The Red Centre Garden, which opened in October 2013 after four years of careful planning and an immense amount of work by the Gardens staff, has become a major attraction for visitors to the ANBG and to Canberra in general. A warm and dry summer resulted in wonderful displays of colour, the blues and purples of the massed Swan River Daisies, Sturt’s Nightshade and Sturt’s Desert Rose together with the brilliant greens and silvery greys of the young acacias, Silky Heads and ‘tobacco’ plants contrast beautifully with the red sand and dramatic rocks in the Rocky Outcrop and Rocky Escarpment. Many visitors are taking advantage of the Flora Explorer tours to enjoy the spectacle of the Red Centre Garden in comfort. Click on the heading for more information.

The popular Art in the Gardens with Friends botanical art exhibition is back for its seventh year at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. From 22 March to 21 April, visitors can explore a collection of botanical paintings and drawings. For the first time, this year’s exhibition includes fired ceramic wall pieces. Many of the artists will be on hand throughout the exhibition to talk about their work and about the Friends’ Botanic Art Group. The exhibition is on display from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm daily in the Gardens’ Visitor Centre. Entry is free.

Click on the heading above for information on the exhibition opening.