The Friends newsletter Fronds is published three times a year in April, August and December. All members receive a free copy by post. A website version appears soon after publication.
Regular content includes:
- Articles about plants and gardens and the people who work with them, primarily on the development, collections and scientific research at the ANBG
- Garden Shorts – an update on projects in the ANBG
- Friends Briefs – all the news on Friends events, projects and people
- Regular updates on the work of Growing Friends and their plant sales, Botanic Art Groups and their exhibitions, the Guides and the Botanical Resource Centre, all illustrated with photos from the Photographic Group
- Book reviews
- ‘What’s On’ – a comprehensive listing of Thursday talks and other events organised by the Friends and the Gardens for the next four months.
Contributions
Contributed articles and photos for inclusion in Fronds are always welcome. See the inside cover of each edition for details. Email newsletter@friendsanbg.org.au for information or to discuss requirements for contributions.
In the latest issue
Fronds 101 August 2022 (PDF format: 1.35 MB)
- Otto Ruzicka’s enduring influence
- Botanic Gardens at the heart of the Commonwealth Estate
- The ANBG Nursery’s role in plant conservation
- Friendly Chatter:
- Botanic Art Groups
- Growing Friends
- Plant Science Group
- Photographic Group
- Nature Journaling
- Volunteer Guides
- Gardens Shorts:
- Report from Executive Director
- Minister Plibersek visits Gardens
- Calling in the weeding experts
- Banksia Garden featured on Gardening Australia
- Latest in mowing technology - the ‘robo-mower’
- Friends Briefs:
- Tricia Morton 1951–2022
- 2022 Annual General Meeting returns to the Gardens
- Citizen Science Award winner
- Change to Friends Benefits
- Fronds Team interchange
- Gardens’ Friends get together
- Far from home?
- Botanical Bookshop book reviews
- What’s on at the Gardens
- Thursday Talks: August to December 2022
Download previous issues
All archived issues are in PDF format.
| Year | Issue 1 | Issue 2 | Issue 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | April | August | |
| 2021 | April | August | December |
| 2020 | April | August | December |
| 2019 | April | August | December |
| 2018 | April | August | December |
| 2017 | April | August | December |
| 2016 | April | August | December |
| 2015 | April | August | December |
| 2014 | April | August | December |
| 2013 | April | August | December |
| 2012 | April | August | December |
| 2011 | April | August | December |
| 2010 | April | August | December |
| 2009 | March | August | December |
| 2008 | March | July | November |
| 2007 | March | July | November |
| 2006 | March | July | November |
View an expanded version that links to the table of contents of each issue.
Extracts from some earlier newsletters back to August 2000 are available.
What's in a Name? articles
The series What's in a Name? written by the late Bernard Fennessy appeared in the Friends newsletter up to 2006. The articles are gems of botanical writing that combine interesting research and lively humour.
In 2005 the Friends published the 25 articles about plant names as a single PDF file (2,105 KB).
Bernard also wrote four articles about people after whom ANBG buildings and facilities have been named:
The Bernard Fenessy What's in a Name? Award for botanical writing
Following Bernard's death in August 2006 the Friends instituted an annual award for a Newsletter article in the style of Bernard's What's in a Name? articles. The award ran between 2007 and 2010. Award winners were:
| 2007 | winners | Sue and Byron Serjeantson, Boronia molloyae (Tall Boronia) |
| joint runners-up |
June Foster, Eucalyptus flindersii Edwin Rice, Acacia maidenii |
|
| 2008 | winner | John Turnbull, Eucalyptus cloeziana (Gympie Messmate) |
| runner-up | Liz Baker, Swainsona formosa | |
| 2009 |
joint winners |
Peter Davidson, Backhousia citriodora June Foster, Wilga (Geijera parviflora): Family Rutaceae |
| 2010 | winner | John Turnbull, Eucalyptus globulus |
