey, Raoul de Ferranti, Ashley Filipovski, Jarryd Kelly, Paul Nicholson, Antony Rivers

Text and design © Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens

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 & 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 Botanic Gardens of Sydney 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

Photos: Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust