
Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens
FBBG NEWS
Friends Quarterly Meeting Thursday 19th May, 10am, Robert Clarke Horticultural Centre
We have a varied program of speakers with updates and news covering Fairyland, History group, Fernery, Australian Friends Conference. Lots of happenings at this meeting to interest members, including morning tea.
Ballarat Heritage Festival
There is plenty happening in May for the Friends, including our quarterly Members Meeting, the Ballarat Heritage Festival (May 21st– 29th) https://ballaratheritagefestival.com.au/ and the National Botanic Gardens Open Day (May 29th).
A lot of the focus for our activities during May will be on our Mighty Noble Oaks. We have an interesting and varied collection in our gardens and we are using this time to celebrate them and learn more!
Photos: Ann Brech & Kim Nolan
Ballarat’s Mighty Oaks Exhibition 21st–29th May, 9am-4.30pm daily, Statutory Pavilion, Free
Photos and information panels informing how oaks fit into the world. Over 20 Oaks (all found in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens) will be highlighted. Read about the oaks and then go and find them and be amazed!
Talk - Celebrating the Oak Sunday May 22nd, 2pm, Robert Clarke Centre, $10 (includes afternoon tea)
John Hawker, long time horticulturist and former adviser with the Heritage Council of Victoria will present fascinating celebratory stories about the Oak. John has assisted the National Trust with development and management of the Register of Significant Trees in Victoria. Please book using the link: https://www.trybooking.com/BYZKV *Please email or phone the office if you need any help with bookings.
Walking Tour - Quirky Stories Behind the Oaks Sunday May 29th, 2pm, Meet outside Conservatory, Free – no need to book
Join us on this special day - National Botanical Gardens Day - for a guided tour of the mighty Oaks that were once yesterday’s acorns! Discover the variety of Oaks and find out more about their individual stories and their impact in our world.
Family Fun - Heritage at Botanikids - A Digital Microscope Peek into Ancient Oaks! Sunday 29th May, 10am-12pm, Gatekeeper’s Cottage, Nursery Drive near Fernery
See heritage oaks, collect leaves and acorns, bark and sticks. Discover the weird and wonderful world of ancient oaks on a digital microscope. Plant your own Aussie ‘oak’ and create a cork and acorn creature.
Cost: $5 per child (cash or card) Supervising adult with child (Age 6-10 recommended), Register on Ballarat Botanikids Facebook: ‘Heritage Kids Post’
A visit from Gardening Australia host – Costa!
We had an unexpected visit from Costa last week when he was filming in the gardens! He checked out our Plant Trolley, visited some of our growers in the Nursery and then visited our Cottage to see what Botanikids do! He is passionate about gardening and was so interested in everything the Friends are doing!
He was so impressed with the Cottage and what Julie and her team do with Botanikids he did a live video stream on facebook. Click on the link below to see it. It is such a fantastic promotion for the Friends, the Gatekeepers Cottage and the Botanikids!
Costa visits the Botanikids in the Gatekeeper's Cottage Video
The Friends Nursery with some of our Growing Friends
Costa loving our Plant Trolley - Ann and Kim thought he might like to buy a plant!
Costa with our Botanikids!
Costa was very impressed with our new Microscope in our GateKeeper's Cottage!
The new 'Evolution of Plants Display'
Our Newsletter - 'Wellingtonia' Autumn 2022
BotaniKIDS Fairyland Walk
Want to become a member of Friends of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens?
Find out more about becoming a friend here >>
Do you need some new plants for your garden or for a gift?
Why not visit the friends nursery or plant trolley!
Friends Nursery and Plant Trolley
Nursery located behind the Robert Clark Centre
Open 1-4pm Tuesdays and 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month.
Plant trolleys outside the Conservatory during the day (cash honour system)
FREE Guided Tours of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens
11am every Sunday in Autumn and Spring. Provided by the Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens. Meet at the Conservatory.
An opportunity for locals and visitors to Ballarat to take a leisurely stroll through the gardens with a guide and find out more about the history and stories of our trees, statues and the changes and development underway in the gardens. Your guide will show you the highlights of this beautiful heritage listed garden. There is no need to book. Just turn up at the Conservatory and a guide will be there to take you on the tour. The tour lasts about an hour.
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