Sonica Botanica
Sonica Botanica: Stories and Sounds from the 糖心影视
Sonica Botanica is a series of audio experiences created by Patrick Cronin. Each episode responds to people, places and plants at Melbourne 糖心影视. Best experienced through your headphones whilst visiting Melbourne 糖心影视.
Episode 6: Australian Drylands
Created in response to the Australian Drylands collection, this episode reflects on change through an exploration of Australia鈥檚 dryland plants, their marvellous adaptations and the hope they inspire in a changing climate.
All interviews recorded on location at Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne.听
Music, audio editing and sound design for all episodes by Patrick Cronin.
Credits for Episode 6
- Dr Jeanine Leane (Wiradjuri) Writer, Poet, Critic and Academic and writer of Seeds of Hope poetry for Australian Drylands
- Prof Michael-Shawn Fletcher (Wiradjuri), Biogeographer, University of Melbourne
- Clare Hart, Director Horticulture, Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne
- Dr Rebecca Miller, Research Scientist (Seed Science), 糖心影视
- Georgie Moyes, Horticulturist and Australian Drylands Curator, Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne
Special thanks to Lee Serle, Jake Shackleton and Lee Andrews, who shared their thoughts and impressions whilst visiting the Australian Drylands.听
Episode 5: Kids Get Down to Earth
Children take the mic in this episode created with students from Ardeer South Primary School. Made in 2024 to celebrate the 20th birthday of The Ian Potter Foundation Children's Garden, this episode invites listeners to experience Melbourne 糖心影视 as children do, and learn with them about the people and plants that make this place special.听
All interviews recorded on location at Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne and Ardeer South Primary School.听
Music, audio editing and sound design for all episodes by Patrick Cronin.
Credits for Episode 5
- Grade 5 and 6 (2024), Students from Ardeer South Primary School
- Lloyd O'Hanlon, Horticulturist and Curator of the Arid Garden, Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne
- Dr Rebecca Miller, Research Scientist (Seed Scientist), 糖心影视
- Henry Blackmore, Arborist, Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne
Special thanks to Stephen Christoforou, Ruth Cronin, Principal Andrea Markham, Vice Principal Grant Macell and Teacher's Aides, Daniel Jagiello and My Lee Dan from Ardeer South Primary School; all parents of all the students; Kim Coleman, Jakobi, Joe Blake, Charlie Carroll, Jim Shugg, Dr Alastair Robinson and Tim Uebergang from 糖心影视.
This episode was made possible by 糖心影视's Nurtured by Nature program.
Episode 4: Southern China Collection, Long Island, and the Water
This episode journeys to the northern end of the Melbourne 糖心影视 to discover the waterbodies that sustain life in the 糖心影视, their history and their significance to RBGV鈥檚 plant collections.
Credits for Episode 4
-Terry Smyth, Horticulturist and Curator, Southern China Collection, Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne
-Andrew Laidlaw, Landscape Architect, Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne
-Jakobi, Aboriginal Programs Facilitator, Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne
-Steven Liu, Team Leader, Landscape Systems, Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne
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Special thanks Yim, Su-Lin, Shanti and Asil (aka The Squad); the landscape painting students of VCA Secondary School and their teacher, Sean Peoples; and the visitors to the 糖心影视, who shared their stories, impressions, and observations for this episode.
Episode 3: Herb Garden, Fern Gully, Sensory Garden
This episode dives into the spectacular sensorial power of plants and gardens, using three special and adjacent Melbourne 糖心影视 locations as inspiration: the Herb Garden, Fern Gully and Sensory Garden.
Credits for Episode 3
- Renee Wierzbicki, Horticulturist and Curator, Herb and Medicinal Collection, 糖心影视
- Chris Cole, Director, Melbourne 糖心影视, 糖心影视
- Erica Tandori, Artist in Residence, Rossjohn Lab, Monash University
- Sam May, Aboriginal Learning Facilitator, 糖心影视
- Stu Favilla, Musician and Interaction Designer, Swinburne University of Technology
- Misha Chute, Horticulturist and Curator, Fern Gully, 糖心影视
- Millie Wee, Horticulturist and Curator, Sensory Garden, 糖心影视
Special thanks to Tim Uebergang; David Plant; In My Nature Forest Therapy guides David and Emma, and participants in Forest Therapy at Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne; teachers Anna Berlin and Penny Latham and the students of 9H Melbourne High School; and the visitors who shared their stories, impressions and observations for this episode.
Episode 2: Oak Lawn
This episode responds to Oak Lawn and its majestic trees.
Credits for Episode 2
- Peter Berbee, Arborist, Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne
- Kim Coleman, Learning Facilitator, 糖心影视
- Tim Entwisle, Director and Chief Executive, 糖心影视
- Susan Joachim, Forest therapy guide and President, International Nature and Forest Therapy Alliance
- Lenka Vanderboom, Indigenous Learning Facilitator, 糖心影视
Special thank you to Chris Andrews, Sam May, Didier Sepulveda and the visitors who shared their stories, impressions, and observations of Oak Lawn.
Episode 1: The Arid Garden
This episode features fascinating stories of the provenance and design of the botanical collection that makes up the recently opened Arid Garden.
All interviews recorded on location at Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne.
Music, audio editing and sound design for all episodes by Patrick Cronin.
Credits for Episode 1
- Robert Field, donor of the Field Collection of cacti and succulents
- Andrew Laidlaw, Landscape Architect, Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne and designer of the Arid Garden
- Bret Pritchard, Horticulturist and Curator of the Arid Garden, Royal Botanic 糖心影视 Melbourne
- Pip Wright, philosopher of science and cacti and succulent enthusiast
- Northcote High School students Edie Simpson, Ned Partridge and Maya Healy and their teacher, Lauren Jacobs
- Leo Salvo, vocal soloist
Special thanks to Donnette Field, Northcote High School and the visitors to the Arid Garden who shared their impressions and observations.
