Tony Byrne
tonybyrne@effect.net.au
Chair:
Tony Byrne
Vice Chair:
Helen Elliot
Treasurer:
Robyn Henderson
Secretary:
Nancy Clarke
NMC Representative:
Nancy Clarke
Committee:
Kay Johnston
Rod Holesgrove
Julia Nicholls
Judy Pearce
Linda Spinaze
Marie Wood
The ACT/Monaro/Riverina Branch of the Australian Garden History Society covers southern NSW and the ACT. Each year we organise a number of garden visits and in winter we hold a series of talks on a wide range of historic garden and landscape topics.
AUGUST
Date: Thursday 26 August (Following the Branch AGM at 5.30 pm), 6.00 pm.
Event: The Tiger Balm Garden in Hong Kong talk by Jill Matthews.
AGHS member Jill Matthews lived in Hong Kong for 18 months in 2000-02 and did many hours of voluntary work rescuing the private Tiger Balm Garden, then recently saved from demolition by developers. In her presentation she will show photos of the gardens as they now are, and as they have been in happier times, and discuss the particular issues relating to the preservation of such gardens in Asia. She will also compare and contrast the issues facing such historic Asian gardens with those facing historic gardens in Australia.
Venue: Discovery Centre, CSIRO, Clunies Ross Street, Black Mountain.
Cost: Members Free, non-members $5 (incl. refreshments)
The English Garden is situated within Canberra’s Weston Park near the Yarralumla Nursery. Its exact origins are unclear but we do know that the oldest trees within the Garden are those which were planted in the time of Charles Weston, the first Superintendant of Parks and Gardens in Canberra (from 1913).
In 2008 the Branch completed a condition assessment of the English Garden and produced a brochure on the Garden. This new information was launched by the ACT Chief Minister, Mr Jon Stanhope in April 2009. At the time of the launch Mr Stanhope announced that funds would be earmarked in the next ACT budget to do additional work in the English Garden and that his Department had invited the AGHS to provide advice on the project. The Branch wrote to the Chief Minister outlining our views on what should be done and recently we have been consulted as plans for new work have been drawn up.
The Yarralumla Nursery records, still in use, provide a unique source of information on the planting plans and plant experimentation that was carried out to develop and establish the Garden City concept for the new capital city of Canberra from its inception and later. Of particular interest is an extensive holding of index cards that record seed acquisitions, cutting material, planting dates and comments for the period from 1913 to the 1960s and a set of ledgers recording seed acquisitions up to the present.
These records are of value to a wide variety of groups including aborists, botanists, horticulturalists, garden and landscape designers, historians tree managers in the private sector and residents of Canberra. However in their present form the records are vulnerable and not easily searchable.
The Branch is applying for an ACT Heritage Grant to have the records digitised and is also seeking to have them listed on the ACT Heritage Register.
A Gardener's City. Canberra's Garden History – Canberra’s millions of trees, its lakes and parks have transformed a degraded limestone plain into one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This video/DVD produced by the Branch traces the development of the city and captures Canberra in full autumn colour. It was launched in 2006 and is available for purchase.
View a clip at www.the-hub.com.au/gallery.php and select A Gardener's City.
Enquiries: Brian Voce email: bvoce@ozemail.com.au
ACT/Monaro/ Riverina branch members are strongly encouraged to receive their branch newsletters and news updates by email. This service helps the Branch communicate better with members and reduces mail out costs.
