Diversity Garden
The Diversity Garden provides a snapshot of the incredible聽variability聽of Australian flora and landscapes through the framework of 83聽bio-regions聽based on research by IBRA (Interim Biogeographic聽Regionalisation聽for Australia). This research was conducted by the then Department of Environment and Heritage, to help protect and understand our native flora and fauna in its natural habitat.聽Along聽a series of聽narrow聽gardens聽beds,聽the plants聽found聽within each of these聽sections聽capture the essence of the聽bio-region聽it represents.聽
When exploring the Diversity Garden, remember:
- Australia is rich in plant diversity with over 22,000 different聽species and this garden聽empahsises聽the聽impressive聽range聽of Australian聽landscapes and the聽plants聽found within.聽
- You will also find a diversity of mulch types utilised, both organic and inorganic, to help convey the geological character of that bio-region.聽
- This garden encourages the preservation of plants through cultivation by also displaying plants officially listed as rare or threatened in the wild.聽
Notes from the Curator
Mathieu Lascostes
This is a very horticulturally challenging garden as we attempt to display plants from every corner of Australia that would naturally be growing in extremely diverse conditions. And here we have them planted in a constrained environment offering very uniform conditions. It is also a brainteaser, design-wise, on how to display such a varied group of plants in a small space and succeed in creating a design that is pleasing to the eye. There is a degree of trial and error in this dynamic garden, where we seek out species that will grow successfully and show outstanding ornamental qualities, whilst ensuring to present the most emblematic plant for that bio-region.聽