ISSUE 96 {Autumn 2013} rrp $5.95
botanica
a preview of this year’s exhibition
autumn in your gardens
find out what’s on in our new-look diary
CONTENTS Features
03 Thanks to the volunteers 05 Planning the Biome Project 10 Botanica: The Masters & Moore:
Don't miss this wonderful exhibition
13 Foundation & Friends scholarship:
Relle Mott visits Mexico 14 Margaret Flockton: Explore the life of this extraordinary botanical artist 16 In profile: Sandy Pratten, tour leader 18 Peter Weston takes a Foundation & Friends’ tour to Southern Africa 32 First Person: Mathew Murray
PLANTS
12 Garden focus: Plectranthus argentatus 12 Growing Gardens: Mathew Murray explains what to do in autumn
20 Growing Friends: Shade lovers
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WHAT’S ON
21 Autumn diary: Our new-look diary
outlines all the events in the Gardens
31 Autumn in Your Gardens
IN EACH ISSUE
03 Chairman’s welcome: Clive Austin 04 Executive Director’s report:
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Professor David Mabberley
06 Foundation & Friends’ news: Letters and Out & About in the Gardens
07 Chief Executive Officer’s report: Debbie Mills
16 Foundation & Friends’ tours 30 Book reviews 36 Member benefits: Arbonne skin care
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ON THE COVER
NEWS
09 Foundation & Friends’ Annual report: benefits of membership
30 Sponsor a tree 33 The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney: Olive Pink and The First Garden 34 N ews from the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah 35 News from the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan 36 Corporate Club launch
Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens Ltd, Cottage 6, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney 2000 Telephone: (02) 9231 8182 Facsimile: (02) 9241 3064 Email: foundation.friends@rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au Web: www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/foundation andfriends Office hours: Mon to Fri, 9am–5pm Patron Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC Chairman Clive Austin Deputy Chairman Raoul de Ferranti Board John Egan, Richard England, 2
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Gymea lily by Jane Blundell. Find out more about the Botanica exhibition on page 10.
Tim Jackson, Professor David Mabberley, Debbie Mills, Donna Payne, Tony Sherlock, Hugh Springford Secretary Juvie Ormonde Chief Executive Officer Debbie Mills Staff Nicky Hammond, Lyn Johnson, Cassandra King, Robin McBride, Jo O'Brien, Sarah Renwick, Janine Smith, Sandra Stavrou The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney 2000 Telephone: (02) 9231 8111 Facsimile: (02) 9251 4403 The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah Bells Line of Road, via Bilpin 2758 Telephone: (02) 4567 3000 Facsimile: (02) 4567 2037 The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan Mount Annan Drive, Mount Annan 2567 Telephone: (02) 4634 7900 Facsimile: (02) 4634 7950
Editor Debbie McDonald Designer Lauren Sutherland Subeditor Kirsten Colvin Printed by Craft Printing. Print Post Approved. PP 255003/00761. ISSN 1324 – 8219 Printed on FSC Certified paper
facebook.com/FoundationandFriends Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens Ltd was established to encourage the use and enjoyment of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust and to involve the community in the scientific, educational, horticultural, cultural and recreational functions of the Gardens. Foundation & Friends serves as a link between the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust and the community, and promotes, supports and contributes to the development of the Gardens.
Photos: Trisha Austin, Simone Cottrell.
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
In the summer edition of The Gardens I referred to commentary from economists and business leaders who highlighted innovation, tourism and sustainability as being areas of opportunity. The comments are continuing to be articulated. As all these items are in our space it provides us with an opportunity to capitalise upon those sentiments. Those same business leaders and economists would be delighted that the first two of the major projects undertaken by the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, as part of the Bicentenary celebrations, are PlantBank and the redevelopment of the Sydney Tropical Centre, now called the Biome Project. Both projects are focused on innovation, sustainability and tourism, and will provide an exciting platform to communicate the importance of the Gardens, not only as a scientific institution, but also as a place of learning and an important tourist attraction. As you are aware, with a very successful fundraising program we now have the funds in place to complete PlantBank, which will be opened later this year. It is one of the most significant projects the Trust has embarked upon. Which leads me to the Biome Project. I have seen the presentation by the architects and I am confident you will embrace this project just as you did with PlantBank. It will replace the Tropical Centre with a truly innovative design solution. It will feature plants from Australia’s monsoon tropics initially, expanding later into our north in the Malesian biogeographic realm. Importantly, it will incorporate all modern technology to make visiting a must. Autumn is a wonderful time, with all three botanic gardens coming alive for Autumn in Your Gardens, starting Sunday, March 10. On that date you are invited to Autumn Vibes – a free day of entertainment at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney – so please make a note in your diary. We have an exciting year ahead and I look forward to you participating in the events. Clive Austin
The Executive Director says Thank you to volunteers The mood was convivial, the atmosphere celebratory and the recognition richly deserved. The ‘singular sense of purpose’ linking the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust and Foundation & Friends' Volunteers in the room was the shared love and commitment to the Gardens. Guests at the afternoon tea were welcomed to Strangers’ Dining Room at NSW Parliament House by Professor David Mabberley, Executive Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, and our host, the Honourable Robyn Parker MP, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Heritage. “Much of what we achieve at the Gardens could not be done without Volunteers,” said Professor Mabberley. Minister Parker quoted “the real value” of the estimated 40,000 hours donated by volunteers at $820,000 per annum. In acknowledging the significant contribution of Volunteers and the important role they play, Professor Mabberley presented Certificates of Appreciation to those who had served 10–20 years – or more. Collectively, more than 600 volunteers can be found across the Trust and Foundation & Friends in areas such as guiding, catering, visitor information and administration services, exhibition and events, horticulture, science, Herbarium specimen mounting, bush regeneration and wildlife monitoring. So what inspires a Volunteer to keep going? Ann McIntyre and Robyn Guthrie said they like the public interaction, environment, friendship and corporate recognition; Ann Rasmussen likes to give something back. But, the best reason, perhaps, came from 20-year volunteer Ecila Simpson: “Why not?” Ann Burleigh, Foundation & Friends’ volunteer
Volunteers who have served for more than 10 years, with Minister Parker (centre)
“By giving their time and skills without expectation of material reward, volunteers themselves are uplifted by a singular sense of purpose.” UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon
Volunteers who have served for 20 years, with Minister Parker (far left) The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
As promised in the last edition of The Gardens, I am happy to be able to announce that we have appointed three new Directors to the Trust’s Executive. Joining Dr Brett Summerell, who is Deputy Executive Director of Science and Conservation, are Kate Faithorn, Director of Public Engagement, Donna Payne, Director of Development, and Bronwyn Shead, Director of Finance and Commercial Operations. A familiar face to many within Foundation & Friends, Kate has been with the Trust for just over nine years – seven at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah, as Visitor Services and Marketing Manager and two at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. “I am thrilled to be heading the newly created branch of Public Engagement as I have a deep belief in the important role of the Trust in connecting people with plants and see the work of the Public Engagement Branch as pivotal to ensuring new and existing audiences are reached,” she said. “The close working relationship with Foundation & Friends is critical to creating the inspiring and innovative events and activities, which make people realise the importance of plants and their conservation.”
Donna Payne 4
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Bronwyn Shead
Before joining the Trust, Kate held a variety of journalism, marketing and community-building roles, including Features Editor for Dawson Magazines, working on titles such as Weekends for Two and Unique Places to Stay, as well as Project Director of the Hawkesbury Harvest Association, which established the Farm Gate Trail and many farmers’ markets around Sydney. She has been a Director and Chair of a number of tourism industry boards. Donna Payne, who has come from five years as Director of Business Development at the Lowy Institute for International Policy, will be using her fundraising and business-management skills to lead the Trust’s fundraising strategy. “I am delighted to be joining the Trust team at such an exciting time. There are some fabulous projects underway now and coming up in 2013–14. Together, Foundation & Friends and the Trust will achieve great things in raising the funds to support these initiatives,” she said. Donna’s experience includes senior management positions in business development, consulting, human resources and quality management. She is also a volunteer Board Director of the non-profit entity Poetry in Action, which tours poetry performances to schools across Australia. Bronwyn Shead joins us after working for four and a half years as a self-employed contractor/consultant in strategic finance, change management and organisational performance. Before that she held key roles in complex semi-commercial organisations (such as the University of New South Wales, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Australian National Maritime Museum and the Uniting Church). Her roles focused on strengthening management, financial structures and client-servicing functions. She has also served on several not-for-profit councils and management committees. On joining us, Bronwyn said, “I aim to engage staff with the positive and rewarding aspects of achieving and delivering excellence in customer service and organisational performance. I want to understand all perspectives and competing priorities of our organisation, and welcome all learning opportunities that Foundation & Friends, as well as staff, wish to share with me.” Welcome to all! I am thrilled to have such talent within the organisation. We are also fortunate in being awarded a Senior Executive Service position for the Director of Horticultural Operations, the last Executive role we have to fill. As a result, we can not only offer better conditions equivalent to those of the Director of Science and Conservation, but we can also conduct a truly international search with the help of a headhunting agency. Professor David Mabberley
Kate Faithorn
Photos: Hassell Architecture, Simone Cottrell (David Mabberley), Kate Maul (Kate Faithorn), Peter Morris (Donna Payne), Alisia Mason (Bronwyn Shead).
PUTTING TOGETHER THE NEW TEAM
A new home for tropical plants The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust has secured Treasury funding to replace the current Sydney Tropical Centre with a new facility.
The new facility, with the working title ‘the Biome Project’ will be a unique, immersive experience that excites, entertains and educates its audience. The Biome Project’s ultimate objective is to develop a deeper sense of engagement and advocacy for the natural environment. Hassell Architecture was awarded the design tender for the project in July 2012. The intention of the original project was to refurbish the Sydney Tropical Centre, but it soon became evident that a refurbishment of the existing facility would not achieve the Trust’s aims. Concern about the many limitations of the existing facility, including the limited volume in the glasshouses, and the desire to achieve the best value for money for the project indicated that the best solution was to commission a new building. Having worked through a number of concepts, Hassell Architecture is designing a wonderful new building, designed to complement the site and meet the ongoing goals and objectives of the Trust. The entrance for the new building has been turned to the north to embrace the Garden. It will include a gallery, function and retail space, as well as public amenities. It will also be fully disability-access compliant. The theme for the new development features plants from Australia’s monsoon tropics, with the narrative of the Australian environment being told through its people, plants, ancient geology, climate and animals. Work is already underway to investigate options to transplant large specimens of Adansonia (boab), Cycas, Livistona and Pandanus species from the Top End and Western Australia’s Kununurra region into the new facility. Some of the interpretative displays will be ‘virtual’, including a dramatic audio-visual experience in the theatrette, interactive experiences and classroom connectivity to schools, which truly celebrates a uniquely Australian experience. Further Biomes may be added in the future, displaying the themes relating to Australia’s near-neighbours. A Malesian Biome would highlight the mega-biodiverse lowland tropical rainforest of the Malesian biogeographic region, which extends from the south of Thailand across to the Solomon Islands. Interpretation would focus on its biodiversity and the efforts to conserve that biodiversity. This realm includes our northernmost rainforests, and as such, the flora is allied to that of Malesia. An exciting canopy walk is also envisioned as a future Biome, weaving down towards the centre of the garden and emerging near the Palm Grove Centre, offering vistas across the Garden and beyond. Fran Jackson, Manager, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
Concept renderings for the Biome Project
Tropical Centre Closure
The Sydney Tropical Centre will close on 4 February 2013 to allow for work on the exciting new development – the Biome Project – to commence. The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
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foundation & Friends’ NEWS
making it easy Thank you for your assistance in providing the disability parking permit for NYE. The parking space and the assistance from staff at the Botanic Gardens were fantastic and made the experience enjoyable and unforgettable. Our overseas guests were impressed with Sydney and grateful for the service for their disabled daughter. Marianne McCormick
Alexander’s Kitchen Garden programme was too good to miss, however, the lunch surpassed our expectations. It was a joy to see the vegie garden and share the enthusiasm of staff, children and parents for taking it to the table. The refreshing experience served to convince us the holiday had been much longer. A heartfelt thanks to Tim Jackson’s expertise in making this possible! Helen Andrews
TOUR OF THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS Thank you for the wonderful tour of the Southern Highlands. My mum and I had a most enjoyable time. There were many highlights, but I think the best was the garden at Berrima Public School. My regards to Lyn Johnson and Tim Jackson for making it possible. Kerry Palmer
Out & about in the gardens Volunteers who have served at least 15 years, with Hon Robyn Parker MP (second from left)
{Top} Kiera Beauman (in black) and fellow 'rabbits' at Wind in the Willows in the Sydney Garden. {Above} L to R: Jo Allwood, Sally Reid and Louise Olson-Cole at the 30th anniversary celebration. 6
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{Above} L to R: Professor Mabberley, Debbie Mills, Kate Fitzpatrick, Raoul de Ferranti, Professor Bashir, and Clive Austin at the 30th anniversary tree planting.
Photos: Helen Andrews (Southern Highlands), Cassie King, Simone Cottrell, Nicky Hammond,Pam Furney, Debbie McDonald.
highland highlights My husband and I recently joined the Foundation & Friends’ tour to the Southern Highlands. I am writing in the hope that for those who missed the opportunity the highlight might be repeated. The chance to visit the Berrima Public School and see Stephanie
FROM THE chief EXECUTIVE OFFICER
In review It is good to be here in 2013, a year where, working with the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, we will have the opportunity to consolidate and build upon the framework we created in 2012 through the merger to become Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens. As you will have read in Executive Director Professor David Mabberley’s column, he has progressed the recruitment of key positions to lead the newly established branches. We look forward to building our relationships and working closely with the new recruits. The end of 2012 saw us conclude our 30th anniversary year with a celebratory afternoon tea, where we were delighted with the words of congratulations from Professor Mabberley and our patron, her Excellency, Governor of NSW, Professor Marie Bashir. Long-standing volunteers Liz Dent and Ann Rasmussen with special guest Kate Fitzpatrick blew out the candles on our cup cakes. We concluded the event planting our celebratory Podocarpus elatus. It was a wonderful afternoon. As in previous years, we started the New Year with many members and guests at the Mare and Foal Lawn. The night was a great success, thanks to Liz Dent, Nicky Hammond and the many volunteers and staff who support the organisation and the running of this major event. We hope that all the members who attended enjoyed the evening and appreciated the special privilege of enjoying the Sydney Garden on New Year’s Eve. You will see that autumn is very busy with Autumn in Your Gardens, and there are many events – lots of them free! I hope
you have the chance to visit each of the Gardens. We will also be at Camden Show on 15 and 16 March, with Growing Friends’ plants for sale, so make a day of it and visit our stall. Autumn also brings Botanica to the Sydney Garden. We are delighted that we will once again host the exhibition in the Joseph Maiden Theatre and Charles Moore Room. This year will be Lindy Stuart’s final year as Curator of Botanica. It was Lindy’s vision for Botanica that instigated the exhibition’s move to the Joseph Maiden Theatre and Charles Moore Room. She has also worked closely with the Margaret Flockton team to ensure the exhibitions support each other. I would like to thank Lindy for her contribution and for continuing to volunteer with us as we welcome Judy Dunstan as our new curator for Botanica in 2014. Judy has enthusiasm and passion for art and the gardens, both invaluable to her new role. We are also honoured that Dr Michael Brand, Director of the Art Gallery of NSW, is our special guest and opening-night speaker for Botanica. We have included some of Dr Brand’s background in the news pages for your information. I hope you enjoy Autumn in your Gardens! Debbie Mills
have your say AND WIN
New Year’s Eve in the Gardens {Below left} Greg Prentice and Debbie McDonald enjoying the perfect weather {Below right} Tom Cockings and Gillian Burke celebrate their one-year anniversary after meeting in the Gardens last New Year’s Eve.
We love to receive photographs, opinions and stories about the Gardens. Email foundation.friends@rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au or write to: Letters, Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Cottage 6, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney 2000. OUT NOW Kingdom of Plants is an astonishingly beautiful three-part series written and presented by David Attenborough. Entering the strangely slow world of plant time, Attenborough explores how plants cleverly adapt to changing seasons, from the explosive drama of seed dispersal and the bursts of colour as they bloom. Using exquisite footage to complement his own inimitable narrative style, David traces plants from their beginnings on land to their vital place in nature today, discovering new revelations along the way. The three best contributions we receive by 30 March will receive one of three copies of this amazing series (you can choose from DVD or Blu-ray). Marianne McCormick, Kerry Palmer and Helen Andrews have each won a DVD or Blu-ray copy of Kingdom of Plants presented by Sir David Attenborough. The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
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foundation & Friends’ NEWS
Foundation & Friends’ catering volunteers
Book events online today! The autumn diary has more events, activities and workshops for you to enjoy than ever before. The best way to ensure your place at events is to book online. It’s easy, fast, secure and a receipt is issued to you immediately. All you need to do is visit www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/foundationandfriends and click on the link marked ‘Events’. You’ll find a quick link to our diary of events where you can book as many events as you like. If you need any help, you can call the office on 9231 8182 and we’ll be very happy to lend a hand. HORTICULTURIST OF THE YEAR Mark Paul, founder of the Greenwall Company, recently received the Australian Horticulturist of the Year Award 2012, the highest annual award to be given to a horticulturist in Australia. Mark said, “I’m thrilled to have received such a highly regarded award within my industry. Horticulture is a clear passion of mine and I’m committed to greening the built environment, so this is a great achievement for me.” Mark has been in the horticultural industry for over 25 years and his name has become synonymous with efforts to reclaim the built environment, a passion he has had since childhood. Mark Paul is now Australia’s leading green-wall expert, having installed more than 200 green walls in Australia, New Zealand and Brazil. Mark also volunteers for the Foundation & Friends, and he is on the Magazine committee. 8
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Colin and Jan Snodgrass
dr Michael Brand TO open Botanica It is wonderful that the relationship between the Trust and the Art Gallery of NSW is strengthening and, in particular, its new Director, Dr Michael Brand. We are fortunate that Dr Brand has agreed to be our special guest and opening-night speaker at Botanica: The Masters and Moore on Friday 12 April. Michael Brand joined the Gallery in June 2012. Prior to his appointment, he was consulting director of the Aga Khan Museum under construction in Toronto and scheduled to open in 2014. Among many other positions, from 2005 to 2010, Dr Brand was Director of the J Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, leading both the Getty Center and Getty Villa sites and establishing its Center for Photography. Previously, he was director of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond from 2000 to 2005; assistant director, curatorial and collection development at the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane from 1996 to 2000; and curator of Asian art at the National Gallery of Australia from 1988 to 1996. We look forward to welcoming Dr Brand at Botanica. Make sure to book your tickets to Botanica’s opening night. See page 11. Artisans’ 2012 raffle winners: Congratulations to our winners in the Artisans in the Gardens raffle. Each winner took home a lovely piece generously donated by our exhibiting artisans. A big thank you also to everyone who bought a ticket and contributed to the success of the raffle. Our winners are: Gerry O’Sullivan, S Merrett, Dawn McGuire, Alison Rose, Bev Kable, Elizabeth Yap, Jane Newson, Eve Jackson, Gerard Barry, Alan Campbell, Tim Fleming, Margaret Bauer, Jill Regnis, Jenny Wilkinson, Val Hill, Monica Kruger, Jennifer Melhuish, Anthea Parker, Rosemary Roberts and Hannah Edwards. Goodbye Lyn … Hello Robin! It was with a good deal of sadness that we recently farewelled staff member Lyn Jones at Foundation & Friends. Lyn was our Database Lyn Jones and Administrator and decided to Robin McBride leave the leafy confines of the Sydney Garden to concentrate on her own idyllic patch of green – her organic berry and vegie farm, Windellama, in the Southern Tablelands. Stepping into Lyn’s place is our lovely new staff member Robin McBride. Robin was our regular Thursday Office Volunteer, who very quickly got into her stride with the demanding task of organising all our New Year’s Eve ticketing. Please join us in wishing Lyn every success and welcoming Robin as our newest Foundation & Friends’ staff member.
Photos: Cassie King, Janine Smith, Nicky Hammond, Sylvia Harner.
Catering co-ordinator wanted We are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated volunteer to fill the important role of Catering Co-ordinator. Catering is an important part of many Foundation & Friends’ activities. As Catering Co-ordinator, you will be responsible for our great team of catering volunteers, planning rosters and working with Foundation & Friends' staff on upcoming events. Liaising with volunteers and staff is critical in this role, so good communication and organisation skills are essential. An interest in catering is a bonus, but it is not necessary for you to bake or serve. You will have a great time, mixing with the caterers and members, and being part of our events. To learn more about this role, contact the Foundation & Friends' office.
Colin Snodgrass Foundation & Friends was saddened to hear of the loss of Colin Snodgrass, an active member and volunteer for more than 15 years. He was a popular member with a welcoming presence at many functions, including as a barman. At the information booth he shared his knowledge and enthusiasm with everyone. Colin was a joy to work with and he will be sadly missed.
annual report As our members know, in November 2012 we concluded the 30th anniversary celebrations at the 30th Annual General Meeting. At that meeting the Annual Report and a summary of the financial year 2011/12 in which we had three legal organisations – Friends of the Botanic Gardens Inc. (Friends), Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney Trust (Friends Trust), and Royal Botanic Gardens Foundation (Foundation) – was presented. While we now go on together as Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens, the Annual Report highlighted and reviewed the three organisations’ past year’s performance for the year ending 30 June 2012. Details of the financial reports for each of the organisations were also included. Copies of the reports for each organisation are available at the Foundation & Friends’ office, Cottage 6, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney, and also on the website. Some highlights discussed included our significant volunteer support of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, with close to 300 active volunteers. These individuals, who willingly provide their time as well as special talents, skills and enthusiasm, were acknowledged, as it is through their dedication that we operated effectively throughout the year and continue to do so. Details of the financial support provided by Foundation & Friends included the many varied projects it had contributed to, including PlantBank, the Plant Diversity Program, support for the Herbarium and Library, the Rainforest Seed Project, the Papua New Guinea Trees project, staff scholarships, contributions to nurseries and the donation of a Hoop Pine Tree at the entrance of the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan. Additionally, from the funds held as at 30 June, 2012 by Friends, Friends Trust and Foundation, there is a further $2.5m committed by Foundation & Friends to the Trust for the coming year.
MEMBER BENEFITS
why we join
Our members and supporters will continue to be the driving force within Foundation & Friends. It is your support, financially as a member, by making donations, by attending activities, going on a tour or purchasing at an exhibition, as well as volunteering, that supports our ongoing contributions to the Trust. There were many special events for members and supporters in return for your generous support in 2011/12 and this will continue in the coming year. Every day, members also have available to them the special benefits that come with being a member. Don’t forget to keep your card handy for: • Plant Sale discounts – quality plants grown and sold at the Growing Friends’ nurseries in Sydney and Mount Annan. Member savings of at least 20% on most stock! • Helping Hands – take part in hands-on horticultural tasks in the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah • Out of hours access – Visit the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan outside of normal opening hours to walk or cycle • New Year's Eve tickets – Enjoy the exclusive member benefit that lets you purchase tickets to the New Year’s Eve picnic held every year in the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
30th Anniversary event at Tomah
The Year of Chinese Culture in Australia celebration
• Parking – pre-purchase vouchers for metered spots on Mrs Macquaries Road when attending Foundation & Friends’ events • Shopping discounts – 10% discount on most items at the Botanic Gardens’ three onsite retail shops • Restaurant discounts – 10% discount at the restaurants at the Royal Botanic Garden and Domain, Sydney, the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah (some exclusions do apply) • Venue hire – discounts on venue hire at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney (excluding restaurants), which includes Lion Gate Lodge, perfect for weddings. Indoor venues: 20 per cent discount. Outdoor venues: 15 per cent discount. • Magazine – don’t forget this beautifully presented magazine, which you receive four times per year. Each edition of the magazine and our monthly e-newsletter normally includes a special limited member benefit.
Members and supporters, we thank you for your generous support in 2011/12 and look forward to your continued support. We also hope you take advantage of some of the many benefits we offer to you as members. The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
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Hydrangea macrophylla by Beth Macanoy
Botanica The Masters & Moore
BUY YOUR TICKETS ! TODAY
Flower painting came late in prehistory art. The first appears to be a lotus painted on the wall of an early Egyptian tomb. After that most civilisations drew flowers and plants on pottery, houses and tombs although, interestingly, the Aboriginal people who have inhabited the Australian continent for 50 or 60 thousand years didn’t use floral images in their drawings until very recently. This early drawing was presumably decorative, but over time there developed an interest in an accurate (at least in the terms of the day) record of known plants. Walls in the temple of Thutmose at Karnak, Egypt, include drawings of 275 plants found on a campaign to Syria and date from about 1500BC. One of the earliest practical uses of botanical drawing was for identifying plants with medicinal properties. Drawings were gathered in books called herbals and used by physicians in plant-based medicine. The first known herbal, De Materia Medica, was written by a Greek military physician, Pedanius Dioscorides, in the first century. Its drawings, even though rather stiff and unnatural, continued in use for almost 2000 years. 10 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
The earliest surviving illustrated botanical work is the Codex Vindobonensis, which is a copy of Dioscorides’s book, made in AD512 for Juliana Anicia, the daughter of the former Western Roman Emperor Olybrius. This book is now one of the treasures of the Austrian National Library. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century made books, such as herbals, more widely available. Refinements in printing over the next centuries, combined with the curiosity of this time, known as the Age of Discovery, when European explorers returned from the far corners of the world with thousands of new plants and seeds, saw botanical drawing become a prized skill. For instance, in France, Napoleon’s wife, the Empress Josephine, commissioned French painter and botanist Pierre Joseph Redouté to record her vast collection of plants in her gardens at Malmaison. Redouté produced almost 500 watercolours, and a number of these, with accompanying text, were published as a book, Les Liliacées. A copy of this masterpiece was sold by Sotheby’s in the 1980s for $US5 million, making it one of the most expensive books ever sold.
Additional research from BGCI and Kew Gardens websites.
Thousands of years of history lie behind the magnificence of Botanica, one of the most important botanical art exhibitions in Australia.
Paeonia by Annie Hughes
Stanhopea tigrina by Beverly Allen
At much the same time, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Sir Joseph Banks employed the Bauer brothers, both exquisitely detailed botanical illustrators. Ferdinand Bauer accompanied Matthew Flinders on board Investigator when he circumnavigated Australia. Franz Bauer was appointed “Botanick Painter to His Majesty” at Kew. An image of a pollen grain he drew in the 18th century using only a basic microscope was later proven, by scanning with an electron microscope, to be entirely accurate. It’s also around this time that the profession of botanical illustration began to differentiate itself from botanical art, which is itself different from what might be termed floral art.
Art and science The main goal of botanical illustration is not art, but scientific accuracy. Lindy Stuart, curator of this year’s Botanica exhibition, explains: “Botanical illustration must represent every part of the plant. It has to show where the leaves grow, where the flower buds are, a full flower and its reproductive parts, and the seed pods. It shows the plant's entire history. It is usually in graphite or ink.” Botanical art (which is what Botanica shows) has slightly more leeway. “It doesn’t have to show all the parts of the plant, but it does have to be botanically correct. The structure and colour have to be correct, and the plant can’t be misrepresented,” says Lindy. “Paintings that are not botanically correct are not accepted for the exhibition,” adds Nicky Joffe, assistant curator of Botanica. “After we’ve selected the artwork, Professor David Mabberley, Executive Director of the Trust, and a world-recognised botanist, historian and authority on botanical art, checks it for correctness. “For instance, we once had a painting with incredibly bright green leaves that we were doubtful about. We took it to the library at the herbarium and discovered that the colour was accurate.”
Magnolia x soulangeana by Beverly Allen
Watercolour is the traditional medium of botanic art, although a few artists use watercolour pencils or even, rarely, acrylic or charcoal. It is the need for exactness that differentiates botanical art and illustration from more general flower painting. When the 17th-century Dutch Masters, or the French Impressionists, like Monet or Renoir, painted flowers, their goal was aesthetic. Botanica has developed into Australia's pre-eminent botanical art exhibition. It is the only exhibition where the top artists in every state are invited to put in for selection. “I’m particularly looking for art that’s pushing the boundaries,” says Lindy. “For instance, last year Susannah Blaxill did a huge artichoke and a magnolia. Although they were magnified, they were structurally correct, in proportion, leaf structure was correct and petals in the right place. “Annie Hughes is another. Last year she did a huge camellia that was bought by Shirley Sherwood, the most important botanical art collector in the world. Annie has won the highly prestigious gold medals at the RHS Botanical Art Show in London in 2011 and 2012. This year Annie has painted a huge peony rose and a parrot tulip. “I’m looking for work that is contemporary and progressive, still botanically correct, but something that viewers will look at and think, ‘Wow! Won’t that look great on the wall?’” Sue Wannan
Botanica – The Masters & Moore Opening Night: Friday 12 April, 6pm–8pm Bookings essential. See page 24 for details. FREE Exhibition: Saturday 13–Sunday 28 April, 10am–4pm daily. Joseph Maiden Theatre and ENTRY Charles Moore Room, the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 11
gARDEN FOCUS
Plectranthus argentatus
bright in shade
Plectranthus argentatus | Silver plectranthus Family Lamiaceae Generally grown for the luminous quality of its silvery foliage, rather than its flowers, silver plectranthus will lift and lighten a shady corner of the garden. It can be grown either in the ground or in a container and its impact is immediate. It is native to the border regions of New South Wales and Queensland. Plectranthus is a fairly large genus of plants, comprising around 200 species native to the warmer regions of the world. The generic name Plectranthus comes from the Greek words plectron, a spur, and anthos, which readily describes the shape of the flowers. The specific name argentatus means silver and refers to the velvety silver-grey foliage, which is the main feature. Easy to grow and vigorous, silver plectranthus reaches a height of 60cm–1m. It needs be tip-pruned to make it bushier during spring and summer. After the spikes of small blue to lavender flowers finish in summer and autumn, cut it back hard, particularly if it has become lanky. Cut the stems directly above a node. Best grown in shade in a frost-free garden, this will really lift a dull corner of the garden. It is a good filler plant and creates a lovely colour contrast to other plain-green foliage plants. It will also make a good container plant if it is tip-pruned from an early stage to create a compact bushy plant. Another species of Plectranthus worth growing is P. saccatus, a South African species, which makes an excellent hedging plant for a shady situation. Growing rapidly to about 1m high it bears pretty lavender blue flowers in late summer or autumn. The foliage is attractive, too, as the mid green leaves have scalloped margins. P. ecklonii, which is also native to South Africa, is another useful
growing gardens
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Autumn is my favourite season, says Mat Murray, Senior Horticulturist at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah. The shorter days and cooler temperatures slow the frenetic pace of summer. It’s the best time to plant and plan.
PLANT • In warmer climates, this is the best time to plant trees and shrubs as the soil is warm enough to encourage root growth. • Transplant plants, too. The trick to moving plants is to dig around the drip zone. Most of the roots are inside this area. Try not to disturb this root zone, if possible, when digging. Ensure the transplanted plant receives good after-care. • Plant bulbs for winter and spring flowers. I always advocate planting three times as deep as the height of the bulb. Water in. In June, I may throw a bit of citrus or rose fertiliser on the area for great flowers. Some bulbs, such as anemones and ranunculi, perform best if you soak them in water overnight before planting. PRUNe • Tidy up the garden by removing spent flowers, dead leaves or stems. Cut herbaceous perennials to the ground. If the growth has shown signs of disease, discard it. If it’s healthy, then you can mow it and throw it back on the garden; I always think that whatever you remove from the soil you should replace. • Fruit trees may be lightly pruned before they stop their growth. Remove any unproductive wood. 12 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
garden plant for autumn flowering. It grows fast to around 2m tall, and its flowers come in purple or white. Both these species thrive in shade and need to cut back after flowering. Plectranthus grows very easily from stem cuttings. Margaret Hanks, Growing Friends The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
Where to see THIS PLANT
The main planting of Plectranthus argentatus is in the formal garden on the Eastern Terrace of Government House. P. saccatus is planted in bed 18b just north of the giant Chrysophyllum imperiale, not far from the Joseph Maiden Theatre. P. ecklonii is in the southern end of bed 32 near the Wollemi pine in the Middle Garden. Growing Friends nursery usually has all these species for sale.
PROBLEMS • Cooler weather means dew and higher humidity, which bring problems with fungus. Water in the morning. • Caterpillars are particularly troublesome on cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower. I use chilli spray to control them. PERFORMERS • Foliage becomes king in autumn. As the nights get colder some plants display their brilliant foliage. The Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera; formerly Sapium sebiferum) can have amazing colours. Japanese maples are often lacklustre in Sydney, but some cultivars are good performers. Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ is reliable with flame-coloured foliage. ‘Senkaki’ has apricot foliage and coral stems. Another goodie is Ginkgo biloba, which has brilliant yellow leaves. Crepe myrtles have lovely flowers in summer, great autumn foliage and beautiful bark. If you have a gardening question for Mat, email foundation.friends@ rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au We regret that personal replies are not possible. Acer palmatum ‘Senkaki’
Ginkgo biloba
by FUNDED FOUNDATION & FRIENDS
Relle at El Charco del Ingenio Botanical Garden beside Dasylirion acrotiche Paroquia Church, San Miguel de Allende
Biology Institute at UNAM Botanic Garden
Photos: Mathew Murray, Ruth Foster, Relle Mott.
sharing knowledge With the generous assistance of a Foundation & Friends’ scholarship, I attended the 8th International Congress on Education in Botanic Gardens, in Mexico City, in November 2012 to present a paper on the early childhood program Dandy Lions, developed at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. This triennial congress is the principal conduit for exchanging the latest research and vibrant ideas between Botanic Gardens’ education peers from around the world. Run by the organisation Botanic Gardens Conservation International, the 2012 Congress was hosted by the Institute of Biology at the UNAM Botanic Garden, within the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The congress brought together 150 educators from international botanic gardens to discuss the congress theme, ‘Education and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation’. Over the week of the congress, I attended thought-provoking presentations by inspiring educators and heard about many cutting-edge environmental programs, heard fascinating keynote addresses, saw brilliant posters, and participated in workshops where we exchanged clever ideas and philosophies, all focused on delivering the message of plant conservation. Early in the program I presented my paper, showcasing our program Dandy Lions. The congress called for models of good practice and asked delegates to talk about their successes. As one of our most popular programs in Community Education, Dandy Lions has reached more than 12,500 people over four years, connecting urban families with nature and also creating a generation of future supporters of the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. My presentation was well received by an enthusiastic audience and had a satisfying outcome: several botanic gardens expressed interest in trialling the Dandy Lions framework.
Our UNAM hosts introduced us to the flora of Mexico with tours of the UNAM Botanic Garden’s living collections of succulents, which grow on a black lava flow. Cultural experiences abounded and a highlight was a visit to Xochimilco, a system of reclaimed swamp land called chinampas, which was once the agricultural area supporting the ancient Aztec capital of Mexico City. Here, punts took us along ancient canals to a central field where a workshop was held to brainstorm educational solutions to the serious threat faced by encroaching urbanisation, pollution and deteriorating productivity. Responses from the international group were fascinating, reflecting the experiences and views of the cultures participating. A surprise visit by a floating mariachi band and lunch served on the punts made for a memorable day! After the congress, a small group of delegates was hosted by the Friends of the El Charco del Ingenio Botanical Garden, in the historic town of San Miguel de Allende. As we drove through rural Mexico, the landscape was one of dry, rocky hills covered in opuntia, agave and the occasional eucalyptus and casuarina tree. The Botanical Garden provided a fascinating introduction to the flora of this area of high-altitude central Mexico. The Director and Friends of El Charco showed us generous hospitality. It was a wonderful finale to a memorable trip to Mexico. Attendance at the congress gave me a new perspective on public programs, extended my understanding of common environmental education issues and allowed me to establish a network of international colleagues. My experience will enrich our Education programs with exciting new ideas, and I express my gratitude to the Foundation & Friends for making it possible. Relle Mott, Education Officer, Community Education Public Engagement The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 13
A woman of f lowers This year celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Margaret Flockton Award for Excellence in Scientific Botanical Illustration. Louise Wilson, who is currently writing Margaret's biography, GIVES US an insight into the life of this ground-breaking botanical artist.
Boronia (pictured) was used in a tobacco advertising campaign. The popular works graced the walls of many Australian homes
Pint-sized Margaret Flockton’s quiet, modest and self-effacing personality would not sit comfortably with today’s cult of celebrity. For 50 years after her death in 1953 she was forgotten outside her family, until the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney recognised that she deserved celebrity status for her artistic achievements and established the Margaret Flockton Award for Excellence in Scientific Botanical Illustration. Margaret was born on 25 September 1861 at Leyton in Essex, UK. Her father, Frank, worked in the City of London as a Russia broker in the family business, but when Margaret’s grandfather died in 1865, Frank abandoned his well-paid job and indulged in his passion: art. Margaret’s mother, Isabel, shared his love of painting and Margaret said her career as an artist began when she was given a pencil at the age of three. Frank exhibited occasionally, at the Royal Academy of Arts and at the Society of British Artists. 14 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
Because both Frank and Isabel inherited funds from well-todo families, for a few years they and their three daughters, Dora, Margaret and Phoebe, lived the high life. But soon the Flocktons were impoverished and living in south Wales. Margaret’s maternal grandmother, Maria, and her mine-manager uncle also lived in Wales, and Margaret stayed with them for a period during the 1870s, attending the Cardiff Science and Art School, a branch of the National Art Training School. Maria was born on the Caribbean island of St Vincent where her grandfather Dr George Young had been the first curator of the Botanic Garden. As a sugar heiress bankrupted by a devious lawyer, Maria’s tales of injustice surrounding women’s rights, and her exotic family stories, helped to shape Margaret’s life choices. In her late teens, Margaret lived in ‘digs’ away from her family, attending the Female School of Art run by Louisa Gann in Bloomsbury (now part of Central Saint Martins College of Art). Since Louisa Gann’s better students were sent to the Science and Art Department at South Kensington (today, part of the Victoria and Albert Museum complex), it’s no surprise that Margaret was issued with that organisation’s Art Student Certificate in 1881. Four years later she was awarded their Art Teacher Certificate. In 1882, her sisters used a women’s emigration scheme to move to Queensland, where both found upwardly mobile English-born husbands. In December 1888, Margaret and her parents arrived in Sydney, courtesy of another migration scheme. After more than a decade of training at the highest levels in England, Margaret would have been the most thoroughly trained female artist in Australia. Until his death in 1901, Frank largely relied on his inheritances and Margaret was the breadwinner. One of the first eight women to learn lithography in England, Margaret quickly found work as a lithographer for Gibbs, Shallard & Co, publishers of the Illustrated Sydney News; however a major fire in Sydney on 2 October 1890 destroyed her workplace. It's possible she disliked her next job with S T Leigh & Co, because from March 1892 she spent nine months with her sister's family at Charters Towers in outback Queensland. Here she embarked on her short career as a ‘fine artist’ and began to paint from nature. When she returned to Sydney, she set up a studio and taught art. She also joined the Royal Art Society of NSW, exhibiting 39 paintings from 1894 to 1901. Her work was recognised as being outstanding. One critic of an exhibition in 1895 commented: “There are some works of genius in the gallery, notably Streeton’s landscape, young Sid Long’s bathers and Margaret Flockton’s little-noticed study, which is worth a ton to some of the bigger canvases”. In 1900, her still-life Food for Powder was included in the Federation Album, presented to the Duke and Duchess of York when they visited Australia in 1901.
Roses and Grapes
Margaret’s sojourn in Queensland instilled in her a love of Australian flora. She visited Sydney’s Technological Museum (now the Powerhouse Museum) to paint the displays of native flora used by English-born botanist Sarah Hynes in her botany classes. Newspapers named the flowers on display, and the list corresponds closely with the titles of Margaret’s wildflower paintings. At the museum, Margaret met Joseph Maiden, who eventually offered her a job as the artist at the Botanic Garden. In 1895, Margaret exhibited six watercolours catalogued by the Art Society as ‘Australian Wild Flowers’, one of which (Waratahs) was bought by the Art Gallery of NSW. In 1897, one wildflower painting was included in an album sent to Queen Victoria for her diamond jubilee. At the Exhibition of Australian Art in London in 1898, three of the 371 entries were Margaret’s. This exhibition marked the emergence of an Australian style, and included works by Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts, Frederick McCubbin, Charles Conder, Hans Heyson, Julian Ashton and several women. From 1902 to 1903 the American Tobacco Company advertised a series of Australian wildflower lithographs by Margaret, which were offered as part of a campaign to encourage smoking. Although she signed her lithographs, most of the advertisements did not acknowledge her as the artist. Her wildflowers were also published commercially as booklets from 1904 and as postcards. From 1901 to 1927, as Maiden’s illustrator at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, Margaret executed countless black and white, scientifically accurate drawings of Australia’s forest flora. Given her outstanding contribution as a botanical artist, it is surprising to see her name omitted from some art reference books. However, her place in our history received due recognition at Capturing Flora: 300 Years of Australian Botanical Art, an exhibition held at the Ballarat Art Gallery in 2012, and showing at the S H Ervin Gallery in Sydney from 15 February to 17 March 2013. Louise Wilson’s forthcoming biography of Margaret Flockton, A Fragrant Memory, will be published in 2013. For more details, see www.louisewilson.com.au/margaret_flockton.html
Margaret Flockton
Join us to celebrate
The annual Margaret Flockton Award for Excellence in Scientific Botanical Illustration is sponsored by the Maple-Brown family and Foundation & Friends, with the aim of promoting the appreciation and understanding of contemporary scientific botanical illustration. This is the 10th year of the award and exhibition, which has become an internationally renowned competition. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Margaret Flockton Award there will be a joint opening night with the exhibition Botanica – The Masters and Moore on Friday 12 April. Louise Wilson, Margaret Flockton’s great, great niece and author of family histories and biographies, will present the awards. In addition to the $5000 first prize and $2500 second prize, this year sees the introduction of new prizes, including $500 each for up to three highly commended illustrations and $500 for a People’s Choice Award. Alongside the entries, the exhibition will display artworks from the Margaret Flockton Archive and a biographical display on her career and private life. Louise Wilson will present a talk on the life of Margaret Flockton on Monday 15 April followed by a Flockton-themed walk led by the volunteer guides. For more information, see page 24.
opening times
Enjoy stunning work from some of the world’s best scientific botanical illustrators, past and present. Monday 15 April–Friday 26 July 2013, weekdays, free 10am–4pm. Special weekend viewings in conjunction with Botanica: 13–14 April and 27–28 April. Red Box Gallery, National Herbarium of NSW. Entry to the exhibiton is free. Selected works for sale. The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 15
TOURS
Travel the world with friends For more information on any of these tours, including detailed itineraries, please call the Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens’ office on 9231 8182 or email Lyn Johnson at lyn.johnson@rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au
MAY 2013
SEPT 2013 NEW
Tulips in the arboretum at Througham Court
Pura Taman Ayun Bali
CHELSEA CENTENARY GARDEN TOUR 19 May–2 June, 2013 Tim Jackson, who has escorted many tours for Foundation & Friends, is taking a small group to the UK to share in the centenary celebrations of the Chelsea Flower Show, and to visit a great selection of gardens in London, Oxford, the Cotswolds, Wales and Jersey – the largest of the Channel Islands. You will visit famous Royal Gardens, go behind the scenes at Kew Gardens and visit a number of private homes and gardens that are not usually open to the public. Highlights include gardens such as Highgrove, Kiftsgate Court and Througham Court, which have been visited on previous tours, as well as new gardens such as Sezincote in Gloucestershire, The Laskett Gardens in Herefordshire and Veddw in Monmouthshire, Wales. PRICE: $8250 Twin share, land content only.
Sandy in South Africa
Balinese Gardens 9–16 September, 2013 Thanks to Bali's fertile soil and tropical climate, trees, plants and flowers all grow at top speed. The result is many beautiful gardens. The Balinese are keen gardeners and very artistic: art, architecture and sculpture are integral to their culture. Over eight days divided between Sanur and Ubud, you will discover wonderful gardens, including royal water gardens and temples, traditional domestic compounds and modern private gardens, botanic gardens and nurseries. The trip will be escorted by Sandy Pratten. Highlights include bird walks, a visit to a batik studio, and the garden of expatriate landscape architect Made Wijaya. For information about the tour talk, see page 23. PRICE: $2485 per person. Land content only. Competitive airfares available on request. Itinerary now available.
TOUR LEADER:
sandy pratten Has the luggage arrived? Are the rooms ready? Is everyone here? Hopefully, the answer is yes! Where are the camels? What shall we arrange because the avalanche cancelled today’s plans (China)? These are just a few of the things I have to sort out. After Lyn Johnson read one of my articles, in a landscaping magazine, about travelling in India, she surprised me by asking if I would be interested in taking a group there. I had never travelled in a group! Tour leading has been the beginning of a very happy time for me. There are times of laughter, exhaustion and frustration, but, in the end, it’s a huge, wonderful adventure. Foundation & Friends attracts like-minded people, so I always enjoy meeting them and hearing their stories. Each person on the tour contributes in varied ways to the trip’s success. I keep in contact with a few people because we have much in common.
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OCT 2013
MAY 2014
Photos: Annabel Mott, Christine Facer, Renaissance Tours, Veronica Gillmer.
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A temple in Kyoto
Morocco market stall
WALKING THE LANDSCAPES OF JAPAN 24 October–9 November, 2013 The Trust’s Education Officer Relle Mott has created an itinerary that explores Japan’s ancient pilgrimage trails and modern cities. Relle has lived in Japan, is fluent in Japanese and is a horticulturist and landscape designer. The tour begins in Osaka then heads to Kyoto where you will experience the city’s Buddhist arts and architecture, temple gardens and bohemian street culture. Next you’ll head to the countryside of central Japan and spend six days walking along the historic Nakasendo Way. The morning will be spent walking, and in the afternoon we can rest and explore. A mini-bus will be there if you need some time-out from walking, and we will be carrying only daypacks. The final destination is Tokyo, with its modern landscape. PRICE: $8990 Twin share, including airfares.
EXOTIC MOROCCO 3–17 May, 2014 Experience the unique smells, tastes and sounds of spring in Morocco by joining a small, specially created tour with the Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens in April next year. The trip, escorted by Sandy Pratten (see profile, below), will include all the well-known attractions of this exotic country: the ancient spiritual city of Fez; the red city of Marrakech, abundant with roses; the Jardin Marjorelle, restored by the late Yves Saint-Laurent; the white-capped waves of the Atlantic Ocean in Essaouria; and the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. The trip will highlight the gardens, art, history and architecture of this fascinating destination and include several visits to private homes and gardens. For information about the tour talk, see page 21. PRICE: $6250 per person. Land content only. Itinerary now available
I have mostly taken groups to Asia – Rajasthan, in particular, which fascinates me. It’s unpredictable there, as is China, and although this makes it challenging I do have experienced, local guides and drivers to help me work it all out. I expect Sri Lanka to be just as vibrant, magical and diverse. There is nothing like the excitement of first impressions of unknown lands, but even when I return to England and Ireland, as I did with a group this year, I still find it stimulating; it’s a joy to revisit familiar places. I am passionate about travelling, and exploring landscapes and cultures. Sharing this with my group is inspiring. I learn so much from their reactions and what they observe. From their photographs I see things with a new eye. Every experience is different. We become a team that interacts to join in the thrill of a new place, the sight of the unknown, new taste sensations, the fascination of learning about other people’s lives. It is very rewarding being with a group that is having a good time and appreciating their holiday. It’s not just about ensuring that the logistics of the tour work smoothly, but also that people fly home feeling that they have had an enlightening and
enjoyable experience. The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney is a haven for me and being a volunteer tour leader is one way I can give back to the organisation, as each tour raises beneficial funds.
Travelling forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all the familiar comforts of home and friends.You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky. Cesare Pavese
The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 17
Uitkyk Pass, Cederberg
Exploring Southern Africa those on The foundation & Friends’ tour to Namibia and South Africa experienced Miraculous Plants in diverse ecosystems, from Parched Deserts to Dripping RainforestS, reports tour leader Peter Weston.
In 1859, when Austrian botanist Friedrich Welwitsch first saw the tumbo – a plant that was subsequently named Welwitschia mirabilis in his honour – he was so overwhelmed that he “could do nothing but kneel down on the burning soil and gaze at it, half in fear, lest a touch should prove it a figment of the imagination”. Members of the Foundation & Friends’ first tour to Namibia and South Africa can understand Welwitsch’s reaction, having found, and then paid homage to, a thriving population of this fantastically weird gymnosperm at the end of the second day of their travels. In more than 40 years of botanising, I have not seen a more bizarre plant. Over a life span of perhaps 2000 years, the unbranched stem of a tumbo plant elongates less than 10cm but expands laterally Tour group and Welwitschia mirabilis, Swarkop River valley
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to form a bowl-shaped structure. During this time, it produces only four leaves – two ephemeral cotyledons (seed leaves), which last less than two years, followed by two perennial leaves, which survive for the rest of the plant’s life. The perennial leaves continue to grow from basal meristems, gradually becoming frayed at the tips and splitting to the base, so that a mature plant looks more like a pile of kelp or an unmade bed than a seed plant. Another peculiar feature of Welwitschia mirabilis is its habitat in the Namib Desert, where the only other plants are scattered tufts of grass and the annual rainfall averages about 20mm. A long taproot enables each tumbo plant to exploit deep groundwater reserves that are unavailable to the neighbouring plant species. After such a dramatic start, the rest of the trip’s itinerary could well have paled in comparison. However, the richly diverse and spectacular plants, animals, landscapes and cultures of southern Africa succeeded in maintaining our excitement to the finish – 20 days later – in dripping afro-montane rainforest at God’s Window on the other side of the continent. Between these extremes we experienced a succession of eye-popping natural spectacles, including the sinuous sand dunes of Sossusvlei, the vast Fish River Canyon in southern Namibia, the mass flowering of the ‘succulent karoo’ of Namaqualand, the rugged sandstone mountains of the Western Cape, with their characteristic, highly diverse sclerophyllous shrublands (fynbos), the podocarp-dominated rainforests of Knysna and Alexandria, the succulent thicket of Addo National Park and the savannahs of the Greater Kruger
National Park, each with their resident populations of big game. In addition we enjoyed the man-made delights of the National Botanic Gardens at Kirstenbosch, Wellington and Nelspruit, and Stellenberg, a beautiful private garden in Cape Town.
diversity and environment Why is southern Africa such a botanically interesting place? Explanations for its extraordinarily rich biodiversity are complex, but the diversity of the physical environment is routinely invoked. Southern Africa’s climate varies from a subtropical, Mediterranean climate in the Western Cape, with cool, wet winters and dry, hot summers, becoming more arid in the north-west leading to the Namib Desert, where fogs account for more precipitation than rain. Moving east from the Western Cape, rainfall becomes more even throughout the year, and as one moves north-east to the provinces of Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, summer rain predominates. The diverse rocks from which soils have formed have also shaped the vegetation. Namaqualand, in north-western South Africa, is underlain by granite, which weathers to sandy soil that is poor in nutrients, and which often supports species-rich biomes, such as the ‘succulent karoo’ vegetation. Table Mountain sandstone, the rock type that constitutes its famous namesake, also forms a sandy, low-nutrient soil and is distributed in a wide ‘L’ shape, stretching from the southern border of Namaqualand to the Cape of Good Hope and east beyond Port Elizabeth. It is this soil
Photos: Peter Weston.
... the richly diverse and spectacular plants, animals, landscapes and cultures succeeded in maintaining our excitement to the finish ... that hosts the fynbos shrublands for which South Africa is botanically famous. The rest of southern Africa sits on a diverse mix of rock types that mostly form more fertile soils. These soils have formed a shifting mosaic of ridges and islands, which have separated related populations over millions of years, allowing them to evolve in isolation and to diversify. Knowing a bit about the habitat from which southern African plants originate allows us to predict, fairly accurately, which ones will thrive in our gardens and which ones are likely to become invasive. For example, plants that are restricted to the Mediterranean climate of the Western Cape mostly struggle in Sydney’s humid, wetter summers. While we would love to grow the likes of pride of Table Mountain (Disa uniflora), blushing bride (Serruria florida) and any of the many Erica species that are endemic there, these plants have to be seriously mollycoddled to survive in Sydney. The Eastern Cape on the other hand, with its more even rainfall, and diverse mix of soil types, is the source of some of our most common garden plants, and some overachievers. Dietes grandiflora, Plumbago auriculata, Crinum moorei, Strelitzia reginae and Clivia nobilis are examples of benign introductions. On the other hand, Ochna serrulata, Agapanthus praecox, bitou bush and boneseed (subspecies of Osteospermum moniliferum) are plants that might have been best left in South Africa. Despite the diversity of environments and cultures that were included in our tour, it was really only a quick introduction to the botanic and scenic wonders of this remarkable region. Much was left unexplored for potentially exciting future visits.
{From top} Members of the tour in Sossusvlei, which is located in the southern part of the Namib Desert; Gorteria diffusa, a species of daisy, in Namaqua National Park; Namaqualand daisies (Ursinia cakilefolia) in Namaqua National Park; tour members admire the landscape in the Rondegat River valley, Cederberg, a wilderness area around 200km north of Cape Town. The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 19
Growing friends
Shade lovers One of the most commonly asked questions at the Growing Friends’ nursery at Mount Annan is: “Is this plant suitable for shade?” More often than not, the answer is no. There is a popular belief that our native beauties do not need much care. Well, many species may not need much fertiliser or copious amounts of water, but they still need tender loving care when they are planted in the garden. The majority prefer full sun and good drainage, but in the semi-tropical areas of New South Wales and southern Queensland, many beautiful plants grow quite happily under the protection of shady trees or palms and require more humidity than their southern cousins. As they say in the real-estate business, it’s all about location, location, location. It’s the same in the plant world. Choosing the right location is the main decider as to whether a plant will grow successfully or not. In the Connections Garden at the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, horticulturists have created an area with all the conditions required to grow these tropical plants: an ample canopy of palms and trees, heavy mulching, protection from the westerly winds and water mist from the waterfalls. Additional watering is also provided on very hot days. Many of our Sydney gardens already have a canopy of trees, so half of the hard, time-consuming work has already been done. All that’s needed is to place suitable plants in the right location. Carol Griesser, Growing Friends The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan A shady spot under the tree ferns
A cool path
The shaded Australian bush with a Sydney rock orchid
Plants for shade Here are just a few of the plants suitable for shaded situations that Growing Friends have available in their nurseries. Some of these will tolerate dry conditions for a reasonable period of time, as well as semi-shaded positions. Trees that prefer some shade and a cool root run with ample watering to establish well Alloxylon flammeum, Anetholea anisata, Backhousia citriodora, Buckinghamia celsissima, Hymenosporum flavum, Livistona australis, Stenocarpus sinuatus. Medium shrubs Alyogyne hakeifolia, Austromyrtus dulcis, Darwinia citriodora, Correa alba, C. reflexa, Prostranthera rotundifolia, Rhododendron lochiae, Syzygium wilsonii. Small shrubs or groundcovers Correa pulchella, Crowea exalata, C. saligna, Cymbidium madidum, Dampiera diversifolia, Dendrobium kingianum, D. speciosum, Hibbertia dentata, H. diffusa, H. vestita, Philotheca virgata, Viola hederacea.
COLLECTORS’ PLANT FAIR Hawkesbury Race Club, Clarendon Sat 13 April, 8am–4pm Sun 14 April, 9am–4pm Sydney’s treasured gardening event has moved from Bilpin to Clarendon (near Richmond). This, the 8th Fair, will again feature an exciting range of hard-to-find plants, including those propagated by the Growing Friends from plants in the Botanic Gardens. Fifty specialist growers will sell 20 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
distinctive and unusual plants, from native to exotic and those suited to coastal and inland gardens, tropical to cool climates and balconies to acreages. See the website for stallholder details and the inspiring speaker program, which will introduce Rod and Rachel Saunders from Silverhill Seeds in South Africa, landscape architect Michael Bligh, and Caroline Quinn, creator of the lovely garden Wongaburra.
Entry (including parking) Sat 13 April: $12, $10 prepaid, Sun 14 April: $10, $8 prepaid, Both days: $12, prepaid only. Accompanied children under 18: free. For prepaid bookings and more information on the Collectors’ Plant Fair, phone 4567 2026, email collectorsplantfair@bigpond.com or visit collectorsplantfair.com
Autumn DIARY Welcome to our exciting diary pages encompassing the events for the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah.
Where you see this symbol BF you can book online at www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/foundationandfriends or phone the Foundation & Friends’ office on 9231 8182 during business hours, or complete the booking form that is with this magazine. For all other events that require bookings, simply call the booking number supplied.
k Boo e n i onl ay d to
The ROYAL Botanic Garden, SYDNEY Autumn Vibes, a fun family day out
10 Mar free
All autumn
All autumn
Bridget, Clementine and Thomas with Education Officer Relle Mott
Autumn VIBES: A FREE day of music in the Garden Sun 10 March, 10am–4pm An Australian Event Award 2012 finalist, Autumn Vibes is the event that launches the Autumn in Your Gardens festival. Autumn Vibes is a multicultural day of music, dance, opera, storytelling, art, food, talks, walks and children’s activities, all linking plants in the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney to their countries of origin. Autumn Vibes will go ahead rain, hail or shine. For full program details, visit the website. Enquiries: 9231 8111 yourgardens.com.au F
4 Mar
Photos: Veronica Gillmer, Simone Cottrell, Carol Griesser, Sophie Daniel.
free
Experience the culture of Morocco
Guided walk with volunteer guide Rosemary Roberts (right)
FREE GUIDED WALKS Information Counter at the Palm Grove Centre Daily during autumn, except Good Friday 10.30am daily and Mon to Fri, 1pm Get to know your Garden by joining a guided walk with one of our Volunteer Guides. Tours are tailored to the guide’s interest, so you’ll learn something new on every tour you take. Allow 1½ hours. F For individuals or small family groups B For organised groups, fees apply. Phone 9231 8134
DANDY LIONS On the lawn next to Victoria Lodge Gate Tues & Thurs during school term 10.30am–12noon Join us for some autumn fun in the garden! Enjoy a fun morning with art and craft, gardening activities, songs, stories and play for the under-fives and their carers. Suitable for children 0–5 years MC $13 casual visit NC $15 casual visit MP B Phone 9231 8134 Please note: We will not go ahead if there is heavy rain or high winds, or if the temperature is above 35°C.
MOROCCO TOUR TALK Joseph Maiden Theatre Mon 4 March 10.30am for 11am–12noon Find out more about the Foundation & Friends’ latest trip to exotic Morocco. Hear from Carol Prior of travel company Morocco by Prior Appointment and tour escort Sandy Pratten as they detail some of the tour’s highlights, including visits to Fez, Marrakech, the Jardin Marjorelle and private homes and gardens. For more information about the tour, see page 17. M NM $10 MT 10.30am BF The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 21
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The ROYAL Botanic Garden, SYDNEY All autumn
5–8 Mar
Growing Friends’ nursery, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
All autumn
Honeycomb pendant by Phillippa Carnemolla
free
Gloriosa lily by Beverly Allen
BEVERLY ALLEN MASTERCLASS Joseph Maiden Theatre Tues 5–Fri 8 March, 9.30am–4pm Conducted by acclaimed botanical artist Beverly Allen, this four-day botanical painting workshop is for artists with some experience. Using watercolour, explore the light and shade, tone and form necessary to create a three-dimensional illusion on paper. Learn colour mixing and how to apply washes, as well as the finer details that bring a painting to life. M $530 NM $590 MT L BF
March/ April
GROWING FRIENDS’ PLANT SALES Growing Friends’ nursery Mon–Fri, 11.30am–2pm Saturday plant sales 9 & 23 March, 11 & 25 May, 9am–1pm 13 & 27 April, 9am–4pm The Growing Friends’ nursery stocks a wide range of plants propagated from the Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Mount Annan and Mount Tomah, including many unusual and hard-to-find varieties that are not available at commercial nurseries. Member discounts apply. Sogetsu Ikebana exhibition
free
BOTANICAL SONGFORMS Fernery and the Garden Shop Sun 10 March–Thurs 30 May Phillippa Carnemolla, the Royal Botanic Garden 2012 Artist-in-Residence, has created an extraordinary range of works including sculpture and jewellery that explore the interdependence of flora and fauna. The centrepiece of her exhibition is the kinetic sculpture Breathing Conifer, which is located in the Fernery. Other smaller pieces are on display in the Garden Shop. F
All autumn free
Helping Hands in the Sydney Garden
IKEBANA for GARDENS Throughout the Garden. Pick up your free map from the Garden Shop Sun 10 March–Sun 28 April Teachers of the modern Sogetsu School of Ikebana have constructed a series of stunning floral arrangements. The works are placed throughout the Garden and each has been designed specifically for its location. The pieces embody the philosophy of ikebana, the ancient Japanese art form. Enquiries: 9231 8331 F 22 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
HELPING HANDS Meet at the Foundation & Friends’ courtyard Thurs 21 March, 18 April, 16 May 8.45am–12noon Come to a Helping Hands morning and experience horticultural work with a great group of people. You could be involved in mulching, weeding, pruning or planting. Wear sturdy leather boots with ankle support and bring a hat, sunscreen, gloves and drinking water so you are comfortable and protected. A parking pass can be requested on the day. F BF Bookings essential Members only
The ROYAL Botanic Garden, SYDNEY 19–24 Mar
22 Mar
26 Mar
free
Clarence Slockee
Photos: Phillippa Carnemolla, Simone Cottrell, Dr Alistair Hay, Renaissance Tours, Glenn Johnson, Vicki Berglinden.
DANDY GARDEN STORIES Lion Gate Lodge, Tues 19–Sun 24 March 10am–4pm Artist Vicki Berglinden has created a delightful range of artworks for children. Each colourful, whimsical drawing contains a world brimming with garden life, stories and magic. Children and adults alike will enjoy the artworks in this exhibition and, as they are all for sale, you can even take one home. Enquiries: 9231 8331 F
27 Mar
TRIVIA NIGHT Joseph Maiden Theatre Fri 22 March, 6.30pm for 7pm Bring your brains trust and test your botanical and general knowledge in a fun filled night. Quizmaster Clarence Slockee will keep you entertained as teams strive for the giddy heights of being our first trivia-night winner! There are great prizes, plus a Brazilian barbecue and cocktail bar. M $40.50 NM $45 Includes a drink on arrival and Brazilian barbecue. BF
3 Apr
Brugmansia ‘Anouschka’
HUANDUJ: BRUGMANSIA Joseph Maiden Theatre Tues 26 March, 10.30am for 11am–12noon Join Dr Alistair Hay, retired senior research scientist and director at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, as he discusses his book Huanduj: Brugmansia, which covers all aspects of the plant. This comprehensive volume is an excellent resource for anyone with an interest in this fascinating genus. Copies will be for sale at a 20 per cent discount on the day. M $15 NM $22 MT 10.30am BF Before the gum trees
Tirta Gangga-Water Garden, East Bali
BALINESE GARDENS TOUR TALK Joseph Maiden Theatre Wed 27 March 10.30am for 11am–12noon Hear about the Foundation & Friends’ trip to Bali with Renaissance Tours, escorted by Sandy Pratten. The trip will discover the unique Balinese garden aesthetic and visit some stunning private gardens. See page 16 for more information. M NM $10 MT 10.30am BF
AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPES BEFORE THE GUM TREES Joseph Maiden Theatre Wed 3 April, 10am for 10.30am–12.30pm Dr Glenn Johnson will recreate what the Australian landscape might have looked like before the vegetation was dominated by the gum trees we’re familiar with today. He will explore the geological evolution of the Australian continent and the implication this had for the development of Australian flora. The talk will cover Gondwanan relicts, such as ferns, conifers and early angiosperms, and the walk, accompanied by expert guides, will visit relevant living examples in the Garden. M $20 NM $25 MT 10am BF
KEY: M Foundation & Friends’ member NM Non-member MC Member’s child NC Non-member’s child L Lunch provided R Refreshments provided MP Materials provided Free MT Morning tea provided i More information with booking BF Book through Foundation & Friends B Booking details as listed
F
The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 23
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The ROYAL Botanic Garden, SYDNEY 6 Apr
Geometric forms by Phillippa Carnemolla
12 Apr
13–28 Apr
free
SONGfORMS WORKSHOP Education Centre Sat 6 April, 1pm–2.30pm Explore the beauty of geometry in nature in this creative workshop with Phillippa Carnemolla, the Garden’s 2012 Artistin-Residence. Phillippa will take you through her creative process, then lead a hands-on activity where participants will build their own small sculpture. Enquiries: 9231 8134 M $36 NM $40 MP BF
13 & 27 Apr
Growing Friends
Tulip by Annie Hughes
BOTANICA & the MARGARET FLOCKTON award EXHIBITION OPENING NIGHT Joseph Maiden Theatre Fri 12 April, 6pm–8pm Join Australia’s leading botanical artists for the opening night celebrations of Botanica and the Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition. Dr Michael Brand is our opening night guest speaker. M $45 NM $55 BF Includes canapés and refreshments.
BOTANICA: THE MASTERS & MOORE EXHIBITION Joseph Maiden Theatre & Charles Moore Room Sat 13–Sun 28 April, 10am–4pm Enjoy the opportunity to view and purchase from an outstanding exhibition of Australia’s internationally known masters of botanical art, as well as emerging artists. All works are for sale, including a selection of unframed originals and prints. F
13 Apr –26 Jul
15 Apr
Margaret Flockton
free
Mimosa acutistipula by Klei Sousa
GROWING FRIENDS’ SPECIAL PLANT SALE Growing Friends’ nursery Sat 13 & Sat 27 April 9am–4pm After visiting Botanica and the Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition, round off your day with a visit to the Growing Friends’ nursery. The nursery stocks a wide range of plants propagated from the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah, and the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, and includes many unusual and hard-to-find varieties. Member discounts apply. 24 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
MARGARET FLOCKTON AWARD AND EXHIBITION Red Box Gallery Mon 15 April–Fri 26 July, 10am–4pm, weekdays only Special weekend openings 13–14 April & 27–28 April, 10am–4pm It’s the Award’s 10-year anniversary and to celebrate we’re planning an exposé of Margaret Flockton’s finest scientific renderings, alongside those of the best contemporary botanical illustrators in the world. Enter the People’s Choice competition for a chance to win a framed Margaret Flockton botanical print. F Selected works will be for sale.
MARGARET FLOCKTON: the hidden history Caley Seminar Room Enter via main Trust Reception on Mrs Macquaries Road Mon 15 April, 10.30am–12.30pm Join Louise Wilson when she reveals the hidden story of Margaret Flockton’s life. In a highly illustrated talk, Louise will tell how Margaret became the first botanical illustrator at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney and all she achieved. Then enjoy a guided walk through the Garden to see plants illustrated by Margaret, many of which had never been illustrated before. M $12 NM $17 BF
Photos: Phillippa Cannemolla, Relle Mott, Peter Olde, Lyn Johnson, Meri Peach, Janine Smith, Foundation & Friends.
Prof. David Mabberley, Prof. Marie Bashir, Governor of NSW, and Debbie Mills at the Opening of Botanica and the Margaret Flockton Award 2012
The ROYAL Botanic Garden, SYDNEY 4 May
Sogetsu Ikebana workshop
15 May
Grevillea ‘Honey Gem’
SOGETSU IKEBANA WORKSHOP Charles Moore Room Sat 4 May, 10am–3pm Teachers of the modern Sogetsu School of Ikebana will introduce you to the basic techniques of ikebana, an ancient Japanese floral art, through demonstrations and hands-on activities. Please bring your lunch. M $85.50 NM $95 MP MT 10am BF
GREVILLEAS FOR SYDNEY GARDENS Joseph Maiden Theatre Wed 15 May, 10.30am for 11am–12noon Grevilleas vary in height, flower colour, flowering time and length, most will attract birds to your garden and some have a delightful perfume. Including all the hybrids, there are more than 1000 to choose from. Find out which are the best, easiest and most reliable to grow in Sydney and how to grow and maintain them. Then hear tips from grevillea authority Peter Olde on how to make your garden the best in show! M $15 NM $22 MT 10.30am BF
WHAT ELSE IS ON
31 May –1 June
23 May
Strelitzia reginae
Grand Designs: PLANT ADAPTATIONS Meet at the Joseph Maiden Theatre Thurs 23 May, 10am for 10.30am–12.30pm Volunteer guides will present a fascinating talk on how the botanical structures of some flowering plants have adapted to ensure evolutionary success. Then on a walk through the Garden you will see some of these amazing plant adaptations. M $20 NM $25 MT 10am BF
Rustic twined basket
BASKETRY WORKSHOP WITH MERI PEACH Joseph Maiden Theatre Fri 31 May–Sat 1 June, 9.30am–4pm Meri Peach returns in 2013 with three basketry workshops. Her twining workshop in May has a twist in that it will use more rustic materials. The workshop includes discussion around the history of basket making, materials and demonstrations. M $260 NM $300 MT L MP BF
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour Fleet Steps 22 March–12 April, 7.30pm–10.15pm In 2013, Carmen takes the stage; she’s dangerous, sexy and incandescent in a thrilling new production. Bookings: Opera Australia 9318 8300 or operaonsydneyharbour.com.au Watercourse Art Exhibition The Palm House Fri 29 March–Tues 9 April, 10am–4pm This is a show by a group who met at the Hazelhurst Regional Gallery. The works vary in style, from traditional to contemporary, and are watercolours, predominantly. All works are for sale. Enquiries: 9521 7526 F Mother’s Day Classic Phillip Precinct Sun 12 May, 7.30am This walk/run raises money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Enter as a competitor or take part with friends. mothersdayclassic.com.au
KEY: M Foundation & Friends’ member NM Non-member MC Member’s child NC Non-member’s child L Lunch provided R Refreshments provided MP Materials provided Free MT Morning tea provided i More information with booking BF Book through Foundation & Friends B Booking details as listed
F
The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 25
The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan 23 Mar
Jan and Tony Wilkinson
GROWING FRIENDS’ PLANT SALES Growing Friends’ nursery (beside the Garden’s Shop) Every Sun, 11am–2pm The Growing Friends’ nursery stocks a wide range of plants propagated from the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah and the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, including many unusual and hard-to-find varieties. Member discounts apply.
14 Apr
24 Mar
Strawflower by Rhiannon Ashton-Hay
CHILDREN’S PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP Bowden Centre Sat 23 March, 10.30am–12.30pm Designed for 9–15 year olds, this course offers a workshop and practical session to learn the art of photography and is led by a local photographer. Participants must bring a camera. M $31.50 NM $35 MT BF Enquiries 4634 7935
14 Apr
AnnanROMA 2012: ‘King and Queen of Fruit’
AnnanROMA FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL Lakeside Sun 14 April, 10am–4pm The AnnanROMA food and wine festival is a highlight of the Macarthur region’s event calendar. The festival showcases producers, restaurants and wineries of the Macarthur region. You can taste your way around Lakeside, sampling delicious produce from the region as you enjoy the great line-up of musicians and performers, as well as the stunning views. Enquiries 4634 7935 F 26 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
Autumn Plant Sale
GROWING FRIENDS’ AUTUMN PLANT SALE Growing Friends’ nursery (beside the Garden’s Shop) Sun 14 April, 10am–3pm While enjoying AnnanROMA, make sure you pay a visit to this special opening of the Growing Friends’ nursery at Mount Annan. The nursery stocks a wide range of plants propagated from the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah, and the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, including many unusual and hard-to-find varieties. Member discounts apply.
Best seat in the Garden
AUTUMN SKETCHING SAFARI Visitor Centre Sun 24 March, 11am–1pm Sketch your way around the Garden with experienced sketching artist Ellen Fielder. Create a masterpiece inspired by the Garden and meet new friends. Materials are supplied, so just come along to the Garden and enjoy! M $20 NM $22 Suitable for kids over 10yrs MP Enquiries 4634 7935 BF
15–19 Apr
What lives in the lake?
KIDS GROW WILD SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES Visitor Centre Mon 15–Fri 19 April Morning sessions 10.30am–12noon; Afternoon sessions 1–2.30pm Discover more about the Garden. The morning session is all about the lake and the creatures that live in it. You can even dip-net for creatures and learn how to identify them. The afternoon sessions are an adventure tour. Take your camera and capture some great photos of the plants and animals that call the Garden home! Suitable for children aged 5–13 years MC $15 NC $16.50 B 4634 7935
Photos: A. Hanley, Rhiannon Ashton-Hay, Simone Cottrell, Carol Griesser, Indrek Kerema, M. Navarro, Shutterstock.
All autumn
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The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan 2013 PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS – BEGINNERS Visitor Centre Sun 21 April, 10.15am–1.15pm Learn about the art of photography with a series of themed workshops. Complete the whole course or choose a theme: Beginners (only offered in autumn), Macro, People, Plants and Animals and Landscapes. Not suitable for those under 16 years. (Children’s workshop, see 23 March.) M $54 NM $60 MT BF
21 Apr
2012 Budding Photography Competition Winner: Wonderland by Melissa Buck
All autumn
19 & 26 May
4 May
Soldier bird
BREAKFAST WITH THE BIRDS Visitor Centre Sat 4 May, 8am–10am Meet some of the Garden’s feathered friends on an early-morning guided walking tour followed by a breakfast barbecue in the Garden. Suitable for children aged 9 and over BF M $22.50 NM $25 MC NC $20 (9–16 yrs). Includes breakfast after the walk. Enquiries 4634 7935
26 May
free
Connection Gardens Photographer by David Kellegher
AUTUMN HIGH TEA TOUR Visitor Centre Sun 19 & 26 May, 10.30am–12.30pm Discover the autumnal highlights of Australia’s largest botanic garden. After this guided walking tour, enjoy High Tea with all the trimmings! M $40.50 NM $45 MC NC $35 (8–16 yrs). Includes High Tea BF Enquiries 4634 7935
volunteer guided tours Leave from the Visitor Centre Enquire for tour departure times Let an experienced guide take you on a tour of some of the highlights of the Garden. See flowering highlights of the season and discover more about the wildlife that calls the Garden home. Tours are about 45 minutes long. Tours aboard a motorised vehicle are available. Enquiries 4634 7935 F
2013 PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP – PEOPLE Visitor Centre Sun 26 May, 10.15am–1.15pm Learn about the wonderful art of photography with a series of themed workshops. The People photography workshop is only offered in autumn. Not suitable for those under 16 years. M $54 NM $60 MT BF
KEY: M Foundation & Friends' member NM Non-member MC Member's child NC Non-member's child L Lunch provided R Refreshments provided MP Materials provided Free MT Morning tea provided i More information with booking BF Book through Foundation & Friends B Booking details as listed
F
The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 27
The BLUE MOUNTAINS Botanic Garden, Mount TOMAH
free
Frog on Sarracenia flava
All autumn
All autumn
All autumn
GROWING FRIENDS’ PLANT SALES Available from the Garden Shop 10.15am–4.45pm The Garden Shop stocks a selection of plants propagated by Growing Friends from the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah. There’s a range of plants offered for sale, many suitable for cool climate gardens including many unusual and hard-to-find varieties. Member discounts apply.
Ceramics by Barbi Lock Lee
free
HELPING HANDS Meet at the Education Centre Thurs 7 March, 4 April, 2 May 8.30am–12noon Come to a Helping Hands morning and experience horticultural work. You could be involved in mulching, weeding, pruning or planting. Wear sturdy leather boots with ankle support and bring a hat, sunscreen, gloves and drinking water. M F BF Bookings essential. Members only. 28 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
‘AFTERNOON TEA AT THE GARDEN’ – an exhibition of Barbi Lock Lee’s ceramics Visitor Centre Sat 16 March–Sun 19 May, 9.30am–5pm Visit this exhibition of Barbi Lock Lee’s celebrated ceramics, which feature native birds and delicate designs. The theme of the exhibition is ‘Afternoon Tea at the Garden’, and among Barbi’s delightful works on display are cake stands, milk jugs and traditional teaware for the discerning Devonshire tea enthusiast. Enquiries 4567 3000 F
Photos: Jaime Plaza, Greg Bourke, Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Foundation & Friends, Nicky Hammond.
PLANTS WITH BITE! Visitor Centre Sat 2–Sun 10 March 9.30am–5pm The Visitor Centre will house a spectacular carnivorous plant display with information and documentary film sessions. Learn how these intriguing plants, including the amazing pitcher plants, have adapted to nutrientdeficient environments by feeding on insects. Plants are available for purchase, so you can also enjoy the wonders of these plants at home. Enquiries 4567 3000 F
2–10 Mar
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The BLUE MOUNTAINS Botanic Garden, Mount TOMAH 27 Apr
23 Mar
free
The Crooked Fiddle Band
GARDEN GROOVES PRESENTS THE CROOKED FIDDLE BAND The Formal Lawn Sat 23 March, 2pm–4pm Join us for an afternoon of wild entertainment as Garden Grooves presents The Crooked Fiddle Band. Intertwining folk traditions with modern evolutions, this Sydney-based acoustic four-piece spur their audience into a post-apocalyptic hoedown with ecstatic, twisted, high-energy tunes and an expansive cinematic edge. M $22.50 NM $25 Children 0–12 yrs free. BF Refreshments available at the Kiosk.
Caption
27 Apr
GROWING FRIENDS’ AUTUMN PLANT SALE TomahROMA Sat 27 April, 9am–4pm Visit the Growing Friends stall at TomahROMA where you’ll find a great range of plants propagated by our Growing Friends volunteers from the three Botanic Gardens. Member discounts apply.
Autumn Harvest
TomahROMA Upper Garden Sat 27 April, 9am–4pm Come and enjoy the annual TomahROMA food and wine festival. It’s a celebration of nature’s bounty set against the Garden’s spectacular deciduous colours, with local produce, gourmet delights, wine tasting, live music and guided walking tours through the Garden, plus plants for sale. Enquiries 4567 3000 F
27 Apr
Tree Tales by the Eaton Gorge Theatre Company
TREE TALES at TomahROMA Wollemi Room and Garden Sat 27 April 11am–12noon and 1pm–2pm Join Bloss the Ghost Gum and Iron the Iron Bark Tree during this fun interactive performance as they sing songs and recite poetry showing the importance of trees to the environment. MC $13.50 NC $15 (3–12 yrs) BF
KEY: M Foundation & Friends' member NM Non-member MC Member's child NC Non-member's child L Lunch provided R Refreshments provided MP Materials provided Free MT Morning tea provided i More information with booking BF Book through Foundation & Friends B Booking details as listed
F
The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 29
BOOK REVIEWs by alison halliday
seasonal flight
I write this in early summer, with gardens brimming with growth and birdlife; but in autumn many of these same birds will take to the air to trace their long sky-lines as they migrate to winter quarters. Jostling along overhead wires and circling in wheeling flocks they are a reminder of the ever-changing seasons. Those of us who are earthbound can only yearn for other places or be content to snuggle down, absorb the wisdom of good books and garden with a more leisurely attitude than summer allows.
Birds of Prey of Australia: A Field Guide Stephen Debus CSIRO Publishing 2nd Edition 2012 If there were no birds would we still wish to fly? From the majestic wedge-tailed eagle to the harrier quartering the ground, and the beautiful markings of the Brahminy kite, each of the raptors in Stephen Debus’s dense little book is celebrated in its unique glory. Some raptors are threatened by human habitation and development, while others flourish; some are rarely seen (or taken for granted), while some are seen as destructive pests. The raptors occupy specific ecological niches and are a vital part of a healthy, natural system. Each species is clearly illustrated, its habits and habitats described, as well as threats and conservation needs. This book ticks every box for the bird lover and for anyone interested in wild Australia.
John Gould’s Extinct & Endangered: Birds of Australia Sue Taylor National Library of Australia 2012 Just what could happen to our raptors is explored in Taylor’s examination of more than 50 of John Gould’s birds. Some of these no longer exist, while others are close to extinction. The threats to the southern cassowary are indicative of the fragile world of so many species: habitat destruction, death by car, dogs and illegal hunting, impact of wild pigs and cyclones, famine; the list is not short. For each bird there is a meticulous analysis of the voice, diet and breeding habits, as well as a full description. The basic message is the need for urgent conservation; the wild population of orange-bellied parrots was counted in early 2012 as only 21. This beautifully designed book reinforces what we cannot afford to lose.
Gardens for All Seasons Mary Horsfall CSIRO Publishing 2012
Mary Horsfall’s journey through the seasons contains a wealth of knowledge and experience, which underlies the practical advice given in each monthly chapter with reference to the variety of climates and conditions around Australia. Plants to eat, plants to smell, ones to nurture, natives and exotics all have a role in our gardens. Horsfall has a strong inclination to sustainable gardening and there is good advice on natural pest control and wise watering. The monthly reference serves to inspire and remind the reader, and it also breaks down often daunting tasks into manageable units. This book is full of the most useful information and hints; I immediately investigated plants for the infamous dry shady areas.
gift of life
SAVE 50%
Help the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust continue to study and conserve our native flora by fostering a tree today. As a Foundation & Friends member, you can foster a tree for someone special this autumn and save 50 per cent off the retail price of $200. Your $100 tax-deductible donation will support the Trust’s conservation work and your generosity will be acknowledged with an e-certificate of foster care. To foster a tree, please call 9231 8086 or email dedication.program@rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au 30 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
As the autumn leaves start turning, the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah all come alive for Autumn in Your Gardens, a festival with MORE THAN 60 separate events. With the unparalleled natural beauty of plants as its canvas, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust's Autumn in Your Gardens festival celebrates plants and gardens as inspiration for the arts and conservation. Held over three months, the festival contains many not-to-be-missed events, including the Autumn Sketching Safari, artist-in-residence programs, food and wine fairs, including AnnanROMA and TomahROMA, artist workshops, kids’ photography workshops, Autumn Highlights Tour and High Tea, exhibitions, the play The First Garden, concerts, including Garden Grooves with The Crooked Fiddle Band, a botanicallythemed trivia night, Breakfast with the Birds, and Plants with Bite! You are invited to the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney on Sunday 10 March for the Autumn Vibes event, a free day of entertainment. Autumn Vibes, an Australian Event Award 2012 finalist, kicks off the Autumn in Your Gardens festival. It is a free multicultural day of music, dance, opera, storytelling, art, food, talks, walks and children’s activities, all linking plants in the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney to their countries of origin. This year, Autumn Vibes is shaping up to be an exhilarating day, focusing on plant collections from South America, Asia, the Pacific Islands and our own Indigenous plant collections. Back by popular demand are TaikOz and Riley Lee, Australia's
only Grand Master of the shakuhachi, a bamboo flute. Adding to the thunderous percussion of Asia at Autumn Vibes will be the exciting samba drums of Brazil, accompanied by samba and capoiera dancers, filling the Garden with the energy of Rio. Also new to the program are the Kevin Hunt Trio; opera arias with Michael Halliwell; storytelling with Jo Henwood and Indigenous storytellers; the launch of the Autumn in Your Gardens storytelling competition; specialist horticultural talks and demonstrations; a Garden Safari, exploring the amazing colours, shapes and textures of plant life; and the Botanical Songforms exhibition tour and talk by Phillippa Carnemolla, the Garden’s 2012 Artist-in-Residence. Autumn Vibes’ favourites will reappear, including volunteer guided walks where visitors can hear about some of the quirky stories that make up the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney's nearly 200 years of history – famous discoveries, celebrities and crimes will be uncovered! You can also enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony; music around the Garden; an ikebana exhibition; Growing Friends plant sale and a large selection of children’s activities. There will also be an array of delicious food for sale. For more information, please refer to the Autumn Diary or visit yourgardens.com.au AnnanROMA 2012
Brazilian dancers at Autumn Vibes
Photos: Jaime Plaza, Simone Cottrell.
Bilpin Bush Honey stall at TomahROMA
The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 31
the BLUE MOUNTAINS BOTANIC GARDEN, mount tomah www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/tomah
FIRST PERSON: Mathew Murray Years ago I came to the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah on an excursion for the horticulture course I was attending. The garden had not opened yet. I remember walking around the construction site of the Rock Garden, looking at it and thinking “Wow, what a mess.” But, even then, I also thought to myself, “I would kill to work here.” There was so much potential in the infant Botanic Garden. I visited from time to time to see how it was developing, and I always left with the yearning to be there and living in the Blue Mountains. Originally I worked in the nursery industry. However, the industry was so fickle and I was never sure how long a job would last. I decided a local government job would be a more secure prospect, so I gained employment as a gardener for a regional council. I worked there for some years but became frustrated with their apathetic attitude towards the city’s green spaces. An opportunity came up for a horticulturist at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney in the Tropical Centre, and I knew I really wanted to work there. Finally I could work for an organisation that cared about plants. I loved working in the Nursery and in the Tropical Centre. Working with some of the plant enthusiasts and the collection was a goldmine to me.
MOVING UP IN THE WORLD Next I moved to the Blue Mountains, which meant I could grow the bulbs and other cold-climate plants I love. I hoped that an opportunity would arise to work at the Mount Tomah Garden. Finally a horticultural position came up. I applied and gained the position. Then the position for senior horticulturist in the Rock Garden was advertised and I gained that, too. That year, 1998, had an almost dreamlike quality. I was awarded an Alpine Garden Society Scholarship to accompany an expedition to the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco. I also applied for a Foundation & Friends’
CHILDHOOD DREAM REALISED One of my passions is bulbs, which I’ve grown since I was a boy. In fact, one of my earliest memories is of red tulips. From this stems my love of all growing things. Hiking is another passion, particularly when I get to see the plants I am interested in growing. If you want to grow a plant well, it’s best to see the conditions in which it occurs naturally. I recently hiked in New Zealand's Southern Alps to see one of my favourite cushion plants, Haastia pulvinaris, growing wild. My mother often used to comment that I was a dreamer as a child. Every day I work at the Trust I feel as if I am realising a dream I had almost 30 years ago as a budding horticulturist.
If you want to grow a plant well, it’s best to see the conditions in which it occurs naturally. I recently hiked in New Zealand to see one of my favourite plants. SEE PG 12 FOR MAT'S NEW COLUM N Photos: Mathew Murray, Prudence Upton (The First Garden)
Haastia pulvinaris growing in the Southern Alps of New Zealand
Scholarship and was given the opportunity to visit the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and Edinburgh, and the RHS Garden, Wisley to study and gain experience in their rock gardens. I can not thank the Foundation & Friends enough for this experience. So many wonderful opportunities have arisen during my 18 years of employment with the Trust. I get to work with some amazing people and the collections of plants, the library and the herbarium are treasure-troves of inestimable value. I am so proud to say I work for the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust.
32 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
THE Royal BOTANIC GARDEN, sydney www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/sydney
Darwin Festival 2012 The First Garden
THE FIRST GARDEN As part of autumn in Your gardens, THE play The First Garden, by Chris and Natasha Raja, Will be presented to celebrate the extraordinary life of olive pink. Olive Pink, the subject of this play, is largely unknown by the public today, particularly outside her chosen home and final resting place in the Northern Territory. However, her importance is not only central to Australia’s social history but to our national story and identity as contemporary Australians. Between twilight and dusk in the beautiful outdoor setting of the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, visitors can experience The First Garden, a play that tells the remarkable story of Olive Pink (1884–1975), an environmentalist and land-rights activist, and her quest to establish a botanical garden in Alice Springs. Pink was a remarkable 20th-century Australian with a concept of human rights that was unheralded in her day. Set in the 1950s, The First Garden explores the harsh and oppressive conditions experienced by the Indigenous people of Central Australia. Olive Pink’s life and character is the narrative heart of this work; she was a brash, no-nonsense woman born before her time. Forty years before Amnesty International first raised the awareness of human rights, Olive Pink was deeply distressed by what she had read and heard about the massacres and brutal treatment of the Warlpiri and Aranda people of Central Australia. She sought to carry into reality her own idea of true equality for the tribal Aboriginal people of Central Australia, a fairness firmly underpinned by full human rights and by cultural and economic independence. After many years of visiting Central Australia, Olive Pink (played by Natasha Raja) decided to create a distinctive take
on botanical gardens. She started by collecting plants of all types but became more specific over time, focusing on local plants and ecosystems. Pivotal to her success were her relationships with the people who helped her realise her vision: Captain Harold Southern, her ‘guardian angel’ who died on the slopes of Gallipoli, her Warlpiri friend Johnny Tjampatjimpa (played by Eshua Bolton) and the young Communist, Henry Wardlaw, who guided a woman who wouldn’t be led, survived her sharp tongue and eccentricities, and allowed her to see her dream unfurl into reality. Originally conceived for the Olive Pink Botanical Gardens in Alice Springs and developed as a site-specific production, The First Garden tells a local story with universal elements. The play will be performed from twilight to dusk and accompanied by live music, with three actors performing the five characters.
The first garden A play by Chris and Natasha Raja presented by the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust. Band Lawn, The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney Evening: 8–10 and 13–17 March, 5.30pm–6.45pm Members $27.50, non-members $32.50 Matinees: 14 and 16 March, 11am–12.15pm Members $22.50, non-members $27.50 Book online at oztix.com.au The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 33
the BLUE MOUNTAINS BOTANIC GARDEN, mount tomah www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/tomah
Autumn in the Blue Mountains Autumn is a beautiful time to visit the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah as shades of orange, red, yellow and brown create a vibrant landscape. Visitors can enjoy the maple, viburnum, berberis and cotoneaster leaves as they turn. This year we are hosting a full program of events to celebrate Autumn in Your Gardens. We kick off with the ever-popular and educational Plants With Bite! festival in conjunction with the Australasian Carnivorous Plant Society. Plants With Bite! is in its ninth year and includes film screenings, informative talks, carnivorous plant displays and sales, and plenty of fun for the kids. Welcome to the insect’s nightmare as a simple foraging expedition becomes a fight for survival! Once a hapless insect comes into contact with the sticky leaves or mouth-shaped trap of a carnivorous plant, its fate is often sealed. Through events like Plants with Bite! and displays such as the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Bog Garden, visitors can experience the unique ecology of swamps and gain an appreciation for ensuring their ongoing existence. Falsely perceived by many as valueless, swamps and wetlands are under threat from urban development. The Australian Conservation Agency estimates that more than 50 per cent of Australia’s wetlands have been lost. Following on from the success of FourPlay last year, our annual outdoor concert, Garden Grooves, headlines The Crooked Fiddle Band this autumn. Intertwining folk traditions with modern evolutions, this Sydney-based acoustic four-piece (double bass, violin, drums and guitar/bouzouki) will spur the dance floor into a post-apocalyptic hoedown. Following tours of the European and UK festivals, The Crooked Fiddle Band returns to our shores
with new tunes written beside fjords and lakes in Finland and Norway. The wild settings gave the band’s already ecstatic and twisted, high-energy tunes an expansive, cinematic edge. From whirling dances to intense battle-scene climaxes, the band’s music has been described by Brian Eno as “... completely surprising: the music is original and quixotic, and yet has the strength of some deep and strong roots. I can’t say I’ve ever heard anything else like it!” Don’t miss The Crooked Fiddle Band on Saturday 23 March. Tickets for Foundation & Friends’ members are only $22.50, or $25 for non-members. Autumn will also see a delightful new exhibition of Barbi Lock Lee’s celebrated ceramics, featuring native birds and delicate designs. Themed around ‘Afternoon Tea at the Garden’, Barbi’s works feature cake stands, milk jugs and traditional teaware for the discerning Devonshire tea enthusiast. And, finally, don’t miss the autumn food and wine fair TomahROMA, which attracted record numbers last year, where you can make the most of fresh local produce and crafts while reducing your food miles. This year there is a special theatrical and educational treat with an environmental message that young children will love. Tree Tales will be performed by the Eaton Gorge Theatre Company and includes interactive performances where children can become trees and gain an insight into the importance of trees to our environment. Find out more about Autumn in Your Gardens, including dates and booking information on pages 28 & 29. Louise Clifton, Manager Marketing and Visitor Services, Public Engagement Bowl by Barbi Lock Lee
Ceramics by Barbi Lock Lee
Local produce at TomahROMA 34 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
A fly on Drosera gigantea
THE AUSTRALIAN BOTANIC GARDEN, mount annan www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/annan
Photos: Simone Cottrell, Jaime Plaza.
ENJOY FRESH, LOCAL PRODUCE Visitors to the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan will delight in the flowering highlights of the season, the range of engaging workshops on offer and the impressive line-up of events and activities this autumn. An autumn culinary treat, the AnnanROMA Food and Wine Festival showcases the burgeoning food and wine industry of the Macarthur region. Along with impressive entertainment and the spectacular views from Lakeside, this event is certainly a recipe for success. It showcases local restaurants and wineries, and you will find plenty of local produce to enjoy, including oils and butters, olives, cheeses, cupcakes, fresh fruit, vegetables, jams and sauces. After you taste your way around Lakeside, you can relax to the smooth sounds of the talented locals performing on stage while you enjoy a drop of locally produced wine. The Mount Annan Garden’s Visitor Centre will also provide samples of great Australian produce, from finger lime marmalade and Davidson’s plum and lillypilly jam to macadamia nut butter. Foundation & Friends’ members receive a special 20 per cent discount on food products from the Visitor Centre’s stall at the event. You can even find many of the plant species these products are made from at the Fruit Loop Garden located in the central precinct. Established in 2004, this Garden is a hidden treasure, featuring plants from across Australia that have been and are still used by Australians, both past and present, as food, tools and medicines in contemporary Australian culture. Here you will find plants such as lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora). The oil from its leaves contains medicinal properties and has been used as an ingredient for perfumes and creams. It was also used to make lemonade during the lemon shortages of World War II. You will also find Davidson’s plum (Davidsonia pruriens) with fruit that makes tasty jam and full-flavoured dry red wine. This plant is found in Queensland in tropical rainforest from the Cardwell area to Cooktown and inland to near Atherton. One of my favourite flavours is that of the finger lime (Citrus australasica), which can be used to flavour condiments and desserts. Interest from celebrity chefs generated huge orders from Europe and the Middle East for this lovely fruit, which is common to rainforests of southern Queensland and northern NSW. The Fruit Loop Garden is a great tool for teaching visitors about the natural environment and the resourcefulness of the Indigenous people who have used these plants for many years. If you would like to taste the flavours of plants featured in the Fruit Loop Garden, visit Melaleuca House café. Owner Adam Williams incorporates lemon myrtle in marinades for chicken, aniseed myrtle in pannacotta, wattle seed in breads and native spinach in a delicious risotto. As a member of Foundation & Friends, you receive a 10 per cent discount when dining at Melaleuca House. I encourage you to visit our website, rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/annan, where you’ll find the season’s flowering highlights in the Plant of the Month section. Many species of grevillea are spectacular in autumn, as are many fruit-producing plants. Enjoy the season! Belinda Howell, Manager Marketing and Visitor Centre, Public Engagement
AnnanROMA 2012
AnnanROMA 2012
AnnanROMA 2012 The Gardens {Autumn 2013} 35
MEMBERS’ benefitS
ARBONNE SKINCARE
Premium Swiss skincare and wellness company Arbonne is now offering its products in Australia. Using pure plant botanicals, the range combines nature and safe science and is said to be ‘pure, safe and beneficial’. There are products for anti-ageing, teenage problem skin, men, babies, flawless make-up, perfume, sunscreen, toothpaste and deodorant – even vegan protein shakes and bars. Arbonne is offering Foundation & Friends’ members a free five-day sample pack of the anti-ageing RE9 Range including cleanser, toner, two types of day cream, night cream, eye cream and serum. Plus receive a free product and 20 per cent discount on future purchases. To request your sample pack, visit www.angie.myarbonne.com.au, or phone 0412 158 826. FREE PLE SAM
give a gift for mother's day
join or renew membership It’s never been easier to join the Foundation & Friends, renew your membership or give a gift membership. Visit www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/foundationandfriends and click on the ‘join now’ or ‘renew now’ links. It’s a quick and easy process, and your receipt will be issued immediately. Or, you can contact our office on 9231 8182 and we’ll happily help. You can join or renew for multiple years, saving you time and beating any fee increases. Why not introduce your friends so they become our friends, too? Our members are the lifeblood of our organisation. Membership fees allow us to continue our vital work supporting the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust.
new program On Thursday 14 March, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust will launch the Corporate Club, a new membership program available to companies and their staff. Many city workers head to the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney and the Domain every day to have lunch, exercise or simply relax. Both are popular places to escape the pressures of city life. Through the Corporate Club, businesses and their staff will gain unique access to one of the world’s great botanic gardens. Members will have the opportunity to see behind the heritage glasshouses and buildings, entertain in one of the City’s most popular and picturesque landmarks, meet the scientists saving our threatened species and habitats, discover hidden treasures, and get their hands dirty with expert horticulturists. Every year, half of the Trust’s funding must be raised from external sources, and all new projects require external funding, too. By joining the Corporate Club, companies and their staff will benefit, which then helps the Trust continue its vital work, safeguarding the future of our botanic gardens. Corporate Club membership starts at only $2,500 per year, and companies can pick the level and benefits that best meet their business needs and budgets. To find out more about becoming a member of the Corporate Club, email jo.allwood@rbgsyd.nsw. gov.au or call the Corporate Club team on 9231 8087. 36 The Gardens {Autumn 2013}
Photos: Simone Cottrell, Peter Wing.
Countdown to the Corporate Club