7 minute read
Plants in the Gardens
Discover more about the wonderful plants to look out for next time you visit the gardens.
Blue Mountains Botanic Garden
The Wedding Tree Terrace at Blue Mountains Botanic Garden is a unique location known for its well-manicured lawn and picturesque views of the gardens framed by the iconic Alnus nepalensis (Nepalese alder) tree.
This charming setting is popular for couples looking to tie the knot. Historically, however, due to the lawn's size, it has only been able to accommodate small weddings. Excitingly, our events and turf teams have collaborated to improve the surrounding garden beds and expand the lawn.
Bluestone retaining walls have been constructed to allow for a 60m2 extension to the lawn, and bare patches of grass that suffered from tree root competition have been transformed with mass plantings of mondo grasses. This creates a striking contrast of green foliage. The surrounding garden beds featuring various maple and camellia plants will provide additional privacy and autumn colour in the coming years. These enhancements have doubled the patron capacity, and we are receiving more enquiries from couples eager to create lasting connections to this unique location.
Another experience that will change this season is that of the Mount Tomah Restaurant and Kiosk. With a new ownership comes a new culinary journey.
The in-house chef has crafted a menu that celebrates the region's unique flavours and Australian native cuisine, highlighting local produce and native herbs such as lemon myrtle and mountain pepper.
When you visit, pack a coat, as you'll want to sit out on the deck, soak in the dramatic landscape, and savour a warm, delicious meal.
ASH FILIPOVSKI, CURATOR MANAGER, BLUE MOUNTAINS BOTANIC GARDEN
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Autumn has this almost magical quality in the garden. It’s as though the season pauses for a breath before plunging into the chill of winter. The air is crisp, the soil is soft, and the fading heat gives way to the perfect conditions for planting and preparing for next year’s garden displays. This is the time to refine, expand, and of course, dream about the blooms to come.
Speaking of dreams, the rose collection in bed 80 is about to bloom into something quite extraordinary. Nestled at the top of the Palace stairs, this bed will soon house roses from a variety of eras, a nod to both history and future beauty. Although they will only be planted this autumn, the future promise of their full, fragrant glory is unmistakable. It’s a project long in the making, and when these roses establish over the next few years, they’ll carry stories from centuries past while adding a new chapter to the garden’s tale.
In bed 101, the Southern African collection is taking shape with the kind of precision that only comes from attention to the smallest details. Horticulturist, Scott Yates has been working hard addressing soil and drainage issues, crafting the perfect environment for this collection. The subsurface drainage has been improved, the soil profile enhanced, and now water moves through beyond the root zone, preventing the collection from being inundated with water around the root system. In a few years, this garden will really fill out and it will be a living testament to the work that has been done to display some of our rarest plant material.
Bed 60, home to the elegant Theaceae family, is coming into its own with a finished path network that invites visitors to wander and marvel. The circular paved section offers a breathtaking view, especially of the Palm Grove. Standing in the centre is almost like being on the threshold of a different world. The development of an accessible boardwalk at the southern end will give people an entirely new perspective – the chance to step right over the roots of the Ceiba speciosa (silk floss tree), which run above (and beneath) the surface and are integral to the tree’s power and beauty.
With all the seasonal transitions, don't forget to take a moment to appreciate the stunning colour display from the deciduous trees. Their autumnal transformation is a vivid reminder of nature’s rhythm, and of course, the perfect backdrop for all the hard work that has been put into the garden.
Did you know that anthocyanins, produced in response to sunlight and cool temperatures, contribute to the striking crimson shades seen in certain leaves? Carotenoids, present throughout the year but masked by chlorophyll, shine through as the green fades, casting trees in warm, golden tones.
The intensity and variety of colours depend on factors like tree species, weather conditions, and geographic location. Maple trees dazzle with reds, while oak leaves may shift to russet or brown. Take a leisurely stroll through the Garden and enjoy the visual symphony.
Beyond the aesthetic appeal, the changing foliage serves ecological purposes. Trees reabsorb nutrients from their leaves, preparing for winter dormancy. While we can’t fully benefit from this process the annual spectacle of autumn foliage reminds us of nature's cyclical rhythm and the beauty inherent in transition and transformation. Enjoy your time in the Garden this autumn and hope to see you around.
JARRYD KELLY, CURATOR MANAGER, ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, SYDNEY
Australian Botanic Garden
As we transition from summer to autumn the cooler weather is a welcome relief for staff and many specimens within the Living Collection. This change in weather will see the flowering of some beautiful Banksia specimens, especially our Sydney species that include Banksia integrifolia, B. marginata and B. spinulosa.
For the team, autumn is a busy period delivering additional landscaping projects. The two main projects the Horticulture and Living Collections team are delivering are the extension and redevelopment of the Arid Landscape within Connections Garden and the next stage of creek landscaping between the award-winning Bowden Centre and the central precinct at the Garden.
The concepts to extend and upgrade the Arid Landscape and Living Collection were collectively developed by our Conservation Horticulturist Sarah Dempster and former employee Simon Reed, while the final designs were produced by our Landscape Designer Sitthichat Bamrung. Currently the Arid Landscape is around 672m2 and the extension of the landscape convert the adjoining couch lawn that will increase the display landscape by an additional 564m2. These works also include an interconnecting concrete path network, new species, and specimens to the display, and two new dedication benches overlooking Lakeside lawns and Lake Sedgwick. New specimens included are various species of emu bush (Eremophila densifolia and E. subangustifolia), blue bush (Maireana sedifolia) and curly malee (Eucalyptus gillii) and E. woodwardii that will complement the existing exquisite Queensland bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris) and Central Australian cabbage palm (Livistona mariae) specimens that have a dominance in this area.
The creek landscaping is a continuation of the work the conservation horticulturists have been implementing in two previous stages to improve visitor engagement, with a key section of the landscape that people encounter when they arrive on site in our main carpark, while moving between the café, our visitor centre, event space or while exploring the living collection on display. This stage will see a low-key activation space for people to congregate, dedicated bench to watch the flow of water and beauty of the Gardens and interconnected walking path to connect sections of woodlands and displays together, while the landscaping in the creek will slow the flow of water to allow sediment to settle and the Living Collection plantings to filter out nutrients before it enters Annan Creek.
The hard landscaping aspects are due for completion in April for the Arid Landscape and May for the Creek line landscaping, respectively. Hope to see you soon in the Gardens.
MICHAEL ELGEY, CURATOR MANAGER, AUSTRALIAN BOTANIC GARDEN MOUNT ANNAN
