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Seed sorting in the Seed Bank

Plant Science Group

To bring together some activities and contributions by the Friends that have emerged in the last few years it has been decided to establish a Plant Science group. This will be the umbrella for the more research oriented activities of the Friends in the future.This group will welcome those who have an interest in the more scientific side of the gardens and native plants.

ANPC Workshop

The ANPC (Australian Network for Plant Conservation) will be running a two day workshop on plant identification for grassy ecosystems at the ANBG on 13th and 14th March. Registration for this workshop closes on 6th March. The cost to register is $225. For more information, click on the 'ANPC Workshop' heading above.

Ian Warden

Centenary Chats

During 2013 the Thursday Talks program will include a number of special talks designed to mark the Canberra Centenary. These are listed in the Calendar as Centenary Chats. The Centenary Chats will reflect the special themes chosen by the Centenary of Canberra for each month to celebrate a different aspect of Canberra. The series commenced on Thursday 31 January when Ian Warden spoke on the topic: ‘Tiptoe through the Telopeas: Why Marion Mahony Griffin would have boycotted Floriade’.

Garden History Society logo

Australian Garden History Society

The Friends have been talking to the Australian Garden History Society about cooperation. The AGHS has an interesting program for the centenary year, some of which is related to ANBG.

See the 2013 AGHS program for more details.

Barbara Daly and Senator Kate Lundy (Photo: Julie Akmacic)

Botanic Gardens thanks volunteers

On Wednesday 5 December the Gardens paid tribute to more than 150 volunteers who have worked in the Gardens for very significant times – in one case, 25 years. Most of the volunteers are members of the Friends.

Executive Director Dr Judy West, along with Senator Kate Lundy, thanked the Gardens’ many volunteers at a special ceremony on International Volunteer Day.

Horticulturalist Julie Percival and visiting Friends (Photo: Alan Munns)

Behind the Scenes tour of ANBG Nursery

One of the benefits of being a member of the Friends of the ANBG is to occasionally get behind the scenes in the Gardens. On Thursday 8 November 40 of us got a close up look at the propagation of arid-zone plants for the Garden's new Red Centre Garden, which will open in October 2013 (more information on the Garden's website). We saw seedlings of many iconic species of Central Australian plants, ranging from Ghost Gums and Desert Oak to saltbush, diasies and spinifex.

Friends group in Parliament House gardens (Photo: Jan Finley)

Visit to Parliament House Gardens 4 October 2012

Over twenty Friends were fortunate to have a warm and sunny day for the tour of the interior courtyard gardens at Parliament House on 4 October.  Paul Janssens, the Director of Landscape Services at Parliament House led the tour. 

Presentation of botanical art, 2012 AGM (Photo: Steve Speer)

Annual General Meeting 25 September 2012

The 24th AGM of the Friends was held in the Gardens Theatrette on 25 September. The President gave a report summarising the achievements over the past year and looking to some exciting initiatives during 2012/13. In particular the report highlights the Friends activities for the Canberra centenary, including the gift of a major artwork for the Red Centre garden meeting place and a Bush Capital celebration in November 2013, for which a Centenary grant of $15000 has been awarded by the ACT Government.

 
Fascinating walks in the wonderful Arid Lands Botanic Garden. Photo: Alan Munns

Mangroves, Myalls and More: Conference in Port Augusta, August 2012

The most recent biennial conference of the Association of Friends of Botanic Gardens was held at the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden, Port Augusta, on 18 and 19 August 2012. The conference was attended by some 150 members of Friends of Botanic Gardens groups from around Australia and New Zealand, including seven members of the Friends of the ANBG.

Wattle for Wattle Day (Photo: Barbara Podger)

National Wattle Day 2012

The Friends of the ANBG celebrated National Wattle Day 2012 in considerable style with the launch of 'A Celebration of Wattle - Australia's National Emblem', a revised edition of Maria Hitchcock’s book 'Wattle' (AGPS 1991).

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