History & Culture
17 incredible Australian women in botany
Australia is home to many talented botanists, many of whom are women. Here are just a few of their stories.
Australia is home to many talented botanists, many of whom are women. Here are just a few of their stories.
Australia’s regional botanic gardens are ‘living museums’, not merely places of scenic beauty.
Anne Hayes has completed several assignments on botanical themes for Australian Geographic. And like any AG commission, each one has been founded on accuracy attained through detailed and thorough research and observation. This is a selection of Anne’s work.
The seeds illustrated by Anne Hayes here can be found in coastal forests in northern NSW and southern Queensland.
Curtis’s Botanical Magazine began publication in 1787 and intended to familiarise its readers with plants from all over the Empire, which it presented as floral paintings by noted artists who, previously had only been accessible by an affluent audience. Its publication saw their work accessible by a wider audience with a growing interest in exotic species. A Celebration of Australian Flowers – Curtis’s Botanical Magazine is running at the Redbox Gallery until 30 November 2017 Mrs Macquaries Rd. The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
The modern herbarium is steeped in tradition and full of antiquities, but it also leads the application of modern approaches to understanding our past, present and future natural world.
Entries for the 2017 Margaret Flockton Award for botanical illustration have come from all over the world and this year include digital images for the first time.
The NT’s Palm Valley was long thought to have been a surviving relict of Australia’s prehistoric rainforests, but we now know its trees arrived much more recently with Aboriginal horticulturalists.
Photos entered in the Botanical category could be habitat or portrait shots. This shortlist is testament to the gorgeous array of landscapes and plant life that surrounds us. These photos will be exhibited at the South Australian Museum in Adelaide (18 August to 3 October) and the Australian Museum in Sydney (19 August to 9 October).
While there’s no legal accreditation to become a botanic garden, it’s generally held that these gardens should involve some sort of scientific study. Of course, for the everyday lover of flowers and plants, the term simply represents a place to enjoy some of the best sights and smells nature has to offer. Australia is home to a terrifically diverse range of natural environments, and some of the best plant life in the world. So, whether your interest is in science, leisure or just a good place to picnic, check out our list of Australia’s top 10 botanic gardens.