Adelaide Botanic Garden
LocationNorth Terrace HistorySouth Australia was proclaimed in December 1836, and in 1837 Col W. Light in his plan of Adelaide showed an area set aside for a botanic garden. It was not until 1854, after a public appeal to the Governor, that the Agricultural and Horticultural Society recommended the establishment of a 16 ha (41 acres) botanic garden on the present site. In April 1855, George Francis was appointed Superintendent, and the garden was opened to the public in 1857. In planning the layout, Francis is said to have been influenced by those at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in England and Versailles in France, together with certain German and Dutch stylistic influences. Even today, the Adelaide Botanic Garden has a northern European style, also reflected in its nineteenth century buildings.
In 1865, George Francis resigned because of ill health. Dr Richard Schomburgk was appointed his successor, a position which he held until his death in 1891. Under Schomburgk, many notable features were added to the original plan established by Francis, including many trees which remain today. These include Moreton Bay Fig Avenue (1866), Araucaria Avenue (1868), and Plane Tree Ring (1883). Botanic Park, the large area of c.34 ha (84 acres) north of the Garden, was acquired in 1866. Its tree collection still contains many of the early plantings such as Plane Tree Drive (1874). It was in Botanic Park that the Salvation Army held its first Australasian meeting in 1880, and a tree commemorating this occasion was planted on the centenary in 1980. In order to grow tropical plant collections glasshouses were necessary and in 1868 the Victoria House was constructed especially for the Victoria water lily, Victoria amazonica. This first flowered in cultivation in England in 1849, and in 1868 in the Victoria House, producing leaves up to almost 2 metres in diameter for large throngs of fascinated visitors. Progress of its flowering was reported daily in the local press. Another significant glasshouse constructed about this time was the Palm House which was opened to the public in 1877; it was completely restored in 1994-95. In 1881 the Museum of Economic Botany which is now listed on the inventory of the National Estate was opened to the public.
During Schomburgk’s era, the Garden fulfilled recreational and educational functions but also provided services of considerable importance to farmers. Economic crops were introduced, such as strains of wheat, oats and sorghum; fruits and vines were tested and, if considered suitable, were distributed to growers. Trees were also propagated and distributed by the Botanic Gardens for civic plantings in and around Adelaide. Today, the Garden specialises in scientific and educational displays of ornamental plants, both exotic and native. Collections range from palms and endangered cycads through to culinary and medicinal herbs. Over 1.3 million people visit each year including approximately 25,000 school students to learn, enjoy and gain a better understanding of the plant world and its importance to our future. ServicesOpening hoursWeekdays 7:15am. Weekends and public holidays 9:00am Closing times vary throughout the year:
Admission charges apply for the Bicentennial Conservatory, otherwise entry is free. Ticketed car parking is available in Plane Tree Drive off Hackney Road. Guided walks 10:30am dailyThe Garden Guides conduct free guided walks of the Adelaide Botanic Garden leaving from the Schomburk Pavilion, daily at 10:30am (except Christmas and Good Friday).
Collections and DisplaysThe Adelaide Botanic Garden is an historic garden on the Adelaide Plains with a dry Mediterranean climate and alkaline soils. Native and exotic plant collections are displayed including palms, cycads, bromeliads and many spectacular mature trees and shrubs. Rainforest species are grown in the temperate Australian forest and the Bicentennial Conservatory for tropical plants. Unique arid Madagascan plants are grown in the Palm House. See also the Living Collections Policy and Accessions Policy. Bicentennial ConservatoryOpen daily 10:00am - 4:00pm (5:00pm during daylight saving). Wheelchair access. A small admission charge applies. Further information on the Bicentennial Conservatory. Museum of Economic BotanyThe Museum opened on 27 May 1881 at a cost of 2,900 pounds (approx. AUD$7,000). It was designed by the then Architect-in-Chief (E J Woods) in a Greek style and has an ornate, stencilled, wooden ceiling.
Dr Schomburgk, the then Director of the Adelaide Botanic Garden, had the Museum built to house a large collection of objects he had obtained from around the world. Some of these are still on display. The Museum is listed on the Register of the National Estate, 1980; Register of State Heritage Items, 1982; classified by the National Trust; and on the Register of City of Adelaide Heritage Items, 1985. The Museum of Economic Botany is currently closed to allow for restoration works.Previous ExhibitionsSchomburgk Pavilion
As part of the Garden's 150 program, a new raised terrace, known as the Schomburgk Pavilion, has been built to the rear of the Museum of Economic Botany, offering a variety of visitor services and reinvigorating the area as the cultural heart of the Garden. Its elegant contemporary glass design complements the Museum of Economic Botany building and in part realises a vision to restore the Museum's former energy and purpose. The Schomburgk Pavilion houses a central space for displays and exhibitions, T he Botanic Shop, Café Fibonacci and the Visitor Information Centre. SA Water Mediterranean GardenNew SA Water Mediterranean Garden web page here The SA Water Mediterranean Garden showcases plants from mediterranean climates around the world, including regions such as south-western Australia, South Africa, Central Chile, California, and the Mediterranean Basin. The plants that live in these places are well adapted for climates just like southern South Australia: seasonally dry, with mild climates and frequent fire. Many of them have features that enable them to conserve water during dry times and take advantage of the rain when it falls. Wandering through this garden, visitors will discover the diversity, resilience and beauty of these plants. People visiting the SA Water Mediterranean Garden will see the forms that enable these plants to survive and thrive in their mediterranean landscapes. We hope that visitors will learn about these plants and their environments, the connections they have with people from different cultures and how they can help us live more sustainably in our environment. Go to the new SA Water Mediterranean Garden web page
Amazon Waterlily Pavilion
South Australian Premier Mike Rann officially opened the $4.3 million Amazon Waterlily Pavilion on 7 November 2007. The Pavilion, the third of Adelaide Botanic Garden's glasshouses, is an exquisite glass palace setting for a jewel of the natural world and indeed the Adelaide Botanic Garden's - Victoria amazonica. The pavilion was constructed as part of the Gardens 150th Anniversary in 2007, as was the Schomburgk Pavilion and the SA Water Mediterranean Garden. 'The completion of this impressive architectural inclusion to the heart of the Adelaide Botanic Garden marks a stunning job by South Australian designers and builders, which will help grow the Garden's 1.3 million visitors a year, Mr Rann said. The Amazon Waterlily Pavilion replaces the Victoria House (1957) and Schomburgk Range glasshouses (1954).The original Victoria House was built in 1868 to house the Amazon Waterlily . The design of the new energy efficient glass house was inspired by the lily's giant leaves, and the original pond from Victoria House has been retained as the centre piece of the new pavilion.
Victoria amazonica (Amazon Waterlily) and Nymphaea caerulea (Blue Nile waterlily) have been planted in the pond and in the surrounding beds complementary South American flora has been planted. An interpretive gallery within the pavilion elaborates on the unique form of the waterlily, interprets its remarkable biology and sex life and explores its cultural and symbolic significance and influence on art and architecture. The landscape surrounding the pavilion includes Bromeliads, Orchids and Begonias. The lily's original home, the Victoria House, also displayed Bromeliads and one of the orchids, Schomburgkia superbiens, which is named after Dr Richard Schomburgk.
Stephen Forbes, Director of the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide, recently led two expeditions back to Guyana in 2005 and 2007, collecting new genetic material for the Amazon Waterlily Pavilion. When in bloom, the lily opens a beautiful white. It then closes over night, reopening the following day to reveal a rosy pink centre that has a light fruity scent of pineapple and banana. On January 1 2008, the waterlily blossomed, producing a spectacular flower and creating excitement around such a stunning feature of this world. This particular flower measured 30cm in diameter and 12cm in height and the largest lily pad was 165cm in diameter. In the wild, this unique flower grows in the backwaters of the Amazon and has flowers that can grow up to 40cm in diameter and lily pads that can grow to 2 metres in diameter. Leaf size is influenced by the depth of water, for this determines the length of the leaf stalks. The Amazon Waterlily Pavilion is open 7 days a week from 10am- 4pm and will stay open until 6pm throughout daylight saving. There were a number of donors who contributed to the project and
we thank them for their generous support.
Palm House
An exquisite restored Victorian glasshouse imported from Bremen in Germany in 1875 and thought to be the only one of its kind extant in the world. Features a display of Madagascan arid flora. The restorationImported from Bremen, Germany in 1875 by the second Director Dr Richard Schomburgk, the Palm House was opened in 1877 and has been a focus in the Adelaide Botanic Garden since that time. It was designed by German architect Gustav Runge, the sophisticated engineering techniques used in its construction making it a benchmark in glasshouse design. The hanging glass walls are similar to those used in modern city buildings today and were very advanced for the time. This sophistication and Adelaide’s dry climate probably account for the Palm House’s survival with a remarkably high degree of originality. In 1986 corrosion of iron glazing bars in the Palm House made it unsafe for public use and it was closed. A conservation study carried out in early 1991 recommended a full restoration programme, and in February 1992 the Board of the Botanic Gardens launched the Palm House Restoration Appeal to raise funds to enable this to proceed. A wonderful response to the Appeal by the community, together with an allocation of $1.1 million from the Federal Government’s ‘One Nation’ Programme enabled a full and authentic restoration of the Palm House to commence in 1992. An extensive dilapidation survey was conducted in 1992 by SACON Heritage Unit in conjunction with Bruce Harry and Associates, Heritage Architects. This documented the project fully and established that the Palm House is the only one of its kind extant in the world. It is listed on both the State and National Heritage Registers. The building was completely dismantled, every component tagged and assessed for repair. Great care has been taken to conserve the cultural and architectural integrity of the Palm House, at the same time incorporating modern safety standards. Following grit blasting, repairs to the ironwork were carried out using authentic wrought iron salvaged from old Victorian structures in the United Kingdom. Special glass has been treated to make it resemble the original 3mm float glass. Pilkington Seraphic designed a pattern to be printed on the glass panes in the roof, using the seraphic process, which removes the need to whitewash the building in South Australia’s hot summers. The decorative blue glass has been imported from Germany and is a striking feature of the building. The interior raised bed design and tessellated tiled paths as shown in early photographs have been recreated. The beds have an edging decorated with Acanthus leaves. The northern facade and elegant Mintaro slate steps of the Palm House have been reinstated, providing access from both sides and the original colours of beige and soft moss green have been used on the masonry and ironwork. To help conserve the Palm House for future generations, a plant display which requires warm and dry growing conditions have been chosen for the Palm House. It features a fascinating collection of plants from the island of Madagascar, once part of the great supercontinent Gondwana. About 150 million years ago, Madagascar and Australia were still part of Gondwana, its evolving flora producing the ancient ancestors of today’s modern native plants. Many of the plants are at risk or endangered in their natural habitat. The unique aridland flora of south western Madagascar receives much of its water as mist or dew. We can therefore provide the plants with their water requirements with light misting, minimising corrosion of the ironwork. This unusual plant display attracts much attention. Seed for the display was sourced from plant collectors or other botanic gardens around the world, and the plants have been raised in the Botanic Gardens nursery. The Palm House is an outstanding heritage building of significant international importance and will continue to be a much loved attraction in the Adelaide Botanic Garden, South Australia for generations to come. The restoration programme was managed by the SACON Heritage Unit in conjunction with heritage architects, Bruce Harry & Associates. Open daily 10:00am — 4:00pmNelumbo Pond
FoodThe lotus symbolises the life of Buddha. It grows up through the mud yet its light green leaves and pink-white flowers are untainted, just as the Buddha was untainted by life's 'illusions' and 'desires'. The flowers are used in daily offerings in Buddhist temples. In the art of both Hinduism and Buddhism, the gods are frequently represented seated on a lotus throne. In China, people related the lotus to a good omen and to love. It became popular among men of noble character to send the fruit of the lotus as a gift of peace. Food and wineJust about all parts of the lotus plant are edible. This includes the seeds, leaves, flowers and their stalks. The flowers give rise to an interesting conical seed pod that is edible and resembles a giant salt shaker. While fresh young leaves can be eaten raw, the mature, platter-sized leaves are used as wrapping for steamed food such as dim-sum. The lotus is an important part of the diet of Aboriginal people in tropical northern parts of Australia. Early settlers to these areas roasted and ground the seed as a substitute for coffee. Festivals and funDuring lotus festival time in Japan, a small hole is made where the stem joins the leaf. Wine is then poured onto the leaf and sucked through the base of the stem. This provides the drinker with an unusual, tasty, nutrient rich drink. Sex and scienceStudies on Adelaide Botanic Garden's Lotus revealed that the plants warm-up their flowers to 30-35 degrees and maintain them at a constant temperature for several days. Scientists think this may be to provide an attractive environment for copulating beetle pollinators. The beetles enter the open flower but are held captive overnight when the flower closes. After a warm night's amorous activity, spreading pollen in the process, the beetles are released. Self cleaning leavesLotus leaves have a fascinating self-cleaning surface. When water falls on the leaves, it beads and rolls off without wetting and takes surface dirt with it. Electron microscope studies show the surface to be made up of tiny pinhead structures that repel water. The discovery of these microscopic structures have led to the development of products such as a self-cleaning exterior paint known as Lotusan. The lotus leaf is a good example of how nature often provides the simplest and most elegant solutions to life's little problems. For further information see the Lotus Effect website at the University of Bonn. Botanic Gardens Restaurant and KioskA fully licensed restaurant in an idyllic setting overlooking the Main Lake in the centre of the Adelaide Botanic Garden serves some of South Australia’s finest wines and innovative cuisine. The Kiosk serves a wide choice of delicious light refreshments. Open daily 10:00am — 4:30pm. Wedding receptions and private functions by booking. Botanic Park
Acquired by the Adelaide Botanic Garden in 1866, the adjacent Botanic Park is a glorious 34 hectare green oasis within easy walking distance of the Adelaide CBD. It is flanked on the Botanic Garden side by a stately avenue of Plane trees which were planted in 1874, and on the northern side by the River Torrens and the Adelaide Zoo. Century old Moreton Bay Fig trees from Queensland with their huge trunks and gnarled buttress roots add to the special quality of Botanic Park. It was in Botanic Park that the Salvation Army held its first Australasian meeting in 1880, an event commemorated in 1980 by the planting of an avenue of Plane trees on the northern side of Botanic Park. From the 1890’s Speaker’s Corner on Sundays provided the venue for lively public debates on a wide range of topics and created a reputation for Botanic Park as Adelaide’s Hyde Park, the celebrated locale for free speech in London. Always a popular place for family reunions and picnics, in recent years Botanic Park has also become an outstanding venue for several major events including Womadelaide and Gardens Alive. National Rose Trial Garden
Most roses sold in Australia are raised by rose breeders in the northern hemisphere in a very different climate. Some roses which do well there perform disappointingly here, but occasionally the reverse is true. Being able to predetermine the roses which will succeed in Australian conditions ensures a degree of certainty not previously available and a significant economic advantage for the Australian rose industry. A trial is conducted over two growing seasons and all plants are treated equally with regard to horticultural practices. Depending on the type of rose each entry consists of three, four or six plants, identified by a code number only, all other details being known only to the Trial Coordinator and the Agent responsible for the entry. The roses are judges by a panel of 10 experienced rosarians who view them and allocate points every two weeks over the two growing seasons. Points are awarded on predetermined criteria which include health, vigour, hardiness, pest and disease tolerance, habit of growth, impact of the display, beauty of blooms, abundance of flowering, fragrance and novelty. The results are announced publicly at the end of the trial and the best performing roses receive an award. Rose trial gardens in Europe attract thousands of visitors each year, eager to see the roses of the future. Some famous roses which have received awards in trial gardens worldwide include, Peace (1945), Queen Elizabeth (1954), Iceberg (1958), Papa Meilland (1963), Double Delight (1977) and Bonica (1985). Map
Map of Adelaide Botanic Garden (605Kb PDF)
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Started
in 1996 and the first of its kind in Australia, the National Rose
Trial Garden is a joint venture between the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide,
the National Rose Society of Australia and the rose industry. Its
purpose is to help the rose industry determine which roses are best
suited to Australian conditions, by assessing their performance
in a controlled trial ground. The trial is for roses not yet commercially
released in Australia. 
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