A recent review of the popular Flora Explorer tours showed demand for extra tours on weekends, public holidays and school holidays.
In response, morning tours have now been introduced at 10.30 am on weekends and public holidays. The afternoon tour time has changed to 1.30 pm.
There will also be a morning tour (at 10.30 am) on week days in school holidays.
The Friends recently purchased a microphone and audio system to allow the Flora guide to provide a guided commentary to passengers, whilst the bus is in motion.
The length of the tour has been changed to 45 minutes.
Archived news
You are here
See all current news stories
Changes to Flora Explorer Tours
Tuesday, 09 September 2014
Elizabeth Minchin talk on the townhouse gardens of Pompeii - handout available
At the Thursday Talk on August 21 by Professor Elizabeth Minchin of ANU on ‘Exploring Ancient Gardens of the Roman World’, demand for a handout she brought along greatly exceeded supply. Elizabeth has kindly provided a copy to be available here for download (PDF, 318 KB).
Friday, 22 August 2014
A Gift for the Gardens from the Friends
Very appropriately, the 19 June Thursday Talk on the Gardens public art management plan began with the handover of two paintings from the Friends to the Gardens. Mr David Coutts, President of the Friends, formally handed the two artworks to Dr Judy West, Executive Director of the Gardens. Click on the heading above for more information.
Monday, 30 June 2014
Symposium 12 June 2014: Plant Conservation & Management for the Australian Alps
The Australian National University, Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) and the ANBG Friends sponsored a half-day symposium on 12 June 2014 on alpine plant research and management, building on their existing ARC linkages research program into alpine seed ecology. The symposium covered the role of botanical gardens in alpine plant conservation, recent and current research into alpine plant ecology, and directions for future research.
Wednesday, 04 June 2014
Welcoming our new Patron, Her Excellency Lady Cosgrove
We are honoured that Her Excellency Lady Cosgrove has accepted the role of Patron of the Friends.
Her official biography lists her personal interests as including art and architecture, nature and gardens, and she is a keen sports follower. Lady Cosgrove has been actively involved in the welfare of partners in the defence community and became the inaugural Patron of Partners of Veterans Australia. She has worked with numerous voluntary organisations supporting aged and disabled people, and endangered Australian wildlife.
Thursday, 22 May 2014
Art workshops at the Gardens, 9-11 May
The Gardens will be hosting several art workshops next Friday, Saturday and Sunday (9 – 11 May).
Julie McEnerny will be conducting Botanical Art Workshops on Friday and Saturday, in conjunction with her exhibition Offshoots at the Visitor Information Centre. Bookings are essential at www.anbg.gov.au/gardens.
Craft ACT artists-in-residence Annee Miron and Sally Blake will conduct workshops on Saturday and Sunday in the Crosbie Morrison Building. Bookings are essential and close Wednesday 7 May; contact julie.akmacic@environment.gov.au or phone (02) 6250 9405.
Saturday, 03 May 2014
RHS Medal winner Nilavan Adams
ANBG Botanic Art Group member Nilavan Adams has done it again!
Nilavan has been awarded the Silver Gilt medal at the Royal Horticultural Society 2014 Botanical Art Show in London.
This exhibition showcases work from some of the world’s best botanical artists. The official guidelines note that:
Sunday, 13 April 2014
Red Centre Garden
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.
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Banks' Florilegium at the National Library of Australia
Banks’ Florilegium is a collection of colour prints based on the 955 field drawings made by artist Sydney Parkinson to accompany the botanical specimens, collected by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, on the 1768-1771 Endeavour voyage of discovery and circumnavigation of the globe, which was lead by Captain James Cook.
Three groups of Friends were privileged to attend a viewing of prints based on the Australian component of Banks’ Florilegium at the NLA on 19 March 2014. The viewing followed an excellent talk by Catriona Anderson from the NLA at the Friends' Twilight Dinner in February.
Click on the heading to see Catriona Anderson’s notes prepared for the viewing.
Monday, 24 March 2014
Art in the Gardens with Friends 2014
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.
Saturday, 22 March 2014
